Creative Every Day

The Many Faces of Creativity

I've noticed a lot of "Creative Every Day 2008" folks mentioning that they haven't been creative lately and they'll get back to making art soon. My guess is that they have been plenty creative, but maybe just didn't recognize it as such. Creativity isn't just about making art. We work in cycles, like the cycles of the seasons, the moon, life in general. And if we don't panic in the quieter phases of the cycle, we can actually enjoy the other faces of creativity.

Yesterday, I listened to the Craftcast podcast featuring Kathleen Carr, a photographer, author, and teacher. At some point in the talk, Kathleen mentioned a book about the "seven stages of creativity." I made a note about it because I felt like it would speak directly to this post that I had in my head about the many ways in which we are creative. The book is called, The Widening Stream: the Seven Stages of Creativity by David Ulrich. The author has a website where you can find an overview of the book as well as an outline of the seven stages as he sees them.

I consider the various stages of my own creative cycle to include times when I'm searching and collecting, when I'm soaking up inspiration, when I'm empty, when I'm bursting with ideas, when I'm in the flow, when I'm stuck, etc... I don't think they fall in a particular order for me, it's more like the rolling waves of the ocean. The waves may vary, but generally they are up and down and up again.

(Some of) My modes of creativity:

Search and Gather: When I'm not creating, I'm often in search and gather mode. If I'm being self-critical, then I might see it as procrastinating, but it's all part of the process. Searching and gathering for me might be a walk with my camera, snapping pictures of what inspires me (like the river to the right), perusing blogs or online shops, reading a novel, organizing my art supplies, or wandering the aisles of the library and seeing what catches my interest. Letting your imagination roam can also be fabulously creative! Let yourself daydream from time to time. If I can let go and enjoy this stage, it's immensely fun for me. This is a great time for what Julia Cameron calls "artist dates" where you go out on your own to "fill the well" with inspiration. I enjoy going to greenhouses in the colder months.

Play: It is possible to get stuck in any stage and sometimes I need a push to the next. The super talented artist, Tammy Vitale, recently posted about how she uses playful art-making to get her going when she's struggling. For me it's the same way, play will always bring me back. Maybe not as quick as I'd like, but it always does the trick. I also liked that Tammy mentioned how these down periods don't bother her as much now because from past experience, she knows that they will pass. This is so important. The "dry spell" will pass. So why not enjoy it with some fun creating with no other purpose than to let loose? O.k., now that I think about it, I can see that I enjoy all the modes of creativity. Play, is by definition, a lot of fun. Drawing with crayons or markers like Tammy does is a great way to go. Sometimes, if I need help getting past my inner critic, I'll make art on the floor (see pic below.) This nifty little trick helps bring out my child-like adventurousness. Use whatever works for you, whether it be play-doh or coloring books. Inspiration often comes through play, no need to force it, just relax and enjoy.

Sketch/Write/Get it Out: When the inspiration does start to flow, it often comes in big bursts. If you have an incredible memory, then perhaps you'll be able to contain it all, but if you're like me, you may need to get these idea sparks down in some form. I keep multiple journals at the ready to capture ideas. I have a moleskine type notebook in my purse and various sketchbooks and journals (I've tried to consolidate in the past, but I'm o.k. with multiple journals now.) In these journals I capture dreams, quotes, lists, sketches, and free-form doodles (some sketches from a couple months ago are at the top of this post and below.) I also find myself doodling on junk mail, paper scraps, and receipts which can easily be taped into my journal later if necessary. Ideas often come to me in that lovely time between wakefulness and sleep, in the shower, while driving, on a walk, etc..., so it's good to have some paper and a writing utensil handy. It depends how you work, for you it maybe important to have a voice recorder handy or a portable camera (a camera phone can help capture inspirations when you're on the go!)

Just Do It: A lot of people think that the creating stage is the only part that's creative, but it's not true! All the things that led you to this point are essential and immensely creative! Even when I think I've just jumped into creating without the previous stages, it's often things floating around in my subconscious from my times of searching, gathering, playing, daydreaming, and doodling that have led me to create what it is I've started, seemingly out of nowhere.

It's true that many of us get stuck just before the manifesting stage, myself included. Oftentimes, the hardest part is beginning. When I'm feeling resistance, sometimes it helps to jump back into the playing stage until I'm feeling more confident and ready to tackle something. Or I may simply give myself permission to fail or make gloriously bad art.

Next time you're feeling like you haven't been creative lately, take a look and see if you've been doing any of these things and recognize the creative acts your doing every day!

Sunny Day, Sweeping the Clouds Away

Woo, I got totally pooped out by the sun today. It's amazing how much some time in the hot sun can zap my energy. I met up with my super, totally rockin' bff, Judean, and her adorable little girl for lunch and walking around town in the middle of the day, which was a lot of fun. I can use Judean's first name now that she's put herself out there with her own blog. Woohoo! Remember that post I wrote a few days ago about magazine envelopes? The picture in that post is of some of the letters that she sent me during her first year of college in NYC. That post inspired her to dig through some of her old letters and she found a whole bunch of letters I'd sent to her during that time, which she posted about here. We traded them today, so we could both read our own late teenage writings. Oh my, too funny. The drama, the boys, the hatred of calculus, the loneliness of the first semester of college. I loved reading our old inside jokes (even though I don't remember what they all mean) and seeing our little doodles and poems. It's so interesting to see how we've developed and how we've stayed the same and how are friendship has grown over the years. I luf you, Luf!

