Entries Tagged as: guest post
Guest Post by Darlene J Kreutzer
March 3rd, 2010, Comments (8)
a story of me
Once upon a time, there was a little girl who sat and sketched all the birds that lived in a bird book on a wooden shelf at her grandparent's farm. She had grown bored with the big box of comic books that lingered at the end of the scratchy wool couch that always left a red rash on the back of her legs. She spent hours drawing and drawing and then drawing some more. Her face crinkled in concentration as her nubby yellow pencil scratched the paper atop a big book filled with maps balanced above the shaggy dark green pillow that sat cozy on her lap.
Her mother was an artist who painted the colours of life swirled on canvas in bright flames of blue green. Her brother took art classes and knew how to draw a line that lead to the secret life that lived in the possibility.
As she grew older and older, she ran a story in her head that went something like this. The artists that she so admired held a secret key of talent that she didn't possess so instead she painted her stories with words, burnished gold highways of melted car tar ink swirled in clouds of imagination. She searched for captured light and found poetry in the sighed click of of exposure. But art was for those whose talent lay in a heart that she didn't possess and so she doodled in the margins of poetic lines as her heart longed for something she couldn't quite grasp.
So she took a good look at herself and realized there was a light in her eye that smiled a little brighter at the thought of playing with the pretty shiny art supplies that she collected and filled the bins that hid in her studio room.
She is examining her stories, the stories that she tells herself about not being enough and how she makes herself so small and so I am creating a new story right now with every paint splatter and every pencil sketch. I am finding all the shades of me as I follow the line to my heart.
I am choosing the story that serves me right now and that story remembers how much joy I always got when I sketched birds and horses turned to unicorn smiles. I remember how much magic lives in the simple line of a pencil. I lose myself in the sound of my heartbeat and the scratch of the pencil as it pulls out more truth of who I am, who I long to be. I am a girl who not only collects art supplies but also uses them more and more every day and I can't wait to uncover more of her story.
And I am incredibly grateful to my artist friends like Leah, who provide the space of support and inspiration that allow me to continue to play and grow, to get messy and to continue to learn about myself.
peace.
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Darlene J Kreutzer is a writer and photographer who lives in a wee colourful cottage with her musician husband and sports-minded son in a lovely old eclectic neighbourhood in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She is grateful for family, the light that casts beauty across shadows, music that lifts emotions, a little house and garden filled with colour and love, friends and inspirations, the beauty of nature, the ocean's cold spray, the soft barnacle skin of the grey whale and the possibilities that exist in life.
She shares snippets of her life and current obsessions at hippy urban girl and is a contributing writer at life as a human.
Guest Post by Elizabeth Halt
March 2nd, 2010, Comments (15)
the story we find ourselves in
I love that the Creative Every Day theme for March is stories. I love stories. There is magic in them. It got me thinking about stories, and creativity, and reminded me of something.
I used to have a story that said I wasn't creative. Now, I have a new story that says I am.
The old story said that I wasn't creative because I couldn't draw as beautifully as two of my siblings. The new story says that I am creative because I look at this photo and see a castle rising out of the mist.
The old story said that I wasn't creative because I wasn't in a creative profession. The new story says that I am creative because I tell my puppy stories about a girl and her dog and their adventures together.
The old story said that I wasn't creative because I wasn't regularly creating artwork. The new story says that I am creative because I can take a bunch of random food items and turn them into a meal.
The old story said that I wasn't creative because I'm not a real artist. The new story says that I am creative because I make birthday cards for friends and family.
I could go on and on.
The funny thing is that nothing has changed except the story. Well .. and my state of mind. The old story used to make me feel sad. I really wanted to be creative, but the story made me feel like I was failing at it. The new story makes me feel happy. It reminds me that creativity happens in moments, and it is so much bigger than my idea of it.
Really, when it comes down to it, life itself is a creative act. We are creating our own life moment by moment. And every moment can be a new story. Maybe all we really need to do is pay attention to them.
