Entries from: September 2010
Creative Every Day Theme for October: Earth
September 29th, 2010, Comments (15)
At the end of each month I will announce the totally optional theme for the following month. Continuing with the elements theme, for the month of October, the theme will be the element of Earth. As always, this month's theme for the Creative Every Day Challenge is totally optional. Use it if it inspires you, continue being creative every day in your own way if it doesn't, or do something in between.
As the fall leaves begin to turn, this theme feels perfect. I'm thinking of this theme in terms of exploring the idea of earth in creative ways. You could play with natural items in your work, go exploring this beautiful Earth for your inspiration, or play with the colors of earth.
I'll be posting about the theme throughout the month on the blog to help keep you inspired. You can use the posts here for jumping off points or interpret the theme in your own creative way. If you need some suggestions, here are a few ideas to get you started. You could:
- *Collect leaves and other natural items to make prints from.
- *Walk your corner of the Earth and take photos of whatever catches your eye.
- *Sit quietly on the ground and meditate.
- *Mix dirt into your paint and play with texture!
- *Make mud pies!
- *Sculpt with clay.
- *Find creative ways to take care of the Earth.
- *Take your sketchbook outdoors.
How to use the CED themes:
If you're feeling creatively stuck or blocked at any point during the month, use the theme as a source of inspiration to get you moving. Feel free to focus on the theme in your creative activities for the entire month or as much as you'd like.
Using the theme is entirely optional for CED participants. Use it if it inspires you, ignore it if it doesn't. I'll be sharing posts throughout the month around the theme (among other things) to get you thinking about how to incorporate it into your life. I'd love to hear how you use the theme in your creative world.
And have fun with it!
If a healthy soil is full of death, it is also full of life: worms, fungi, microorganisms of all kinds ... Given only the health of the soil, nothing that dies is dead for very long. - Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America, 1977
p.s. The art above is adapted from my Fall Birds piece, prints are available here.
Creative Every Day Check-In: Sept 27 – Oct 3
September 27th, 2010, Comments (16)
This weekly check-in post is a place for Creative Every Day Challenge participants to share their creative activities.
Join in the Challenge: You can sign up for the 2010 Creative Every Day Challenge anytime! Find out more and fill out the sign-up form here to join in!
Ways to share: Once you've signed up, you can leave a comment on this post and/or use the "Mr. Linky" widget below to link to a blog post(s) about your creative activities during the days of 9/27/10 - 10/3/10.
The widget below is an optional method of sharing your creativity that makes it easier for others to check out what you're up to. You can use it to link to a blog post (or posts) or flickr image during the week listed. Or if you have a bunch of posts and don't want to link to all of them, you can link to your main blog page once. Do it in a way that makes sense and is fun for you! If you're unsure about how to use the widget, check out the "How to use the Mr. Linky widget" section on the Creative Every Day Challenge page. (If you're reading this in a RSS reader or email subscription, you will not see the "Mr. Linky widget", so click on over to the blog to use it.) If the Mr. Linky widget is missing from this blog post, it's probably a problem with their server and it will come back as soon as it's fixed. You can always leave your link in the comments.
You can also take advantage of the great CED flickr group to post your images and see what others are up to. If you're on Twitter, there's a growing Twitter list of CED participants and you can use the hashtag #CED2010 to help others find your Creative Every Day tweets!
Theme: The (totally optional) theme for September is the element of Water. I'll be posting about the theme throughout the month and you can feel free to use it to inspire your creations, follow your own muse, or do some combination. You can find out more about this month's theme and some prompts to get you started with September's theme here.
Happy Creating!
Between Earth and its atmosphere, the amount of water remains constant; there is never a drop more, never a drop less. This is a story of circular infinity, of a planet birthing itself. — Linda Hogan
Mini Memory Tree Giveaway
September 23rd, 2010, Comments (5)
The piece I started last week became this mini memory tree. It's a little hard to capture in a photo the way this looks, but the surface is covered in clear medium, which gives it a nice gloss, and I carved the tree shape into it before it dried, so it has lots of interesting dimension and texture. When I painted over it , some little pockets of blue formed in the sky that I'm really digging. I'm calling it a "Mini Memory Tree" and I did it to give away.