I've been working in little bits on that big painting on paper that I started awhile back. Her name, I believe, is Melissa. She's a work in progress. I've been doing a lot of painting and then walking away, painting and walking away. With a bigger piece, I seem to want more perspective, whereas with a smaller piece, I often finish them fairly quickly. I've always intended to have some bees flying in this painting, but they will be one of the final touches, so they're hanging out in their hive until I get to them. Right now, "Melissa" is about 19"x27" with acrylic, ink, and pencil on watercolor paper.

Popped a print in the mail today. I need to do some major updates on my art website, adding some art and prints. I want to get that done shortly along with my newsletter. I'm doing a later newsletter this month because it will cover both this month and next, since I'll be on vacation during the second half of September. If you're interested in winning a free print, do sign up for my art website newsletter (see the lower left corner of my web page, here) and you'll be eligible for the free print drawing I do each month.

Gratitudes:

• Happy, snuggly kitty cats
• Pink lemondade with ice in a tall glass with a straw brought to me by the handsome hubster
• Fun times with my bff
• Making the bff's little girl laugh
• An "I love your blog" award from the super sweet, Paula of HappySnappy. The feeling is mutual, Paula! Thank you!!
• A fantabulous package in the mail from Lucy of Sweet Repeats. I won a print in Lucy's recent etsy shop 1 year anniversary drawing on her blog and I was so excited by the box of treasures she sent! There were little envelopes of stamps, an atc, a Starbucks card and glass, and some of Lucy's beautiful artwork. Thank you, thank you, Lucy!
• A lovely surprise from Tammy from Maine who sent me a sweet card and an old photo she found that she felt belonged to me. I think she's right. I already know how I'm going to use it. Thank you, Tammy dear!
• Snail mail rocks. Much more fun than the replacement air filters I got in the mail the other day.

I've got more to chat about, but I am so tuckered out (and all over the place), so g'night! Sleep tight! And don't let the bed bugs bite! It's more like, don't let the damn mosquitoes bite! Ack! I'm getting nearly as good at catching the little buggers as the cats are at hunting moths. The hubster calls me "the hunter" now. Hehe.

Creative Every Day: August 18th - August 24th, 2008

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/18/08 - 8/24/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/18/08 - 8/24/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/18/08 - 8/24/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/18/08 - 8/24/08.

Happy creating!

Recycled Envelopes and Weekend Links

When my bff gave me a handmade journal made of magazine pages for my birthday, it reminded me so much of our snail mail correspondence when we were in college (which seems like a lifetime ago! yikes!), that it made me want to make magazine envelopes again. Back when my bff headed off to college and I was a still stuck in high school as a senior, she started sending me letters wrapped in magazine pages, with the colorful magazine page acting as the envelope. At the time, they were a cheap and creative way to send mail. But with going green being so big right now, they're also a great way of re-cycling. I don't know about you, but I love snail mail. Why not get creative and surprise a friend with a handwritten note, wrapped in used wrapping paper, catalog pages, contact paper, paper you've drawn or stamped a pattern onto, wallpaper, or magazine pages? You'll have fun putting it together and your recipient will love getting something so fabulous in the mail.

Above are some of the letters my bff sent me. I pulled down a box of old letters from my closet to look at them. I often wonder whether I should be keeping all these old notes and letters, but I do enjoy reading through them every few years. In one of the letters above, the bff wrote to me about a boy she met at a party who asked her to go home with him, but she said, "no way" because he was way too old for her and she wrote, "He's 26! Scary!" Haha!! Can you remember a time when 26 was old? Oh my. Good stuff. I only wish I could read the letters I was sending on the other end. It would be fun to have both sides of the story.

If you want to make some magazine envelopes for yourself, simply find some magazines with some fun images, tear out a page and fold the page around the letter so that the front contains an image that pleases you. Or if it makes it easier, you can use an envelope template. There are free templates that you can download online or you can take an envelope that you like, take it apart carefully and use it as the template for an envelope. You can trace the taken apart envelope on top of a magazine page and then cut it out to make a unique envelope of your very own.

So, what else have I got to share with you. Well, some links of course!

• First off, many thanks to Meredith Cutler, a fellow boston artist and writer for Artscope Magazine, who spotted my "Subway Stories" pieces on etsy and posted about them on her blog! Meredith has her own fabulous shops on etsy, here and here. I love these mixed-media earrings she's created!
• Claudine Hellmuth has a video posted on her blog with a very cool faux batik technique using her new line of paints and mediums.
• Hanna sent along a link to this great article by Jill Badonsky about two of my favorite things, yoga and creativity. I liked this quote, "The key is practice for both yoga and creativity without concern for perfection. Practice just naturally turns into excellence but if we think too much at the beginning of either yoga or creativity, neither may happen." and this one, "Often we pay more attention to the discomfort in our bodies, our creative process, and our lives than to the bliss. When you are in a yoga pose, focus on what feels good about it."
• The multi-talented Jennifer Lee has an an article, "10 Tips for the Creative Entrepreneur," on the Ladies Who Launch site. It's sure to be interest to you all you creative business folks out there!

