The Slow Re-entry and AEDM
October 6th, 2008
Well, apparently my re-entry into regular life is going much slower than I thought it would! I just cleared my entry-way table of unopened mail and bills and the feeling of cleaning and clearing is continuing to sweep over me. It's strange, but since coming back from my honeymoon (see pic of rainbow seen from our car in Maui above), I've been at the computer very little. Everything seems to have slowed down and the things I'm most interested in doing are fairly simple...eating, snuggling, reading. It's been lovely. I didn't think to check my email yesterday. Even the hubster thought that was weird.
And I'm also a tad bit overwhelmed by the thought of all your lovely blogs and all I have to catch up on too. But I've continued on my quest for daily creativity. I don't have much to show for it except loads of lovely honeymoon photos and plenty of doodles and sketches. I thought I'd be bursting to paint, but instead I've been sketching and drawing. I suppose I'm in the build-up phase of things which is excellent considering that "Art Every Day Month" (AEDM) which I lead every November is just around the corner. I am quite excited about it actually as I know how the boost of creating something to share with you every day and the energy of the group itself is so fabulous.
I was pondering the differences between the two groups, CED (Creative Every Day 2008) and AEDM and I think they are very similar. CED developed from the desire to extend and expand on AEDM. Both are low-pressure challenges, challenging you (and myself) to be creative in some way (any way you can come up with) every day. For me, the difference is that for AEDM I like to create something tangible, usually a piece of art or working on a larger piece, and then sharing what I've been up to in photos every day. It's a bit of work to keep up with, which is why I don't do it this way year round. The month-long period works wonderfully for me and it has for others who have joined in the past.
I don't require you to do "Art Every Day Month" the same way I do, however, because my main goal is to encourage you to be more creative than usual in whatever way that means to you. So if you do something once a week for the month of November or even once the whole month, that's great. I also want to make clear that I'm choosing to make art in the form of drawings, collage, and paint, because that's what I love to do. I want you to do whatever it is you're drawn to do whether that be cooking, sewing, painting, sculpting, taking pictures, writing poetry or prose, whatever. I think of Art in the same way I do Creativity, in a broad sense, and I don't want anyone to be scared away by the word "Art."
My standard description of AEDM is in the sidebar to the left and I also have photo albums from what I've done for the challenge in past years that I'll put back into the sidebar shortly (they're also on links page now.) I'll have more to say about all this in the coming weeks, including a page for the challenge similar to the CED page, but in the meantime, if you'd like to sign up for "Art Every Day Month" for this November, comment or send me an email and I'll add your blog (or your name if you don't have a blog, a blog isn't required!) to the list of participants. I'll be back with more regularity this week!
p.s. Have you seen the SNL parody of the vp debates? It was definitely good for a giggle. You can see it here.
16 Responses
I would LOVE to participate in Art every day month!! It sounds like just what i need:)
Posted by: trish | Oct 6, 2008 at 9:23 pm |
I’m doing Bad Faery’s The Big Draw this month and it’s been so much fun. I would love to participate in Art Every Day Month next month!
Posted by: BelleEnchanted | Oct 6, 2008 at 9:33 pm |
Oh I’ve been waiting for the AEDM – I even posted about it a few days ago when I was sharing art challenge links. I’ve been participating in The Big Draw for October and will be fully primed and loaded (or exhausted
by November. So please put me down for this year.
It is your challenges which got me started on this journey and got me to enter the blogging world the first of this year. Who knew it (and my creativity) would blossom the way it has.
Posted by: Rebecca | Oct 6, 2008 at 9:41 pm |
of course count me in for AEDM – I did it last year (was very proud of myself)and want to do it again – thanks–Ellie
http://jibaro6543.blogspot.com/
Posted by: ELLIE | Oct 7, 2008 at 2:21 am |
I would love to be a part of AEDM!! What a great idea! Thanks for all the inspiration on your blog. So glad you got to see Hawaii. I went last year for a wedding and it was magical, so I hope you got to feel some of that magic while you were there…
Warm Wishes,
Kelly
Posted by: Kelly Valentine | Oct 7, 2008 at 3:24 am |
Sounds like a perfect re-entry…Smart You for not rushing back in to “catch up”. Keep the pace you achieved on your trip as long as you can ! Wouldn’t it be great is we could get the world to slow down, stop and wait for us to get back on once in a while, like a merry-go-round that takes time to build up momentum before it starts really spinning again…
Sounds like the up-coming months will be filled with interesting challenges to use your stored up Island energy for !
Welcome home…
Posted by: Kimbo | Oct 7, 2008 at 8:26 am |
I love your slow, thoughtful re-entry. You’ve been on a fantasy trip and that is obviously what your mind and body needed. Take your time love and enjoy it. I’ll have to put some thought into the aedm. I’m still working/pushing the CE, lol!
Big hugs,
a.
Posted by: Andie | Oct 7, 2008 at 9:49 am |
Sign me up for the Art Every Day Month! I need some help getting back into the swing of creativity.
Posted by: Tequitia | Oct 7, 2008 at 11:31 am |
I’m so glad you’re posting again. I missed you when you were out having a good time, but I’m glad you got to take a break and enjoy yourself.
I would like to be a participant in the Art Everyday Month. I’m notoriously bad at posting pictures, but that could be my creative challenge to work on for the month.
Posted by: Wendy Edsall-Kerwin | Oct 7, 2008 at 1:30 pm |
This is an exciting time of pooling your creative resources
Whoohoo!
I DID see the Tina Fey version of the VP debates. They were a hoot!
Posted by: Julia | Oct 7, 2008 at 1:39 pm |
Please count me in for AEDM in November cause I will try my best to be creative every day.
http://nathaliebrault.blogspot.com
Posted by: Nathalie Brault | Oct 7, 2008 at 3:23 pm |
Hi Leah – count me in for Art Every Day Month! I’ll even try to make it sacred (day 41 and counting)!
Posted by: Kelley (DragonflyReflections) | Oct 7, 2008 at 11:33 pm |
oh what a lovely rainbow…enchanting to think of it in Hawaii…Never been there. Had one chance and it didn’t happen (many years ago). As for SNL – all kudos to Tina Fey…dead on! (and good for some hearty laughter which is much needed these days!) Daughter keeps me posted with the latest skits ’cause I always forget to go look.
Posted by: Tammy Vitale | Oct 8, 2008 at 7:46 am |
Loved hearing your musings about AEDM and the CED challenge. AND I look forward to our conference call with the creative artists community next week!!! Thank you!!!
Posted by: Jenn | Oct 8, 2008 at 3:30 pm |
I’d love to join your challenge. I’ve participated in the CED fairly regularly, and it really has changed my mindset about my artistic life and has brought me closer to my goal of making my ‘fun life’ my ‘real life’. I’m not there yet, but I will be soon
One of my goals this year was to be published and it looks like I will be before the end of the year. Look for my article coming up soon in CPS…I’ll send the link as soon as I’m for sure what issue it will be in. Thank you for all the work you do inspiring creativity in so many. It really has made a difference
Posted by: lucy | Oct 9, 2008 at 11:48 pm |
Sign me up for AEDM in November: a good reminder to me. I am also now on a Flickr group for a photo every day–that’s a challenge and a good one. Some days it is the coffee maker, the view from my window, the sky….which is also “art.”
Posted by: Pearl | Oct 14, 2008 at 3:01 am |