Creativity has been on my mind. It seems to get that way in a different, more insistent way, after I have been drawing and looking at drawing blogs.
Elizabeth Gilbert: a different way to think about creative genius – From TED
A couple of people posted this video to their blogs a few weeks ago, including Linda Poole. I went back to this video to hear what she has to say again and I thought it would be good to post it here so you can revisit it. One thing she talks about is managing the emotional risk of creativity. She talks about the change from “having a genius” to “being a genius,” which I think is interesting to think about.
Amy Tan on Creativity – From TED
In this video, Amy Tan talks about the writing as the artful arrangement of words. She also talks about influences, such as help from the universe and inspiration from travel and different experiences.
Mostly I was attracted to this blog because Seattle Sketcher has his Seattle Post-Intelligencer featured in today’s post. I really like Gabi’s work. In looking through the blog, I found I liked some of the other drawings artworks shown as well. Some I didn’t like, but I can’t like everything.
Notebookism has two things that are useful in terms of inspiration today. One is a kit for getting over writer’s block. I like the format. It reminds me of the Dodecahedron in The Phantom Tollbooth. I think it could modified for fiber blocks. Also, if you look at the top photo on the right, there is a notebook with some words surrounded by bubbles. From what I can see, the design looks really interesting. Perhaps I will try it.
The lower photo is just downright hilarious. I’ll have to get out my Chanel No.5 (assuming Eau de Toilette works as well as cologne) just so I can be cool.
Nina Johansson is another sketch artist whose work I am admiring lately. I have a soft spot in my heart for coffee cups and hot drinks. I really liked this drawing. It is one I would buy a card or print of if offered.
Words are important to me. I like to use the correct word for the correct item, thought or feeling. “The quilt on the back of the couch,” for example, is much better than “the thing on the back of the other thing.”
TFQ and I had a discussion about visual journals a week or so ago. A lot of stuff had been rattling around in my brain. She was obviously thinking about these issues as well, because she clearly and cleverly articulated what I was thinking. There were some of the central points of our discussion:
Both of us have writing journals, which we use to rant and rave and explain and digest.
Neither of us wanted to try to express our feelings in art in addition to doing it in the journals mentioned above.
We agreed that we both wanted more of a daily art practice.
Both of us want to try different techniques that we read about in blogs and magazines. We don’t always know how to do these techniques.
We are both having trouble getting started.
The conversation, a subsequent letter to TFQ as well as a variety of comments I have made in my journal have all been working towards getting myself started and clearly articulating the issue. It has all been the product of stuff floating around in my mind as I try and resolve this issue for myself. I have decided that what I want is not to do visual journaling, which for me means explaining or working out my feelings and commenting on my life using media other than words. I want to illustrate my journal – or a journal. By illustrated journal, I mean that I want to sketch little vignettes or paint scenes that have nothing to do with my words. I want to do this to inform my quiltmaking and to inject more creativity into my life.
I use the sketch above from Gabi Campanario as an example of my idea. He sketches what is around him. His sketches don’t seem to have anything to do with how he is feeling. He obviously has taken it to an art form, which I am not planning on doing. I want to test ideas and sketch for myself. My quilts are really for others.
My biggest issue is starting. I need someone to hold my hand. I thought that decorating the box would kick start me into shape. No dice. It was hard, it took a long time and didn’t dry very fast. I did enjoy making it, though.
I thought getting some creative prompts, like from the Creative Mom podcast, would jumpstart the process.
No dice.
Finally I told Julie that I needed her to hold my hand. We haven’t set a date yet, but I am hoping we will both have time soon.
In the process of this hand wringing, I have identified a couple of issues:
My stuff for non-quilt creativity is everywhere. I have to haul it out in order to do anything.
I have supplies that I don’t know how to use.
I don’t have a messy space in which to work (and it is Feb and raining outside).
I still want to focus on quiltmaking and fiber. I want this endeavor to be a little extra.
I did some sketching in 2008, but stopped for some reason, so I guess I could consider this small amount of work the start, which means my real problem is continuing….
Inspiration comes from everywhere and I found it on the Blog. freepeople.com site, which I had been looking at because of a cool bookmobile. These little vignettes are hilarious. The post links to a Flickr group for more.
I thought of Sharon when I saw this display with the French cats. This color scheme has been on my mind, though. I am thinking Yellow Brick Road in pink, black and white.
I have always felt that February 1 is one of the saddest days of the year. It is not because of the loss of a family member or big disaster or even a personal disappointment. The reason is that January is over.
Yes, January is smack in the middle of winter. Yes, January is often bitterly cold, rain soaked and covered in ice. Still, I love January. Not only is my birthday in January (how could I not like that??), but January holds lots of hope and promise for the coming year.
Then we get to February. February is still cold, bitterly cold and, hopefully, rain soaked, but the bloom is off the rose a bit in terms of the New Year. People have stopped going to the gym, started eating cookies and aren’t calling their mothers every week as they resolved.
So, what to do? I am posting a pic that I hope is inspirational to you. I saw those chairs on the retreat and just had to photograph them. After I cropped them, I wondered if I should use them as a banner. They have nothing to do with quiltmaking,but are very cheerful.
I am also making some changes to the blog, which I will describe in another Housekeeping post. Mainly, I am going to try to get back to posting more relevant quilt information more often.
This tea set has a lovely warm color and wonderful shapes. I can see sitting in a big comfy chair with one of these cups in my hand.
Spode Meadowsweet tea set vintage by asmallferret on Etsy
This is one of the most divine teasets we’ve seen.
Buttermilk yellow and moss green glaze. 4 cups and saucers, a milk jug and sugar bowl (open style). 10 pieces in all. No chips, no cracks, no crazing, in perfect condition.
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