I hope you have a wonderfully creative weekend!

Creativity, Sacredness, and Bravery

I love the project that Kelley of Dragonfly Reflections has created for herself. She decided to combine the essence of Creative Every Day 2008 and Sacred Life Sunday and do 100 days of sacred art. I mentioned to Kelley that the whole Creative Every Day project has made me much more aware of how the act of everyday creativity is a sacred act, as is art-making for me. It's all about slowing down, connecting with your still small voice, becoming aware of your surroundings, tuning into your life, and creating something from it. That something doesn't have to be grand. It might be farm fresh tomatoes that you sliced with care on a cutting board lined up with bits of goat cheese that you put together for a snack. When you can slow down enough to notice the blood red tomato, it's tight, but fragile skin, and pulpy interior, it connects you to life itself. You create an arrangement on the cutting board that is pleasing to the eye, you enjoy the taste and texture and feel grateful, you make some small impact on the day, which may be simply pleasing to you, but may ripple outwards in its effects in untold ways.

Every awareness and bit of creation seems to remind me of our impermanence. Is that the point? I certainly know that it is helpful for me to be reminded of my own and my loved ones mortality. Sometimes life can seem endlessly long. Life is full of mundane moments, each piled on the next and it's so incredibly easy to get caught up and lost in them. Another bowl of cereal for breakfast, the laundry needs to get put away, the litter needs cleaning, you have some family bbq to go to, you forgot to get stamps, you stub your toe, it's raining, you can't find your keys, someone is rude to you, life speeds by like this.

In the past, it's often things going wrong, some kind of crisis that wakes me up and reminds me how short and precious life is. It's a beautiful realization that can often lead to changes for the best, changes that were hard to make when stuck in the should's and have to's of a life that seems infinite and linear. The trick is to remember. It seems that once the crisis blows over, it's all too easy to fall back into old patterns and ruts. Perhaps life can't be lived full tilt, 24/7. I don't know. I've not managed it long term. But I wonder. Is it too much pressure to live each moment as if it were your one and only? It certainly takes a certain recklessness, abandon, and big time bravery. But the rewards are amazing.

One way I've used to wake myself up in the past is to imagine what I would do if I had a year left to live, and then do my best to do those things. It's a good exercise to think about and if done honestly can help direct you towards those things that make your heart sing. In my early twenties, my answers included that I would travel to the Caribbean and swim in crystal blue waters, spend more time with family, tell those I loved how much I loved them, and make lots of art. I did those things and I'm so glad I did. I've been considering doing this exercise again because of Patti Digh's challenge to think about what you'd do with 37 days left to live. This is the premise of her blog which led to the book, Life is a Verb, that has just been published. I think many of my answers would be the same now as they were in my twenties. I'd still want to spend lots of time with loved ones and express to them how much I love them, I'd still want to make lots of art (though I probably wouldn't be nearly as concerned about wasting materials or conserving paint or canvas. I might get a bit bigger and looser and more experimental with my brush strokes. I might paint with more abandon. I might paint with my whole body and soul and I'd certainly not give a crap about what any one else thought about it. Now, wouldn't that be liberating?), I'd also want to finish up, in some format, my book about living a creative life, which has been floundering a bit. I think I could pull out a handwritten version of the book in that month. Something collaged together to leave behind for others on the creative journey. 37 days wouldn't be enough time to have children. But that's something else I'd like for my life.

Wow, 37 days seems incredibly short. I know I'd be very sad. I'd want to sit by the ocean at night and look at the stars and write notes to my loved ones, give away my art to people I think would enjoy it. I'd cry and kiss the hubster and sleep in his arms with the kitties around us. But I'd also laugh and dance and sing and be silly. I wouldn't want to spend those 37 days depressed. I'd have an ice cream sundae for lunch and french toast for dinner. I'd draw on the walls. I'd take a long bath and walk around in my underwear or whatever was comfortable and freeing. I'd get my body painted and take cool pictures. I'd go on my favorite roller coasters and scream. I'd to on a whale watch. I'd visit the hollow tree near where I grew up and stand inside it, tuck a note into its branches. I'd cry some more and laugh some more and then leave this life in peace. What do you think you'd do with 37 days left to live? Is there anything unexpected that comes bubbling up when you think about it. Sometimes we don't know when our 37 days has started. Life is unexpected like that. What will you do with the knowledge of what having 37 days left means to you?

Well then, I wasn't expecting to go off on this when I started this post. I write posts like I make art, letting it flow. For more on this topic, I'd highly recommend Patti's book of course, and also Mark Nepo's Book of Awakening, which is excellent. It seems like all our challenges, being Creative Every Day, Sacred Life Sunday, Be Brave and many others are all about the same thing in a way. Living. Being. Creating. Outrageously, fully, with all our heart and soul, drinking it all in, and expressing all that is within us while we're here.