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Elizabeth Halt is always looking for beauty - in the ordinary and in the extraordinary. She shares photos from her search on her photo blog, retinal perspectives.
Say “Yes, and!” to Inspiration: Guest Post by Jennifer Lee
September 24th, 2009, Comments (9)
A few months ago while I was on the phone with Leah planning my Boston visit, I asked on a whim, "Hey, wanna do a workshop together while I'm out there?"
"Absolutely, that sounds like fun!" she quickly replied.
And just like that our Creative Play workshop was born. It was simple, easy and fun because we both came from an inspired and open place.
Nothing kills inspiration like a big, fat "but." No, I'm not talking about derrieres. I'm referring instead to all the "yes, buts..." we tell ourselves. "Yes, that's a great idea, BUT it won't work." "I would love to do that, BUT it doesn't make sense." "I've always wanted to, BUT I don't know how (or I'm scared!)."
Instead of saying "yes, but..." Leah and I said, "yes, AND." Yes to collaboration, to having fun and to trying something new together. From that inspired place we were able to co-create a joyful afternoon together. We built on each other's ideas and we got to share in a playful experience with 10 other fabulously, creative and inspiring women.
Inspiration is often contagious like that for me. It can start with the slightest whisper from my Inner Muse. The idea will germinate in my head until I speak it out loud and finally move into action. And that's when the inspiration factor snowballs. Sometimes it's like being on creativity crack! Ideas flood at me left and right and it's hard to keep up.
Other times, the inspiration well seems dry. The "yes, buts" seem to have more clout then. It's times like that when I just need to give myself time and space to nudge my Inner Muse. For example, this morning instead of saying to myself, "Yes, I'd love to play with the new ink and quill I bought in Boston, BUT I have too much stuff to catch up on so I better not," I chose to say, "Yes, I'll play with my new art supplies AND I'll do it first thing in the the morning to start my day creatively." By simply sitting down, opening up my journal and picking up my pen, I summoned my Inner Muse and became inspired to create.
What can you say "Yes, and" to today?
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Jennifer Lee is a certified coach, artist, writer and yogini who find inspiration everywhere. She is the creator of the Unfolding Your Life Vision Kit and the Right-Brain Business Plan. You can find her at Artizen Coaching, her Life Unfolds Blog and on Twitter.
inspiration… what lights us up inside: a guest post by mindy tsonas, wishstudio
September 22nd, 2009, Comments (2)
hello. it’s such a wonderful treat to be a guest here in leah’s beautiful and dreamy space. i often find myself stopping by, just like you, in search of a little something to fill my creative well. wandering through the blogging universe is something i love to do especially when i have the time to lose myself in all the delicious images and words. opening door after door here, I always stumble upon inspiration around unexpected corners.
that’s the thing about inspiration… it most often takes me by surprise and sweeps me off my feet. it’s emotional, visceral, and romantic. it’s intoxicating, compelling, and passionate. it fills me up in ways that nothing else really can.
sometimes i’m inspired by colors or textures or tastes, or maybe it’s an idea or a desire or an emotion. sometimes it’s wanting to capture a moment and somehow make it permenant by wrapping it in words, fabric or paint as a way to try to hold on to it forever. always, i’m inspired by the things that make me feel most connected to living; my creativity, my motherhood, my self expression, and the little earthquakes of my everyday journey unfolding…the things that bring me real joy and ultimately mirror the truth of who i am. when i listen to what inspires me i hear my soul gently whispering, and in connecting with this part of myself it compels me to connect with others as well.
inspiration is resonant in this way. it wants to be expressed and shared and to persist. it makes a beautiful endless circle of giving and gathering. i love this quality and have found great fulfillment in inspiring others along my own path. there is something really special about connecting with like-minded souls who understand this unending search for what lights us up inside and allows us to shine our brightest on the world.
that is what truly inspires me.
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mindy tsonas is the hostess and creative curator of the wishstudio, an inspiring community for creative women. she also blogs at under a pink sky, sharing her own creative journey and everyday life.
