Last Spring, I sent out a survey to a number of artisans I know, asking for the benefit of their wisdom based on their experiences in creativity. The responses were as wonderful and varied as the artists. I’ve condensed where I could, and have selected a few to quote in totality. Enjoy!
Play this story-game and see what ideas jump into your head.
- It only takes about 15 minutes.
- You deserve a fun-break.
- It’s easy and you’ve probably done it before.
- Do it alone, or for more fun, do it with friends.
Step 1: Take a sheet of paper and cut it into four strips of equal width.
- Strip #1 is entitled: “Colors:”.….list ten different colors on this strip.
- Strip #2 is entitled: “Patterns:”.…list ten different patterns on this strip.
- Strip #3 is entitled: “Your Art/Craft materials:”.….list ten different materials that relate to your creative interests.
- Strip #4 is entitled: “Creatures/Objects:”.….list ten different creatures and/or objects on this strip.
(Choose words that are inventive or unusual.)
Step 2: Cut the individual words off and place each category into its own bowl.
Step 3: Read the following story. When you come to a blank, pull one of your words from the appropriate bowl…the blank will tell you which category to choose from. Have a pen and paper close by to write things down.
Now you’re ready to have some fun.
Artist’s Block … we all get it
We all have days where the newspaper is delivered into a puddle, the toaster pops the toast out onto the floor where the dog is on it like lightning, the creative muse takes a vacation and it’s all we can manage to even doodle in the margins. Days like that can make you wish you were back in middle school (maybe).
The flexible artist takes all this frustration as evidence that a break from art WORK is necessary. She or he asks, “When was the last time I was spontaneous?” Here are some suggestions to help glide through a bubble in the line of your imaginative flow: Continue reading…
Hello, creative voyagers, and welcome to 2012, a year of transition and wonder.
In this post, I invite you to settle back and join me in a guided visualization which will help you to either validate where you already are with your art works, or it will help you make changes, whether they be subtle or sweeping. And all of us can benefit from a tweak here or there.
Grab a notebook and pen and place them on the table in front of you or in your lap, sit back and relax, while you read the following visualization. Allow it to guide you to new ideas and feelings about what could best serve you as you pursue your artistic reality.
“I’ve got all this creative energy, now where do I put it?!”
Exploration of your artistic potential needs space…not just physical, but mental, emotional and on the clock. Let’s look at some possibilities for carving physical space out of your home and its grounds; space that is ‘sacrosanct’ for the pursuit of your creative urgings; space that is to be used for NOTHING ELSE.
Dear Artisan,
AND THE WINNERS ARE …
My contest for stories about “the weirdest thing you’ve ever had to do with your art to make money” brought in some wonderful tales! Artistic/creative types certainly do lead interesting lives.
(the following definitions are taken from Roget’s Thesaurus)
Worth: a measure of those qualities that determine merit, desirability, usefulness, and importance.
Worthy: admirable, honorable, valuable.
Do you know how important your particular talents are for bringing positive energy to our world?
Most of us do not, and I can almost hear you snorting in disbelief. In fact, most of us would deny that the things we have to offer contain much in the way of value in the bigger picture, and that most of our offerings are commonplace.
The actual Truth is multifaceted. The crucial things to keep in mind are:
Dear Artisan,
Okay sports fans, it’s time for an art lesson! or Seven tips for Inviting Your Inborn Creativity into Your Current Life
The crowd roared. Another touchdown for the home team, and it was time for a commercial break.
My husband was perched on the edge of his recliner. With the shifting light and color from the TV screen reflecting in his glasses, I couldn’t see his eyes and whether or not he was going to roll them.
Dear Artisan,
HAPPY SPRING!
The birds know it, the daffodils are aware, and even the pond frogs are singing again. So, why hasn’t the weather gotten the message? If you’re sitting under a cloudy sky, and have the mood to match it, here’s a project to get you started on making those changes you resolved to do on New Year’s Day.
Perhaps you’ve wanted to figure out how to carve out a spot in which to do your heart’s work, and there is a loud voice in your head that intones:
Dear Artisan,
In honor of International Women’s Month, I have written this post to bring attention to the thousands of women artists whose creativity has survived cultural, societal and religious undermining, and the abrasives of time, from prehistory up to the present. Though I don’t have space here to address all the eras or cultures, I will focus on some examples of women’s art from earliest times, which I hope will rev you up to do more research on your own. It’s exciting and inspiring. I also found it surprisingly emotional. Let’s RAVE about the infinite flow of creative juice that women have always brought forth into the world!
Artists and their art stand out as an integral and essential part of all cultures throughout history, and many artisans are known to have been women. Though patriarchal values have often tried to suppress the recognition due women artists, the latter have been important in recording a society’s customs and world view through their works, despite difficulties in obtaining instruction, traveling and trading their work, and in gaining recognition.
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