Above is something I was working on last night that ended up far away from what I originally imagined. I had started with the idea of sea creatures within an oval, but once I did the pattern in the background it was clear it was a face! I think I'll cut the face out and use it in a future collage, maybe the face of a mermaid.

Kitty Cat Dreams and Mermaid Drawings

Ah, after being home for the weekend, I'm feeling much more rested. I was amazingly exhausted after sleeping a week at my old boss's house. There's something magic about your own bed and I felt like I couldn't get enough rest when I got back to it. All the gray weather we've been having and the abundance of napping fuzz balls, like Tabbers above, is enough to make anyone sleepy. Fortunately, today I felt energized and ready to tackle some things.

I've been drawing a lot in the last week, including these two. The mermaid (above) developed from an image in my sketchbook of a mermaid with waves, a whale, and ship in her hair.  The image below was done on a whim, doodling whatever came to mind.

Last night, while watching the Olympics, I grabbed what was handy, a few mini sharpies that came in a box of new golf balls and some index cards, and did some little drawings. I find mini drawing like this to be oh so relaxing and fun. Sometimes, it gives me ideas for paintings. Other times it gets my creative juices flowing, like a warm up exercise. And sometimes, it's just nice to get some of that creative energy out onto the page, even if it goes absolutely nowhere else.

This afternoon, I spent some time sorting through neglected paperwork. It's odd how you can procrastinate about something for so long and then as soon as you do it, you have immediate relief. Must remember this!!

Well, the snuggly kitties are finally getting to me and I'm feeling a strong desire to curl up with a book and some cute meows. Sasha, is letting me know it's time for bed too. (That's her yawning, even though it looks like she's yelling or laughing hysterically. Hehe)

Wishing you a night full of beautiful dreams.

Creative Every Day: August 11th - August 17th, 2008

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/11/08 - 8/17/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/11/08 - 8/17/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/11/08 - 8/17/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/11/08 - 8/17/08.

Happy creating!

Cool Things Creative Folks are Up to

Although I can't get around as much as I'd like to (only so many hours in a day!), I *love* seeing what Creative Every Day 2008 participants are up to. Goes to show you that there are endless ways to be creative and so many fun things to try!!

• Brand new member, Lisa from the blog Tissuepapers has a kick-ass tutorial on folding fitted sheets, featuring her husband. It is SO cute. I just learned how to fold a fitted sheet last year from a friend and found it incredibly fascinating. I know, I know, folding sheets probably isn't fascinating to most people, and I'm the furthest thing from Martha Stewart neatness, but there's something so satisfying about folding those darn fitted sheets in something other than a big ball! Even if you already know how or don't care, the tutorial Lisa put together is super cute and creative and it looks like she has a bunch of other tutorials on her blog!
• I do enjoy a good tutorial and although I've seen a bunch with descriptions on how to do freezer paper stencils, I think this one from Brie is quite good. I need to get some freezer paper and try this!
• Snap has written a post exploring the concept of creativity along with a link to a series of articles about the future of creativity in the Utne reader (and she posted her first collage! yay!)
• There's loads of inspiration to be found in the CED flickr group, here.
• You may have noticed that I have a soft spot for kitties, so I totally adored this post, from Mary of Art Spirit, about her cat and bird softies and a real kitty too! Hehe.
• A big thanks to Wendy for featuring me as her August artist of the month!!

I spoke with two blogging pals, who also happen to be CED participants, for the first time today (by phone.) I feel sort of awkward on the phone sometimes, but I really enjoyed both conversations. I spoke first with the ever-so-sweet, Olivia of happyluau who shared her amazing first-hand knowledge of Hawaii. Thank you, Olivia! I really enjoyed hearing her perspective on the islands and wonderful tips! I knew Olivia's voice already from all the video blogging she does, but it was great to be able to interact with her by phone.

Shortly after that, I spent some time talking with the lovely Jennifer of Life Unfolds, Artizen Coaching, and the Right-Brain Business Plan! Phew! Jenn is one busy and talented lady! We chatted about a little something we'll be doing together this fall, which I'm very excited about. I'll share details on that soon. Jenn has such a sweet, welcoming voice and it was a pleasure to chat with her.

And now, I'm all chatted out. :-) Toodaloo!

Signs

I've been experiencing so much synchronicity in the past few days, it's wild! One that made me laugh out loud and gave me goosebumps was when I saw the same image twice in a matter of hours. First, in the copies of the Calyx journal I received in the mail. I opened the journal to check out my art and the other art featured inside. One of the artist's I noticed was Fran Forman, whose name stood out partly because I read that she is a fellow Massachusetts artist. Fran does beautiful digital collages using images she finds at flea markets.