Getting Unstuck – Finding Inspiration in Collage Making: Guest Post by Kathryn Antyr, True North Arts
September 18th, 2009, Comments (14)
I find inspiration in the simple act of cutting and gluing images together to create collages. The process of creating always pulls me out of a funk and stirs within me a sense of excitement and adventure. Pictured above is a collage I made in thirty minutes by shuffling through my paper scraps and collection of ephemera. I was feeling restless and unfocused on the day I made it. I had no plans for the collage; my only goal was to see what I could throw together.
Here is a look at my process for creating collages.
1. Select your background. I often make collages in a sketch book, journal, or on a piece of cardboard.
2. Flip through magazines and any collections that you have of images and ephemera. Move quickly and grab only those images that grab you. I work intuitively throughout the entire collage process and feel more like an observer than a creator. Don't worry about the meaning of the images.
3. Cut your images out -- you may want to include some of the background or cut out images close to the edges.
4. Play with the arrangement of your various pieces. Move them around before gluing them down. Consider how the images look above, below, next to, overlapping, or peeking through other images. Notice the colors, lines, shapes, and textures. Again, I don’t get distracted by placing meaning on my images but rather think of each piece as a design element.
5. Once you’ve settled on the placement of the images glue them down. I prefer UHU glue sticks and Golden gel matt medium. There are times when I glue as I go -- I felt so daring when I did this on the collage pictured above. It kept me moving and not spending too much time over thinking the process.
6. Time for reflection. This is one of my favorite parts of creating my collages. I prop up the collage on a stand or leave it next to my spot at the kitchen table. It may be days before I get the hidden meaning in my collages.
Intuition and Insights
When I created the collage pictured above, I was feeling restless and seeking that glorious feeling of passion. When I set out to make the collage I didn’t have a clear idea of where I was going, I just knew I needed a creative fix. What I discovered after making the collage was one answer on how to rekindle my passion. Here is a look at how I interpret the collage:
The empty boat in the still water will not move without passion. The angels or muses are blowing to encourage movement. It is by taking steady steps each day that I find my passion (depicted as the person walking toward the flower). The passion is represented by the sunny daffodil blossom. Under the figure's left foot is the word authentic in Italian. I know that each one of us has our own unique path. We share many of the same steps but we each have our own way. After interpreting the collage I felt comforted and ready to take simple, steady steps each day to nurture my passion.
Feeling restless? Try making a collage. The process of collage is accessible to everyone whether or not you believe you are creative or an artist. The wonderful thing about collage is that anything goes. There are no hard fast rules. The results are so personal and provide an opportunity to look within.
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Bio: Kathryn Antyr is a mixed media artist, educator, and Web professional. She regularly publishes creative prompts and online workshops on her blog www.TrueNorthArts.com. You can also connect with her at www.CollageDiva.com, on FaceBook and Twitter.
Inspiration: A Guest Post by Bridget Benton
September 17th, 2009, Comments (8)
There are a lot of things that inspire me in my art making – scanning blogs, going to museums and art galleries, checking out new materials, talking to people about art, even cleaning up the house. But the thing that inspires me most is working.
If I go a week or more without making art, I start to feel sluggish. I may check out a few blogs or buy a new pen, but if I've gone a while without actually making, I start to get intimidated by what I see on the blogs or even nervous about whether or not I'm up to the new pen. I also start to get cranky. Art making starts to seem, well, hard, and the couch starts to look, well, really good.
Remember what it's like when you're totally out of shape and the elevator's out of order and you have to climb six flights of stairs to get to a meeting you're late for? Ok, so maybe it's never happened to you exactly like that, but the point is, I'm sure you can imagine the wheezing, sweating, noodle-limbed creature that emerges on the sixth floor. I bring this up because the root of the word inspiration is "breath."
For me, inspiration isn’t usually a flash of lightning or a burst of insight – though it does feel like that every now and then. Most of the time, it’s just like breathing. It’s something automatic that I experience all the time, like noticing colors in a tablecloth or the shape of plant’s bloom or the interesting pattern in the stained concrete. Like breathing, it’s something that nourishes me and keeps me going.
