More Creatactivities and Some Daily Inspiration
January 19th, 2008, 3 Comments
Above is some of the creatactivities I did on Thursday. The daytime itself was pretty quiet that day. I was very low energy and blah. But in the evening, a burst of energy had me working on the background for more Subway Stories pieces and drawing in my sketchbook. Yesterday, I did one of my favorite things - I went to the library and just walked up and down the aisles looking at books. I went down the aisles as if I was in a grocery store, looking around at the diverse subjects that I passed and grabbing anything that sparked my interest. I did this until I had a pile of books so large that it was a bout to topple over. Then I found a comfy chair in the back and looked through the treasures I'd found. I made little notes in my moleskine journal occasionally, but mostly I just read. This is a wonderful thing to do when you're in the need of some inspiration.
I got a super sweet email from artist, Amy Bogard the other day and I wanted to share her blog with you. I love the title of it, Micromovements, because it speaks to the baby steps approach that I truly believe in. Amy does some gorgeous work, she is just bursting with creativity. And I really loved her daily art project that she calls "the daily dog" in which she draws her dog or someone else's dog every day. Here's how Amy describes the project:
Exercise is good. This applies to art practice as well.
And just as one's body can stiffen up and slow down with
out a good stretch of the legs now and then, so can the art
flow. Part of my artistic process and practice is to sketch.
I always carry a sketchbook. It is my lifeline to list making,
quote collecting, thoughtful musing and, of course, drawing.
As much as I love to draw, there are occasionally times
when I feel restless and have a hard time pinning down something to draw.
At these times I turn to drawing my dog, Caskie, who is usually at my feet,
not bored at all, ready for the next great adventure (or nap, or squirrel, or mole).
By paying attention to this quirky creature who shares my studio, I lose the sludge
in my brain that is backing up my process.
I find myself in the moment, and in that way,
I am more like my dog than not...ready for the next adventure.
So, much like that daily walk with my four-legged child, a daily sketch (of a dog or anything!)
keeps me exercised and primed for new ideas to come around.
This is what my Daily Dog exercise is all about.
Try it yourself (you dont even have to have your own dog...I sometimes borrow other dogs to draw)
and let me know what you come up with!
Thank you for the inspiration, Amy!!
Inspiration for Your Creative Heart
January 17th, 2008, 10 Comments
Talk about inspiring. I've seen this talk linked on several blogs, but just listened to it for the first time today. If you haven't listened to it yet, I highly encourage you to do so. The talk is one of the TED talks (which is a super cool site definitely worth checking out) which has numerous free videos of inspiring lectures available for your viewing pleasure.
The one I watched today was by Isabel Allende. Her words made me laugh and cry and more importantly, think.
Actually, I've been meaning to link to this section of the TED site which has videos under the theme of "The Creative Spark." Perhaps you could let some of these talks play while you go about your creatactivities?
I've linked to this TED talk by illustrator Maira Kalman before, but if you're over at that site anyways and looking for something else to watch, I really loved that one too.
In case you were wondering, TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out as a conference bringing together people from these three areas and has since broadened out to different areas including the TED talks, which aim to share the worlds most inspiring voices. That in itself is inspiring.
You've gotta love the power of the internet in the way it allows us to listen to these inspiring voices we might never have heard. Yesterday, my best friend mentioned reading in the paper about the Arts and Crafts movement that is happening. She said she wasn't aware there was one. But when I think about the challenges to buy handmade, the explosion of etsy and all the wonderful indie arts websites around, I think what appears to be an explosion has been made possible by bringing together crafty people who might never have met otherwise. And through this amazing energy of crafty people all around the globe and the connecting that the internet provides, the inspiration has rippled out to people and places that just needed that little spark to begin expressing themselves. Truly amazing.
Creatactivities = Creative Activities
January 16th, 2008, 9 Comments
I've coined a new word. See definition above. Creatactivities. I like it! 
Feeling a bit overtired today, but I've been keeping busy and I'm excited for a new Project Runway tonight! I met my best friend in a nearby town this afternoon to keep her baby entertained while she had her hair cut and then we got some lunch together. Making a baby laugh is a sure-fire way to brighten your day! In the afternoon, I plunked myself down in the cute coffee shop where I'll be hanging art next month and worked on adding items to my Etsy shop. I joined Etsy years ago just to buy things there. Watching the site blossom has been incredible and sometime last year I decided I'd add some of my art to the mass of wonderful products there. Well, I got the banner up and then never added anything to it. It's been on my to-do list for a little too long. Well, I started on it today. So far I've added four prints, they're all printed on 8.5"x11" velvet fine art paper and they're available for $25 each. I'll add some more prints there over time and hopefully some greeting cards too! Getting the Etsy store up and making the baby laugh were great creatactivities (creative activities) for me today.