Just a couple hours later, I was at my old job where I'm spending the evenings this week and I picked up the Globe. I wouldn't have seen this if I hadn't been at work this week because I don't get the paper delivered at home. And even if I had gone to the paper's website, I probably wouldn't have seen the bit from the daily insert, called "Sidekick." There on the front page of "Sidekick" was a large image called "Letting Go," the same one I saw in Calyx, from Fran Forman. I snapped a quick pic of the paper for you.

In some synchronicity squared, I received a comment today from Patty of Magpie's Nest on my recent post about, synchronicity of course, which reminded me about an article I read in the Globe over two years ago. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find it, but I did a quick search with what I remembered and it was the very first thing that came up on google. The article is all about seeing signs in numbers, in this case it involves a message from someone who has passed on. The story clearly made an impression on me since I remembered it so clearly. Looking back at it now, I laughed because of the date it was published includes my favorite number for synchronicity: 17.

Gah, it's seems impossible for me to explain these things properly. Today there were so many little instances of seeing the same things show up in different books and websites and the oddest places. After a full day of feeling bombarded, it's almost silly. When I read SARK's newsletter this evening with her own story of crazy synchronicity (which she told ever so eloquently), I laughed when she shared the Anne Lamott quote, "That's God showing off." That's a good way to put it. In an email, I told Patty that I think of them as winks from the Universe. Winky, winky, wink-wink.

My internet has been on the blink which has been frustrating and I feel terribly behind in catching up with emails and blogs. But I'm trying to let it roll off my back. Speaking of letting things roll off my back, I've been continuing to enjoy yoga. I tried out a new yoga dvd today: LifeForce Yoga to Beat the Blues with Amy Weintraub, author of the book Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga, (which was excellent by the way.) I really enjoyed the dvd which incorporated yoga poses, breathing, and chanting. It's definitely a dvd I would want some privacy to do, mainly because of the chanting, but I do like chanting and I like the way she incorporated it into the poses themselves. It wasn't a super challenging dvd, but I did feel much lighter and more energized afterwards. I especially liked how she began the dvd with some simple body movements (rolling the ankles, knees, hips, a little dancing, and a little shaking) that warm the body up before you do any poses. I appreciated that because I feel like sometimes yoga classes and videos go right into the poses cold. Eventually your body warms up, but it's much nicer to go into the stretches with the synovial fluids in your joints already moving, especially when your not the most flexible lady on the planet. Plus, doesn't shaking just feel good? Try it. It feels fantastic. :-) Shake it like a polaroid picture and all that. As I type this, in the background someone on t.v. says, "Shake it. Shake it." Hehe

All the yoga and reading I've been doing has been very helpful in my journey as I taper off anti-depressants. I'm grateful for that. It's so important for me to keep up with self-care here, especially as the days begin to get shorter, and yoga helps me remember to breathe and connect with my body. Finding creative ways to face my tendency towards a depressive state has been kind of fun. I enjoy reading what has helped others and trying natural ways to keep my spirits up through inspirational books, movement, supplements, art-making, etc...Every person is unique, so I think I need to discover my own personal prescription. But I always feel like I'm on the right path when I start seeing synchronicities every where!

Creative Clothing

Below is a bunny in a field spread for a sketchbook swap. The sketchbook just made it's way up to New Hampshire today!

I've been absolutely loving the outfit picture posts from Andrea at A Cat of Impossible Color and now our newest "Creative Every Day 2008" member, Audrey of Frassy. It's so much fun to see how people put their clothing together. As a teenager, I was a much quirkier dresser, but when I worked as a nanny for six years in my 20's, my wardrobe took a dive. I didn't want to wear anything that might get ruined by kids or the family's dog. Earlier, in art school it was much the same way, anything nice could easily be ruined through art-making. I used that as an excuse to dress sloppy and I also developed an overly negative body image that made me feel ultra self-conscious when trying on clothes. Recently, I started taking an interest in my wardrobe again, finding some quirky things that reflect who I am on the inside which made me feel surprisingly fantastic. It takes some time to overhaul a wardrobe and I know it will be some time before I own a full wardrobe of clothing that I totally love, but bit by bit I'm getting rid of the clothes that are worn out, don't fit right, or don't suit me at all (I have a ton of hand-me-downs and clothes that go back to high school.) I feel lighter with each piece I let go of. And somehow I feel more myself and more confident as I express myself outwardly too. Recently, I've been admiring loads of shoes, like these cute art deco shoes from Anthropolgie. I like the buckle. And the color. But how cute are these yellow flats on Andrea? Too cute!

I'm totally a voyeur. I've been realizing this about myself. I love real estate websites where I can peek into people's homes and see what they look like, how they decorate, and what cool architectural details people have hidden away. That's definitely one of the fun part about blogging, peeking in on people's lives. And both the hubster and I enjoy people watching in new places. It's fascinating to me! So, I suppose it makes sense that I totally love seeing what people wear. I'm much more interested in what regular people wear than in what celebrities are wearing.