Inspiration breathing is something I get better at the more I do it and the harder I work my cardio-art-vascular system. It’s diving into a piece and listening, knowing what the next thing to do is. It’s getting stuck in a piece, glancing around, and then seeing three things I could try. It’s trying all three of those things, having none of them work, and then turning the piece upside down and trying something else, only to have it work and take me running off in a completely different direction.
Even when I’m tired, or not feeling “in the mood,” doing a quick collage or doodling with watercolors or sketching from a bird book can perk me up. Inspiration is part of an ongoing connection with my art making, and it gets stronger and easier the more I do it.
So, I’ve got to keep making. Otherwise, I end up wheezing and sweating and noodle-limbed, looking for the elevator. Or the couch.
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Bridget Benton is an artist, writer, and teacher who loves to make things out of other things. Feel free to drop by her website, www.eyesaflame.com or her blog, http://eyesaflame.blogspot.com.
Inspiration as a Way of Being: Guest Post by Jessie Marianiello, Stray Dog Arts
September 15th, 2009, Comments (10)
Inspiration: it comes in the form of Endless. It is a sidewalk, an interaction, the color fuscia or turquoise or rusty metal. It's an old truck, a vintage sign, an intelligent dog. Inspiration is the bends and fold of fabric. It is the potential. It is life in action. Inspiration is the way the morning light lands on a jar full of paint brushes or a pear or even just the air. It swallows me whole on a daily basis. It's a double espresso, a long hot shower, a shifting of the heart. It is molecular. And, in each instance, I am changed.
Inspiration is liquid. How else to describe the feeling that sparks somewhere behind my eyeballs, then flashes and flows like a brilliant river towards my lungs and gut and then to my brain. Inspiration is light. It breaks me open. Sometimes I get so inspired that I fear I will fall apart.
OK, but let me reign myself in just a little bit. How to talk about inspiration in a rational way? Rational-smational. Never mind. It doesn't have to be rational! It doesn't need to make sense! Inspiration doesn't need to be anything more than it is, which is what makes it Everything. It is the bursts that propels us forward on our strange journeys--and the more open we are to these journeys, the more profound and frequent these bursts can be. Inspiration is our guide. It leads us to the succulent, good, passionate stuff. It invites an entire gamut of emotions, and then some. It leads us to an authentic life.
Inspiration can be tiring and energizing all at once. It causes our skin to become thin and our hair to grow quickly. We begin to experience life more fully. It causes us to become strong and determined in places where we didn't know we had it. We transform into a conduit for the world around us--sometimes causing surprising amounts of tears and laughter, all in one gulp. Inspiration makes us feel alive. It removes the veil between our highest self and what surrounds us. It puts us in direct contact with an energy so raw and pure that it's a miracle we don't simply burst into light.
To me, inspiration has the physical sensation of my heart expanding. It expands to the point of feeling squeezed. Overflowing. Most often, I feel inspiration in the form of an overwhelming sense of love or connection. It makes my heart feel like a balloon that might pop. When I am feeling most inspired, tears will spring to my eyes or my entire chest region will freeze and rise up with a feeling of giddiness or excitement. I'm starting to get used to this odd reaction. I'm even staring to appreciate it. In the past couple years, I have learned a lot about listening to these feelings. If I don't feel like I might jump out of my skin with delight, then something is off. I need to listen to that, no matter how good an opportunity or "idea" might be. Leave the head. Enter the heart. Listen to your body. I've learned to become more sensitive to these reactions or lack of reactions--and I am learning to make decisions that effect my life and livelihood on these feelings alone. It took me awhile to finally figure out that the more engaged, stimulated, and inspired I feel, the more successful my endeavors become. Quite frankly, it is exhilarating.
But wait. Wanna know a secret?
Inspiration isn't something reserved for only the lucky few. Just like anything else, it can be learned. What? Did I just say learned? Yes, I did! But not from a book and not necessarily even from someone else. We are each our own most qualified Professor of Inspiration, we are each our own best teacher.