I've been working on this new "Subway Stories" piece called "Boylston" for a couple days now. I just need to do some touching up, seal it with varnish and then it'll be done. This one is a slightly larger 10"x10". When it's complete, I'll add some close-ups with the stories in them. In the meantime, I snapped a picture of it this morning, taking advantage of the bright sun reflecting off the snow. Speaking of snow, driving around in this winter wonderland we've got going on in New England has been really fun. Everything is just coated in the stuff. And with the roads clear and the tree branches hanging over the road, it feels a bit like I'm driving through these dream-like snow tunnels. I have to admit, it's gorgeous.
There has been some totally awesome creativity going on, so do pop in on your fellow CED2008 participants! And by the way, I believe the list is current, but if you don't see your blog on there, please let me know. And if you've just discovered this challenge, it's fine to join in now!
Some juicy inspiration for you:
- This article from Lucia Cappacchione is about creativity as a spiritual practice. She begins by saying what I've heard over and over, but still bears repeating because I don't think we all feel this deep in our bones, and that is, "we are all creative." Cappachione writes,
The medium in which you create is irrelevant. It doesn't matter whether you write a business proposal, play a piano sonata, or prepare a delicious meal. You may be seeking to resolve one of life's mundane problems or express deep feelings and insights through poetry. Embrace your creation as a lover and you can break through to another realm. When you stick with it for better or for worse, your creation pbecomes your guru (Sanskrit meaning"from darkness to light").
- Geoff emailed me about his site, artistaday, which profiles a different artist every day of the week. It's a great site to see some new and interesting art!
- And I really liked this blog post from artist Deb Chaney about celebrating small successes. It's so easy to forget to do this. I know I'm always wishing I did more. But stop for a bit, right this second, and feel great about all that you have accomplished. Breathe that feeling in. It's important.
O.k., I'm going to take my sleepy self into some cozy pajamas and relax.
More Subway Stories to Share
January 15th, 2008, 12 Comments
So these are the finished products here that I've been working away on. And I've got another one that's nearly done and now I've got my camera too, so I can take some pics. I'm calling this one "St. Mary." All the "Subways Stories" pieces are named after subway stops. It's 8"x8" with acrylic paint, collage and ink on a wood panel. Below is a detail of the piece above. The man on the left is whispering prayers, someone he loves is ill. The woman on the right has noticed this man is distraught and is wondering what she can do.
This next piece (below) is called Prudential. It was made with the same materials and it's also 8"x8"
The detail below shows a bit of the story that I've written within their bodies. The woman on the left is bringing home ingredients for a dinner she'll be making for a new boyfriend. She's worrying about it and hoping he likes Greek food. The man on the right is listening humming along to music, feeling motion-sickness from reading on the subway, and pondering the story he's reading.
These pieces and a bunch of others will be shown and for sale at Nahcotta next month.
And it's time for dinner, so I'll be back with more art and some fun links soon. Happy creating!
Spread the Love
January 15th, 2008, One Comment
I think what Bernie Berlin does for animals is amazing, outstanding, incredible, heart-warming, mind-blowing...I don't have enough good words to say about it! Bernie's animal shelter which you can learn more about here, is in the running to win $50,000 for her charity. She needs more donations to keep her charity up there in the ranking, so if you have an extra $10 to spare, please consider making a donation. You can use the badge below which will take you to a site where you can donate by paypal or credit card.
Bernie takes in abused and abandoned animals and helps them find loving homes. I don't know where she gets all the energy she has, but I admire the hard work she puts in and I whole-heartedly believe in what she's doing. Bernie put out the call for help, so that she can bring this amazing prize to her shelter (imagine what she could do with all that money? all the animals she could save!) and the support she has already received has been amazing. So, if you can, help out this great cause.
Art is coming shortly!
Creativity Galore
January 14th, 2008, 12 Comments
I'm having so much fun with the CED project this year. I get so excited to see what everyone is up to, the new and wonderful ways you're being creative, and sharing my own creativity. What a great energy to start of the new year with!