I was thinking about all this, because people will often ask, "is this creative?" One of the reasons I wanted to do the "Creative Every Day 2008" challenge was to challenge my own notions of creativity and find the creative in my every day life. Truly, there are infinite opportunities to be creative every day. Yes, making art is creative. But so is cooking something new (or something old in a new way), getting lost on purpose on a walk around town, wrapping a gift in non-traditional recycled wrappings, putting together a fabulous outfit, arranging photos on a wall, doodling on receipts, writing in your paper journal, dancing through your living room, making up silly games with your kids, drumming a beat on the bongos, collecting colorful leaves that you find outside... you get the idea.

The beautiful thing is, the more you focus on living a creative life, the more opportunities you will discover for being creative in small and large ways.

So, do you wanna play with clothes perhaps?

• Check out polyvore, where you can create online collages of interior design or fashion or any crazy combo you desire. And you can see what others have put together too!
• Another fun site where you can see what folks are putting together is Weardrobe.
• There are loads of unique handmade and vintage clothing goodies on etsy. And oh so many accessories, my favorite thing to shop for. Lately, I'm loving little bobby pins with fabric covered or vintage buttons and whale earrings. :-)
• Secondhand shops can be a great place to find some cool lightly-used things. And of course, if you're handy with a sewing machine you can always re-purpose clothes you find or pieces you already have! Check out the Repurposed blog for ideas!
• Get some wardrobe inspiration in this wardrobe re-mix flickr group or this group or this one!
• Thinking about creativity with clothes reminded me of a toy I used to have using plates that you can mix and match and use crayon rubbings to put together a look. So much fun!
  

Keep on having fun with your fashion and your creativity. It's o.k. to play, to experiment, to express yourself. Life is short, live colorfully and creatively!

What's Up? The Sky.

I've been having some issues with my internet connection and haven't been at home much over the past few days, but I am alive! I'm helping out with some teenager-supervising/dog-watching/house-sitting at my old job which has been fun. I got to catch up with both the kids I used to care for as a nanny. One is nearly a senior in college and the other is about the be a freshman in college. Eep! When I met them they were just 10 and 13. Catching up with the two of them has been fun and I enjoy the doggy company too. I wouldn't want to go back, but these short bursts are nice on occasion. I've been all sorts of busy, making plans for our honeymoon, which is next month, oh my! We were given a travel agent gift certificate as a wedding gift and trying to use it over the last two months has been a nightmare. Normally, we'd just do our own travel planning and in the end, we had so much trouble with the agent not getting back to us, that after two months of back and forth, we complained and ended up just going through them for booking our hotel on one of the islands (which I did all the research for myself.) Oy. It sounded like a nice idea, having someone help us pick out the best location and activities for our needs, but it ended up being a major hassle. So, yeah, we'll never do that again.

Now that the headache of dealing with the travel agents is mostly over, we get to focus on the fun stuff, like taking a tour of the areas where LOST (the t.v. show) is filmed. We're both super excited about that. I was trying to find out which of the two companies that offer a tour would be better and came upon this youtube video (above), "top ten signs you're obsessed with LOST."  The first one made me laugh so loud that my cat, Sadie jumped in the air.

Stopping home today, I was pleased to see several copies of the summer issue of Calyx, a journal of women's art and literature, which has 3 pieces of my art in it (two of which are above, Dreaming of the Seven Sisters and Lighthouse, and the third, not shown, is Memory Cycles.) The journal is lovely and I'm so happy to be a part of it. I've been pouring over some of the poems and enjoying them. It's interesting, what I like (and sometimes dislike, if I'm feeling fidgety) about poetry is the way that it requires you to be in the present moment. You can't skim over a poem, at least not if you want to get anything out of it. The way regular prose is written, we can zoom over the words because the structure and language is predictable. We usually know what's coming. With a poem, the turns of phrase are unexpected, the tempo is musical, you need to slow down and take it in, in order to understand what the author is trying to get across. Sometimes, if done well, a poem can express things that are very difficult to say any other way. Much like artwork.

In other news, the latest issue of the fantabulous Mankind Mag is now available (for free to view or download or for a small fee to purchase a paper copy). It's a great issue, all about...hair! Which reminds me, I need a haircut. But really, do check it out. I loved reading excerpts from Erin's "autohairography" and if at some point in your past you ever curled your bangs, I bet you will too. Oh, and I've got a little ad in there featuring my favorite whale art!

Wishing you a tubular Tueday! O dear, the hair issue, totally brought back all my goofy expressions from the 80's/early 90's. I used to begin all my cleverly folded notes (in square, triangle or rectangle shape) with the title of this post. Oh the memories. Heh.

Creative Every Day: August 4th - August 10th, 2008

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/4/08 - 8/10/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/4/08 - 8/10/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/4/08 - 8/10/08.

Happy creating!

CED2008 participants! Feel free to leave a comment here with a link to post(s) about your creative activities during the week of 8/4/08 - 8/10/08.

Happy creating!

