At the age of 26, Natalie Goldberg began meditating, writing, and painting. Over the years she has applied the following insights from her Zen practice to all of her creative endeavors — live in the moment, don't judge, and accept the impermanence of all things. This perspective has enabled her to experiment with a beginner's mind and to never worry about either failure or perfection.
Goldberg talks to Michael Toms of New Dimensions about her view that color is the language of painting. She also reads passages from her latest book, Living Color, a collection of her paintings with her comments on them. The arduous process of writing a novel has given Goldberg a deep respect for this genre. She also talks about her appreciation for the nonfiction writing of Ernest Hemingway and the fiction of Carson McCullers. Goldberg makes a good case for wonder, joy, and imagination as the keys to creativity.