We got blasted with snow here in New England. The world is covered in thick, white, fluffy stuff. The power was out most of the day today where I'm staying (at my old job) and I couldn't get home anyways because there's a big tree in our driveway. I feel SO lucky that my car wasn't there last night. A big tree fell right in the spots where my neighbor and I park our cars, both of which happen to be brand new. That would have been devastating - to come out and see my shiny new car crushed! So anyways, the landlord couldn't get any help to remove the tree til tomorrow, so I'll go back to the house for a bit then and then back to my supervising role at the old job.
The power being out wasn't too bad, but it was out for over 5 hours and it was starting to get really cold and it would have been dark shortly, so I'm glad that it has returned. While the power was out, I spent a lot of time reading. His Dark Materials Trilogy
I got an email from Becky of Quoth the Rav in which she shared a quote from her inspirational calendar:
"When looking for a new idea, thumb through a magazine on a subject of no interest to you."
-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.-
from Life's Little Instruction calendar 2008
Becky took this inspiration and ran with it, using a medical supply catalog to get ideas and material for collage. I love that!
Janet of The Lavendar Loft has shared a great list of creativity tips (the original list is here.) I love what Janet had to say about creativity when she shared the list. I totally agree with her when she says that people often shut themselves down thinking they can't be creative, when in fact we are all creative every day. And by bringing our focus to the many ways we are creative in our everyday lives we can only bring more inspiration and creative goodness flowing in.
O.k., I'm going to get back to working on some art. I'll get my camera back tomorrow, so you can expect some pics from me then!
Creative Every Day – January 14th – 20th
January 14th, 2008, 22 Comments
CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 1/14/08 - 1/20/08.
Happy creating!
Tis the Season
January 13th, 2008, 7 Comments
I stopped home today to grab some art supplies and forgot my camera. Doh! So, I used one at my boss's house and the picture isn't fabulous, but I wanted to grab a shot of the next stage in the process.
Here I've written the subway rider's thoughts within their bodies. We're expecting a big snow storm here in New England, so I'm thinking tomorrow will be a cozy up and get creative kind of day. Fun!
In her book, Organizing for the Spirit, Sunny Schlenger talks about recognizing the seasons. She suggested making a list of the things we love about each season and then be sure to schedule in those things each year. I like this idea because I do think it's important to have some sort of rituals in your life and sometimes the seasons can pass us by so quick and we suddenly realize we didn't enjoy them at all!
I've made no secret of the fact that winter is not my favorite season. I don't like the cold, the icy roads, the dry air indoors, the short days. But there are things I love about winter! Many things in fact! I do try to incorporate the things I love into my love, but I like the idea of writing it out and making the intention to include those things each season.
Some of the things I love about winter:
- big frothy mugs of hot chocolate
- snuggling under layers of covers
- cozy kitties curled up on my lap
- fires in a fireplace
- the feeling of being warmed to the bone by a good soup
- looking out the window at fresh snowfall
- putting up sparkly lights
- the festive feeling people create in their homes this time of year
- sledding
- watching dogs play in snow
- the smell of fires in fireplaces when I'm driving
- wreaths
- making cookies with family
Some of the things I love about spring:
- Green, green, green!
- Seeing the world come back to life. Amazes me every time.
- The smell of growth
- Days getting longer
- Flowers poking up
- The feeling in the air that makes people all nutty
- Warmer weather
- Fresh fruit
- Gardens
- Driving with the windows down
- Peonies
- Watching cute little birdies
Some of the things I love about summer:
- My birthday!
- Being outside in t-shirt and shorts
- Going to the ocean at night to see stars
- Refreshing drinks with ice and a slice of lemon
- Swimming
- Long days
- Wearing flip-flops
- Fireworks
- Vacations
- Ice cream
- Thunder storms
- Hydrangeas
- Fireflies, Butterflies and Dragonflies
Some of the things I love about fall:
- gorgeous fall colors in the trees
- warm apple cider
- apple picking
- going for long walks in the woods
- Halloween
- my wedding anniversary!
- the smell in the air
- wearing new fall clothes
- the old school schedule desire to get new books
- cooking up warm food again
- burning candles that smell like pumpkin spice
- tea with honey
So, there you go, give it a try. It's fun to think about the things that make each season special!
Creative Every Day 2008 – January 1st – 13th
January 13th, 2008, 8 Comments
In order to make it simpler for you to stay connected to Creative Every Day 2008 participants, I'm going to make a weekly post where you can leave a comment with your links to posts about what you're doing in your quest to be creative every day. This is simply another option, you don't have to comment on these posts, but I think it will be a good way to stay in touch. I know for myself, my creativity doesn't always have a picture attached, so I don't always post to the flickr group (but I will continue to post the pictures there whenever I can take a picture of what I'm doing creatively.) The group has become very big, so hopefully this will help!