How to Play Big When You're Afraid of Wasting

When I talked about playing on a big piece of paper the other day, a few people mentioned wishing they were able to let go and create like that. It sounds like a simple thing, but if you've ever been in front of a big piece of paper or canvas or hunk of clay and were afraid to begin, then you know it can be tricky. For many people, myself included, there's a fear of wasting material. We might think, "Oh, I spent 'x' amount of dollars on that canvas. If I just start playing and it turns out awful, what a waste it will be! I better do something good on this or forget about it." Those are some paralyzing thoughts!  I don't believe that you should let the cost of the material interfere with your free-flowing creativity, but sometimes you need some tools to get beyond that ingrained fear of waste.

I remember in junior high, I used to try to cram all my math homework onto one page because I didn't want to waste paper. I had a fear of lack and didn't want to run out of materials and have to ask for more. Some of this came from the fact that my parents were divorced and money was an issue, but we could afford paper. I just didn't want to ask for anything, so I'd write teeny-tiny and try to make my paper last. I actually got graded down on one of my math homework assignments because of it. The teacher was having trouble reading the tiny numbers and asked me to please, use more paper. Heh. I started to get some clarity around my fear of waste and lack way back then and although it has continued to come up for me as an adult, it's far less often.

For me, the fear of waste with art supplies became an issue after college. During college, materials were required of you, so I didn't worry about wasting things. But after college, when money was tight, it seemed like a big risk to work on a canvas or use a lot of paint when I didn't have a lot to spare. Around that time, I started reading about intuitive art making, which involved letting your intuition guide your color choices and the flow of your work. This was the way I'd always preferred to work and having this as my intention really helped me to loosen up and let go. I also started working this way with collage. In both cases, I began with cheap materials, things I had readily available. If you have issues with perfection, lack, and wasting materials, starting with cheaper materials is a great way to begin. I used sketchbook pages, magazines, a glue stick, and cheap paints to begin. That way if I "screwed up", it didn't matter. I felt freer to experiment, to play, to go with my whims and I also gained confidence from the experience of creating from that deeper source within me.

When I moved on to better quality materials and had to face those fears of lack again, I found that giving myself permission to make complete and utter crap was enough to get me past the initial roadblock and into the flow of my creativity. It may sound silly, but I will literally say this out loud or in my head to myself, "It's o.k. to make complete and utter crap. You can throw it out at the end, cut it up, or paint over it in the end if you want to." And sometimes I do cut it up, paint over it or throw it out. And that's totally fine. Each experience leads to the next and having some "failures" are important too.

I recently bought two large pieces of paper for a project that I ended up not needing. So, I decided to devote them to playful creation with no plan or direction or purpose. I painted with a painting knife, making big strokes, looking for images that `popped out at me from the texture of the knife strokes and following my intuition as to where to take it. Simply having told myself that this paper was for play and that it didn't matter if it turned into a big page of mud was enough to get me started. And I think starting is the hardest part. Once you get started, the sense of fun kicks in and you lose yourself in the process. And if you find yourself stuck in fear along the way, a simple reminder to let go of the end-product is usually enough to get going again. The images in this post are all part of one of those big pieces of paper I'm working. It's still in process and I don't know where I'm going with it, but I sure am having a fabulous time making it! I've been layering, drawing, scraping, and playing all over the place.

The fun part about working big on a piece of paper, is that you often find lovely small pieces of it that you really like. And with a piece of paper you can always crop it into smaller compositions. When I first wanted to play big with cheaper materials, I went out an got a big roll of inexpensive white paper, tempera paints (less expensive), and some gloss paint to go over the tempera and make it more shiny if I wanted to do that. Big rolls of craft paper that you can buy at office supply stores work well too.

I feel like I've got loads more to say on this topic, but this is a good start. Try playing big (whatever big means to you), give yourself permission to make "bad art", and most importantly, have fun with it. Hope you have a beautiful, creative, and joy-filled weekend!

Link-a-roonies

Busy, busy day. Lots of to and fro. Feeling sleepy and frustrated, but I'm taking my butt to yoga. Another new class!

It's about time for some links to help spark your creativity, yes? Yes! O.k.

• This sparked my interest when I got an email about it today. I haven't had time to fully check it out, but from what I see, I'm excited! Apple and ITunes have a program called iTunes U which allows schools and universities to put lectures and such on iTunes, most of which I assume is private for their students, but on iTunes, the public can view loads of free lectures (some video, some just audio) in every subject imaginable. Oh, the possibilities!
• Loads of crafty goodness to peruse over at CraftStylish. Be careful, you might get lost for hours there.
• Ooo-la-la! The ever so talented, Jess Gonacha shared a link to this fabulous book, Over & Over by Mike Perry, which is all about hand drawn patterns. I drooled looking at the pics online. Gross. I need a napkin pronto.
• Patti Digh of the 37 Days blog, has her book coming out in less than 37 days! She wants to know about what you'd do if you only had 37 days left to live. How would you live your life? Learn more about the premise behind Patti's blog here. The writing in her blog is fantastic and it's what led to her book, Life is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally, which you can pre-order her book here.
• A super adorable way to re-cycle: make a gift card bracelet!
• Post-it notes aren't just for to-do lists. This is the best use of them I've seen in awhile. :-)
• Online yoga? Yep, there's some here, here, and here.
• Eep, I'm so excited for this!!!