Remember that.
And trust yourself.
You are, after all, your own greatest expert when it comes to knowing what inspires YOU the most!
Inspiration is often an unexpected surprise. Amazingly, it's also a habit, a pattern, a lifestyle. It is a way of working, a way of seeing. It is a way of saying yes or no to the things that matter the most. It is a way of making room for the flow of energy. Inspiration is a way of thinking and being. Like any habit, it is a mental groove in our brain patterns. Believe it or not, we all have the capacity and ability to get really good at getting inspired. The trick?
Listen.
Listen carefully to those glimmers and sparks. Don't question them. Instead, move in their direction. Over and over. Just keep doing it. Feel a spark? Follow it. Another spark? Act on it. Feeling a glimmer? Go for it! Let me say this again: Inspiration is a feeling and every time we learn to walk towards it, rather than away from it, we get better at figuring out how to find more of it.
So here's the deal...
* Don't get stuck in your head.
* Surround yourself with people who inspire you.
* Give yourself time to breathe.
* Eat beautifully. Vibrant foods create vibrant cells create vibrant living create vibrant insights.
* Follow your sparks.
* Don't get bogged down by activities and projects that lack the almighty spark.
* Give priority to INSPIRATION!
* Explore new roads--literally and metaphorically.
* Stand on your head. (ie. Look at the world in new ways.)
* Nudge yourself beyond limitations. Despite what we might tell ourselves, they are usually self-imposed anyway.
* Permit failure. After all, failure is what shows us the way towards something even better.
* Pay attention to what makes you smile.
* And laugh.
* And cry.
* Look underneath things.
* Climb to the tops of buildings and trees and mountians.
* Paint.
* Doodle.
* Dance.
* Do things you've never done before.
* Be bold.
* Be brave.
* Sometimes, just be quiet.
* And never-EVER underestimate your power.
Trust the sparks. Trust yourSelf. Trust the process. Inspiration has the power to change EVERTYHING. Just remember: We are magnificent beings--especially when we give ourselves permission to shine.
Inspiration is contagious.
Shine on, my creative friends!
Be Brave.
Be Inspired.
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Jessie Marianiello is a full-time artist who lives and works on a vineyard in southern Minnesota with her three dogs, two cats, and one husband. She loves strong coffee, is the creator of the Be Brave Project, and believes in creating a life that fills you from the inside out.
Jessie specializes in urban contemporary pet portraiture. Her goal as an artist and animal lover is to create artwork that honors the unique life force within each of us. She paints to tell a story. But, even more so, she paints because it causes her to experience more love than she often knows what to do with.
You can visit Jessie on her website at Stray Dog Arts or her personal blog at Diary of a Self Portrait.
Inspiration: Guest Post by Jess Gonacha Swift
September 11th, 2009, Comments (4)
Hello Creative Everyday peeps! A big thanks to Leah for inviting me to be a guest blogger here- what an honor. Goodness.
She asked me to write about inspiration, which is very timely for me lately, because I've been feeling unfocused and not all that inspired, so it's time to get my creativity moving and think of some ways to get back in action!
Here are some of my surefire ways to move toward inspiration:
1. Look through books and magazines (favorites: Olle Eksell, books of flower shapes, Anthropologie catalogs, pattern books…)
2. Pick an unusual color palette to work in.
3. Paint a white surface a color. It's always less daunting and gets the juices flowing.
4. Doodling.
5. Go on a walk through my neighborhood or out in nature. I get my best ideas while out walking.
6. Thinking about making art as a way of documenting my thoughts/feelings. When I can make it more personal, then I'm more easily inspired.
7. Cleaning out and rearranging my studio. This seems like maybe it could fall into the procrastination category as well, but it actually helps me clear out my head and feel like I can start fresh.
What do you do to get inspired? And once you're there, how do you stay inspired? I'd love to hear about it - and possibly learn some new tricks! Feel free to email me () or leave comments with your ideas and tips.
Thanks again to Leah for inviting me to be a part of her ultra creative and inspiring blog!