This post is a place to leave links to posts about creativity you've done in the last two weeks (don't feel you need to link to all your CED posts so far here) and tomorrow I'll have a new post (for January 14 - 21)where you can link to posts that you write in the next seven days. I'll have a new post each week dedicated to links to your posts in the comments. And we'll see how that goes!
Happy creating!
The Randomizer
January 12th, 2008, 12 Comments
Some of the Creative Every Day 2008 participants have been asking about a good way to share what they're doing for their everyday creativity. I want people to post about their creative activities in any way that feels good for them, but I understand the desire to find the posts that people are writing about it since there are so many participants. So, I'm thinking about making a weekly post where you can leave a comment with a link to your posts. That way, any time during the week you can have a place to leave a comment where people can go and find your links about what you're up to in your creative worlds. It won't be required, of course, but I can give it a try and see how it goes. What do you think?
For today's creative activity, I worked more on the subway pieces below. I wrote the thoughts within the figures and did some other work with ink. I don't have my camera tonight, so pics will have to wait. In the meantime, enjoy some randomness!
Gemma emailed me tonight about the 2nd annual Oneworld-Oneheart giveaway, which is set up to connect creative bloggers. It sounds like a really cool project! I won't be joining in this one because I recently gave away a bunch of items (which I haven't sent out yet! Sorry gals, they are coming soon!) But do check it out!
I got a wonderful surprise today when I saw that Jaime had given me a "You Make My Day Award." Thanks so much, Jaime! You definitely made my day! Your blog is a constant source of inspiration and I admire your wonderful energy and zest for life.
The description of this award follows: Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel so happy about blogland! Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so that they can pass it on. Beware! You may get the award several times!
How in the world to choose 10 people? Well, all y'all make my day! Seriously! Here are ten people who made my day today: Bridgette, Tammy, Ellie, Jes, Jessie, Marilyn, Melba, Jenn, Kristen, and Tammi.
Did you say you wanted some more randomness? Well, o.k. then!
I've seen posts about Andrea Scher's Mondo Beyondo on a few blogs now. I love the name of it, Mondo Beyondo...it rolls off the tongue so nice. Anyways, it's sort of a new year challenge. It starts with part 1:
1. What do you want to acknowledge yourself for in regard to 2007?
(What did you create? What challenges did you face with courage and
strength? What promises did you keep to yourself? What brave choices
did you make? What are you proud of?) Last year was a year of big changes. I'm proud that I followed through with massage school and finished the two year program even though I decided I didn't want to do it as a career. I got married this year, as did one of my brothers and my husband's brother. It was a year of weddings. I decided to leave my nanny job after 6 years and start working for myself full-time, pursuing my dream to be an artist and now a writer. Interestingly enough, I purchased one of Andrea's Superhero necklaces to celebrate my leap into my artistic career!
2. What is there to grieve about 2007?
(What was disappointing? What was scary? What was hard? What can you forgive yourself for?) Transitions are hard. Even happy transitions. So, I found it to be a challenging year full of adjustments and re-finding myself and my sense of balance. I can forgive myself for not being perfect.
3. What else do you need to say about the year to declare it complete?
I'm ready to let go and move into 2008. I declare 2007 complete!
The final step is to consider your primary focus for the year to come. What is your primary intention or theme for 2008? Is it the year of joy? the year of self-care? the year of partnership?
Stand up and say it proud, "2008 is my year of...."
Well, I already decided this one. 2008 is my year of now!
The second part of Mondo Beyondo is to declare what you want to bring into your life, the big something that you desire in your heart of hearts, but may be scary to say out loud. Well, I kind did this already too, by announcing that I'm working on a book about creativity. And the results already have been wonderful. Saying it out loud has made it that much more real. It's one of those things where it feels like once I took that first step, doors began to open up. You gotta love that. So, I share this to encourage anyone else who hasn't thought about what they're intending for the year, to make a bold declaration of their big dream! Perhaps I'll write up a longer list another time, but I think that's good enough for now. This post is getting ridiculously random and long! So, toodaloo for now. And if that wasn't enough linkage for you, check out the magnificent list of creative souls (to the right) who have made it their intention to be Creative Every Day in 2008!