Creativity, Courage, and Play

"Creativity takes courage." -Matisse

I came upon the above quote today and it resonated. It does take courage to be creative. Sometimes it takes courage just to move. But it seems like once you get beyond that first step, it becomes effortless. At least for awhile, until you have to cross that courage threshold again and again and again. Pure playfulness helps me get over that threshold. And the journal swap I'm participating in has been a fun way to play. There is the small fear that other people will be seeing and later owning these journals and I don't want to disappoint, but mostly I can let that go. It's a swap and meant to be fun, so I'm getting playful with it. Yesterday I punched circles in one of the pages. Working along with the see-through quality of the pages, I made this page truly see-through in parts! Hehe. I didn't really think of it at the time I was doing it, but they also go along nicely with the rabbit in the narrative I'm creating because they're like little rabbit holes!

And here's what's on the other side of those holes. The second page isn't done yet.

While doing playful work in a journal is good fun, it's also good to play BIG sometimes! Today I used a large sheet of paper and just started painting on it with a painting knife. As forms appeared, I went with what I saw. No clue where it's going yet, but it's fun to mush the paint around and see where it takes me. And if it ends up as a big sheet of mud, well, that's o.k. too. Got lots to do this afternoon, so I'm off!

p.s. That's my kitty, Emma, above, who decided to take a moment from her nap in the sunny spot on the porch to come sit next to my foot. My toes are still very sparkly from my 2nd pedicure of all time that I got a couple weeks ago. I'm amazed it lasted so long!

Symbols and Synchronicity

I really love the way this piece came together. I worked on it a long time, letting it linger, changing and re-changing, layering and building, letting it grow and hide and reappear as I worked. I had the hubster come in and give me some constructive criticism at one point. He was cautious, not wanting to hurt my feelings. Sometimes, I can be very sensitive. But for whatever reason, I felt really open and non-defensive with it and I really wanted to hear what he had to say. I feel like I've come to a stopping point with it and since it is such a gorgeous day today, I was able to snap some pictures with natural light. It's 20"x20" with acrylic on canvas.

Sometimes things appear in paintings that you don't intend. I'm used to this with collage as I try to create collaged images intuitively, being open to happy accidents and such. But it only recently started happening in paint. While I was working, I noticed a large number 3 had appeared. I flushed out the bottom a tiny bit, but mostly it was already there. Three is a number that pops up a lot for me (as do 7 and 17), so I left it in there, even though I'm not sure exactly what it means.

I dreamed this image before I painted it. In the dream, Ophelia was walking into the water and she had a tattoo on her back that represented rebirth and renewal. I knew that she was entering into the water as a ritual (not as suicide) and that part of the tattoo was a large circle. I tried to recall more about the tattoo, but couldn't see it, so I drew sketch after sketch after sketch of it. At some point, I had to stop sketching and just begin and I'm glad I did because some of it worked itself out right on the canvas. The bees are a symbol that has been popping up lately first in my own artwork, in fun bee-spotting exchanges with Karen, and then in things I've been reading. I'd completely forgotten until it came up in a book I was reading about dreams, that my middle name, Melissa, means honey bee. I looked up the origins of the word and found that in ancient Greece, bee goddesses or priestesses were called Melissas and had the gift of prophecy. Homer wrote of the bee goddesses which I thought was fascinating considering my recent painting of Penelope. Bees and honey were symbols of the cycle of life as well as rebirth, so I decided to include them in the tattoo.

The flame that is also a tree, developed in sketches and on the canvas itself. I like how the roots mirror the bare branches of the trees in the background. Trees have been a common symbol in my artwork since I was a teenager, believe it or not. I saw them in a spiritual sense, as symbols of rebirth and the cycle of life. In the water, I also painted a scarab beetle, although it is mostly covered in layers of paint. I felt that I had to include it after the weirdest synchronicity occurred a couple weeks ago. You may remember the ridiculous (and funny) story about the large beetle in my bathroom. If not, go read it for a laugh. Anyways, the weird part was , I had just picked up a book, in the bathroom (yes, I read in the bathroom) called "Synchronicity" by Carl Jung, right before I saw the giant beetle and ran out to get the hubster, sans pants. I left the book open to the page, but didn't get back to it til the next day. Well, the next day, I open it up to read the story about when one of Jung's patients dreamt about a scarab beetle and just then they heard a tapping noise at the window. Jung opened it and in flew a large beetle (the equivalent of a scarab beetle in that area.) I literally laughed out loud when I read it thinking of my own personal scarab visitation. Turns out, scarab beetles were also a symbol of rebirth in the ancient cultures of Egypt and Greece. They're also considered a symbol of positive change, self-generation, and creativity. Very cool.

Phew, that was a mouth-full! I hope that was somewhat interesting to read about. It's a bit hard to explain the thrill of the journey and the little synchronicities that lead up to the finished piece, but I figured I'd give it a try anyways.

The yoga class this morning went well. The teacher was very sweet and gentle. Hoping to attend another class tomorrow! The hubster and I are going to a Red Sox game tonight. I hope the weather stays as lovely as it's been all day!