Tree image from Janesdead's Flickr photostream
Anthropologie images from their catalog
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Jess Gonacha Swift can eat grapes until she gets sick. In fact, she might like eating grapes more than she likes making art, but since it's a bit impractical to buy grapes every day, she settles for drawing and painting all day instead. She lives with her cat, Anika, who chirps when she runs, and her husband, Ryan, who listens to an iPod when he runs. (Jess likes to step on fallen acorns when SHE runs.) She likes to dream about living on a houseboat in Amsterdam one day, but for now you can find her in Atlanta, Georgia, where she spends her days doing freelance illustration and surface pattern design, running her etsy shop, blogging in two places (Treasuring and Pecannoot) and painting up a pink cloudy storm!
Our Magic Dance with the Universe:
Guest Post by Silky Hart
September 10th, 2009, Comments (11)
There are tried and true elixirs that always work their magic on me. When my vibration sinks, I’ll watch the “Where the Hell Is Matt” video and dance right along with Matt and the folks from around our planet. Within minutes, I begin to breathe in my connection to All That Is, and I truly feel inspired.
As many times as I’ve seen Paul Taylor’s dance masterpiece, “Esplanade,” his breathtaking artistry never ceases to make my eyes swell up with joyful tears. The blissful, energetic everyday movements which are accompanied by Bach’s gorgeous Double Violin Concerto make my heart leap.
I’ve always loved Renoir’s painting, “The Luncheon of the Boating Party.” The dreamy way everyone seems to be enjoying food, drink, each other and life makes my heart sing. When I was in my 20s and living in Manhattan, one day I was walking around on my lunch hour and happened to stumble into an exhibit that featured this painting. It was the first time I had seen it in person. I had no idea it was so BIG! I confess I wept big ole tears.
And speaking of Manhattan, I used to live on the Upper West Side by Central Park. No matter what frame of mind I was in, I knew if I meandered through this glorious park soaking up the vibrant energy, I felt uplifted. I also had my secret nooks and crannies where I’ve written hundreds of journal pages. So, whenever I see a photo or I’m just there, I feel connected to the best part of myself and that’s inspiring.
I’ll share one more of my inspirational touchstones. I love Audrey Hepburn. Her precious, authentic essence is one of the reasons I think she is such an enduring and endearing icon. I’m in awe of both her artistic talents as an actress and her extraordinary humanitarian accomplishments. She also loved to dance and had early dreams of being a dancer.
Well, I’m sure you’ve experienced how clever the Universe can be. When I’m in need of a little inspirational lift, Audrey will show up. I swear it! For instance, I’ll be walking by a store window, and there will be a poster from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The number of times this has happened over the years is uncanny. I even confessed this to my husband, Tom. And now, he has experienced this, too. I personally think it is a wink and a nod from the Universe. Somehow, someway there will be Audrey reminding me of who I really am.
What is so much fun about these Audrey occurrences is that they are a surprise. I never know when she is going to appear. I find it inspiring to be delighted by something that is out of the blue.
From my own experience, I’ve learned the value of keeping inspirational touchstones close by as well as being open to new sources of inspiration.
I’ve also discovered the importance of the unexpected. We’ve all experienced the thrill of a new culture in a new land. We’ve all tried something new, and to our delight, discover we loved it. What is inspirational about being pleasantly surprised is that we are reminded that the sky is the limit. There is no end to splendid experiences when you are open to it.
All in all, I think these inspirational gifts are us co-creating with the Universe. We are connecting to our truest, creative essence. And, from that place of alignment, we are our own best source of inspiration. When we connect in this way, we twirl around in our own inspirational vortex on the dance floor of the Universe.
So, in the immortal words of Eliza Doolittle:
I could have danced all night! I could have danced all night! And still have begged for more. I could have spread my wings And done a thousand things I've never done before. I'll never know What made it so exciting; Why all at once My heart took flight.