I'll be giving this piece away to one person who donates (any amount is wonderful!) to the Alzheimer's Association for the walk I'm doing this weekend in memory of my grandmother who passed away last November.
I'll be counting any donation by the end of September towards the giveaway. I'll randomly select one person on October 1st and send them this 4"x4" mixed-media piece for their very own! You can find out more and make a donation here.
p.s. I had an amazing time at Squam and loved creating with and meeting so many creative people! I'll have more to share about that soon!
p.p.s. A lot of folks have been asking about Art Every Day Month, which is right around the corner! I'll be talking a lot more about it in October along with sign-up info and how to participate, so stay tuned!
Creative Every Day Check-In: September 20 – 26
September 20th, 2010, Comments (23)
This weekly check-in post is a place for Creative Every Day Challenge participants to share their creative activities.
Join in the Challenge: You can sign up for the 2010 Creative Every Day Challenge anytime! Find out more and fill out the sign-up form here to join in!
Ways to share: Once you've signed up, you can leave a comment on this post and/or use the "Mr. Linky" widget below to link to a blog post(s) about your creative activities during the days of 9/20/10 - 9/26/10.
The widget below is an optional method of sharing your creativity that makes it easier for others to check out what you're up to. You can use it to link to a blog post (or posts) or flickr image during the week listed. Or if you have a bunch of posts and don't want to link to all of them, you can link to your main blog page once. Do it in a way that makes sense and is fun for you! If you're unsure about how to use the widget, check out the "How to use the Mr. Linky widget" section on the Creative Every Day Challenge page. (If you're reading this in a RSS reader or email subscription, you will not see the "Mr. Linky widget", so click on over to the blog to use it.) If the Mr. Linky widget is missing from this blog post, it's probably a problem with their server and it will come back as soon as it's fixed. You can always leave your link in the comments.
You can also take advantage of the great CED flickr group to post your images and see what others are up to. If you're on Twitter, there's a growing Twitter list of CED participants and you can use the hashtag #CED2010 to help others find your Creative Every Day tweets!
Theme: The (totally optional) theme for September is the element of Water. I'll be posting about the theme throughout the month and you can feel free to use it to inspire your creations, follow your own muse, or do some combination. You can find out more about this month's theme and some prompts to get you started with September's theme here.
Happy Creating!
In Amsterdam the water is the mistress and the land the vassal. throughout the city there are as many canals and drawbridges as bracelets on a Gypsy's bronzed arms. ~Felix Marti-Ibanez
Experimenting and Off to the Lake
September 15th, 2010, Comments (10)
I'm playing around with some medium on a new little piece. I've got some ideas of where it will go, but the fun in experimenting is that I'm not sure exactly how it will work out! In the meantime, all that medium is going to take some time to dry. I plan to play with it more when I return. I know it doesn't look all that water related yet, but just wait!
Today, I head off with the beautiful Jenn to Squam to get my art on. I'm so excited to play with other creative folks and to be by the lake (perfect for the water theme!)
I hope you all have a beautiful week, filled with inspiration!
Creative Every Day Check-In: September 13-19
September 13th, 2010, Comments (16)
This weekly check-in post is a place for Creative Every Day Challenge participants to share their creative activities.
Join in the Challenge: You can sign up for the 2010 Creative Every Day Challenge anytime! Find out more and fill out the sign-up form here to join in!
Ways to share: Once you've signed up, you can leave a comment on this post and/or use the "Mr. Linky" widget below to link to a blog post(s) about your creative activities during the days of 9/13/10 - 9/19/10.
The widget below is an optional method of sharing your creativity that makes it easier for others to check out what you're up to. You can use it to link to a blog post (or posts) or flickr image during the week listed. Or if you have a bunch of posts and don't want to link to all of them, you can link to your main blog page once. Do it in a way that makes sense and is fun for you! If you're unsure about how to use the widget, check out the "How to use the Mr. Linky widget" section on the Creative Every Day Challenge page. (If you're reading this in a RSS reader or email subscription, you will not see the "Mr. Linky widget", so click on over to the blog to use it.) If the Mr. Linky widget is missing from this blog post, it's probably a problem with their server and it will come back as soon as it's fixed. You can always leave your link in the comments.
You can also take advantage of the great CED flickr group to post your images and see what others are up to. If you're on Twitter, there's a growing Twitter list of CED participants and you can use the hashtag #CED2010 to help others find your Creative Every Day tweets!
Theme: The (totally optional) theme for September is the element of Water. I'll be posting about the theme throughout the month and you can feel free to use it to inspire your creations, follow your own muse, or do some combination. You can find out more about this month's theme and some prompts to get you started with September's theme here.
Happy Creating!
If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. ~Loran Eisley
Shower Power
September 9th, 2010, Comments (16)
I was in the shower the other day, thinking about the water theme, when it hit me that I was currently in water and that the shower is one of my favorite places to think! Perhaps it's because all other sources of stimulation are gone and I'm just focused on the simple tasks of cleaning my hair and body. I enjoy the sensual nature of taking showers or baths, they're so relaxing, but they're also a place where my mind roams, a bit like it does before I'm falling asleep and little ideas and inspirations will occur to me.
As the shower lingered on, I thought about how much I love to be near water in general when I'm thinking, writing, or doodling. I find sitting by a still lake or pond to be relaxing and meditative. Being near a fast flowing river is where ideas and writing will move more quickly. And then sitting by the ocean, I'm soothed by the far away horizon, the big sky, and the regular woosh of the waves.
Do you find ideas occurring to you while you're in the shower? Or near a body of water? Pay attention this month and see if you are. I'd love to hear about it.
I was also inspired to draw this cute little shower girl. I wish I had a shower cap that was that cute!
Creative Every Day Check-In: September 6 – 12
September 6th, 2010, Comments (16)
This weekly check-in post is a place for Creative Every Day Challenge participants to share their creative activities.
Join in the Challenge: You can sign up for the 2010 Creative Every Day Challenge anytime! Find out more and fill out the sign-up form here to join in!
Ways to share: Once you've signed up, you can leave a comment on this post and/or use the "Mr. Linky" widget below to link to a blog post(s) about your creative activities during the days of 9/6/10 - 9/12/10.
The widget below is an optional method of sharing your creativity that makes it easier for others to check out what you're up to. You can use it to link to a blog post (or posts) or flickr image during the week listed. Or if you have a bunch of posts and don't want to link to all of them, you can link to your main blog page once. Do it in a way that makes sense and is fun for you! If you're unsure about how to use the widget, check out the "How to use the Mr. Linky widget" section on the Creative Every Day Challenge page. (If you're reading this in a RSS reader or email subscription, you will not see the "Mr. Linky widget", so click on over to the blog to use it.) If the Mr. Linky widget is missing from this blog post, it's probably a problem with their server and it will come back as soon as it's fixed. You can always leave your link in the comments.
You can also take advantage of the great CED flickr group to post your images and see what others are up to. If you're on Twitter, there's a growing Twitter list of CED participants and you can use the hashtag #CED2010 to help others find your Creative Every Day tweets!
Theme: The (totally optional) theme for September is the element of Water. I'll be posting about the theme throughout the month and you can feel free to use it to inspire your creations, follow your own muse, or do some combination. You can find out more about this month's theme and some prompts to get you started with September's theme here.
Happy Creating!
If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry. ~Emily Dickinson
Mermaid with Stars
September 2nd, 2010, Comments (10)
I started this mixed-media piece thinking about the water theme and how water is so much of who we are, the foundation of life. I put down pieces of rice paper to create texture, putting them in a circular shape. Water makes me think of circles, the womb, life, an individual cell.
The stars were unplanned, they just came up. I think I was inspired by the teeny tiny baby starfish I've seen wandering around our fish tank at night. So cute.
Where is the water theme bringing you?