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Silky Hart is an expressive arts goddess who relishes in empowering and inspiring people to realize their creative dreams. For more than 15 years, Silky has passionately led workshops, classes and retreats in creative expression. She has also led expressive arts sessions in a wide variety of settings including psychiatric hospitals, schools, shelters, treatment centers and healthcare facilities. Silky is a Certified Expressive Arts Therapist with a BFA in Modern Dance and an MBA in International Business. Next April, she is co-leading a yoga and expressive arts retreat to Costa Rica. Recently, she started a blog called Expressive Hart. Silky believes in the transformative power of the arts and creative expression to restore, expand and transform physical, emotional and spritual well-being. She lives with her husband, three cats and dog in the historical section of McKinney, Texas.
Digging for Inspiration: A Guest Post by Connie Hozvicka, Dirty Footprints Studio
September 8th, 2009, Comments (12)
The best way to have a constant stream of inspiration is to look at your life like an Archaeologist. If you fall short on ideas to attack the next canvas with, or the paper in your art journal looks daunting...start digging through your own life for inspiration.
What gets you jazzed?
It could be something as simple as a combination of colors you saw when you were window shopping at the mall--to something as deep as your ancestry, your culture, your home, your own personal history. But, if for some reason, all the Creative Juiciness of your own life fails your imagination...I say really become an Archaeologist and start digging through other people’s junk!!!
At least once a month I treat myself with an Artist date to the thrift store. I bring my camera, $20 bucks, and a complete openess that anything could happen!
What I find is always a surprise. Like seriously, as fabulous as those panties are--would you wear used panties?!?! Especially hot pink ruffled ones!! Who knows where those frills have been?!?! But this photo alone is enough juiciness for creativity!! Think of the stories you could write...the fun you could have in the Art Journal...the risky business you could create with a painting inspired by that photo above!!
Do you get what I’m digging at? Inspiration is everywhere...especially hidden in other people’s junk! Even the unmentionables!
I get lost in the patterns I find at Thrift Stores. Look at this photo!!! I couldn’t take my eyes off the mesmerizing repetition those television screens created. If you go deeper..think of the metaphors of that many rejected televisions sitting there...still working...but not as pretty and slender as those new flat screens that are all the rave! Next thing you know you’re making a statement about society..about women’s issues...about your own life possibly--all found in a pile of lonely tvs! That’s Art babey!! Forget waiting for inspiration to hit you...instead it’s waiting for you to come visit!!
I love the bold, the tacky, the kitsch, that lives at thrift stores. I was obsessed with these boots...that could only fit a 12 year old pageant tween, but still, I love how they sat there all snuggled between coffee cups!! What a weird and wonderful world a thrift store can be! A perfect breeding ground for inspiration.
Last, you never know who you could run into at a thrift store!! Recently I met a gorgeous couple at my local Goodwill that looked like they walked straight out of Venice Beach from the 1960’s!! Plus, chilling in a basket inside their shopping cart was their furry bunny child Ruby!! How Creative Juicy is that?!!?
So the next time you’re whining about a lack of inspiration...hit a garage sale or cruise a local thrift store!!! But don’t go looking for bargains...instead, think of yourself as an Archaeologist...one that digs through the unloved, unwanted, discarded parts of this world..and excavates beauty, inspiration, and pure Creative Juicy fun!! Plus, you might get lucky and find a pair of hot pink cowboy boots in your size!
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Connie Hozvicka is passionate about creativity and has spent the last fifteen years inspiring others to dive deeper into their own creative juices. She has a BA in both Painting and Art History, and is a licensed Art Educator, with a vast experience of nurturing Artists of all skill levels, abilities, and backgrounds. Her own Art work has been exhibited in galleries nationally, published in various publications, and collected internationally. Connie shares her Creative Juicy Life on her blog DirtyFootprints-Studio.com, hosts an internet radio show on everything Creative and Juicy called Creative Juicy Life, teaches Art full-time in a public K-8 school, paints like a mad-chica every second she can, and joyfully soaks in the sun in Phoenix, Arizona. You can join her for some inspirational digging as well, at the upcoming Creative Dig Workshop in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday, September 26th.
