Francesca

Francesca

Meet Francesca. She's a product of this afternoon's playtime in the studio.

With Giselle parked on the windowsill for inspiration, I decided to try my hand at something similar and am thrilled with the result! Once Francesca's settled for a day or two she may get a bit of tweaking, but for today I'm happy.

I love the newness of painting faces. Some are pretty bad and get painted right over, but others work out and when that happens I get a natural high.

I couldn't wait to share her with you.

Tonight I Sleep

I feel tired. Zonked.

Looming deadlines at work have had me putting in more hours than usual for the past five weeks, with three more to go before all is due. The wedding had us in a crunch these past few weeks to get the invitations out. Both tasks exercise the same, left-brain project planning muscles and the lack of respite has finally caught up with me.

It's time to switch gears.

Tonight I took a break from the to-dos. Tomorrow I will too. I may even paint. Saturday, I may hop a train to Montreal for an Artist Date - a visit to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to see the works of Kees van Dongen. I saw his work for the first time on the museum's Web site and I am smitten. The colours, the portraits, the energy... they speak to me so.

It's a four-day weekend and I look forward to some downtime. It's time to refill the well with rest, presence, and a few right-brain treats.

But first things first: tonight I sleep.

Artist Date Binge

"An artist date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist. In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you preplan and defend against all interlopers."
- Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

My creative well overfloweth my friends, hence a third post in as many days.

After a few weeks spent in productivity mode pushing through items on the to-do list both at work and at home, I felt empty and creatively drained. It was time to replenish the well and without intentionally setting out to do so, that's just what I did.

A Thursday night spoken word performance, a Friday workshop called Market Readiness for Visual Artists & Artisans, and a few urban hikes drew me from the linear and the logical to the conceptual and the intuitive. Poetry and storytelling, connecting with other artists, and street-level discoveries handed me a much-needed dose of right brain inspiration.

Call it an Artist Date binge - slightly overwhelming, but entirely satisfying.

What do you do to switch from the logical to the intuitive?

Giselle

Giselle

Meet Giselle. She's my first ever face painted from scratch and I love her.

I wanted to try something different today during my time at the table; I wanted to draw a shape as a focal point instead of using collage, something "real" that I - and hopefully others - could recognize. I brought my supplies thinking I might draw a mandala, but instead, with the guidance of notes gleaned from Misty at Squam last year and instructions laid out by Kelly Rae Roberts in her book Taking Flight, Giselle is what came out.

There may be a few touch-ups here & there (I'm thinking around the eyes), but I was so excited I couldn't wait to post her. I think it's the thrill of trying something new and liking the result. It makes me want to try it again.

Creative Inspiration

These past few days I've been creatively inspired by...

• a PBS documentary on Woody Guthrie found at the library that has me dreaming of writing prolifically
• a collection of Treasures from American Film Archives, also found at the library, that has me dreaming of producing documentaries and silent films
• Jen Lee's initiative in creating Solstice: Stories of Light in the Dark
• an evening of tea, laughter and exploration of creative dreams with a lovely friend
• the prospect of attending Squam Art Workshops again this year to play, learn, connect, and stretch my comfort zone even further.

Bits & Pieces

A few random and not-so-random musings ...

~ Fellow blogger comments about the US election and Barack Obama videos brought me to tears this week. Sitting North of the border, I am filled will hope by his words and vision. Yes we all can dammit! I especially enjoyed this behind the scenes video I found at Colors on my mind (approx. 15 minutes).

~ Left brain issue: I am SUCH a productivity geek. I just bought The 4-Hour Workweek and am now engrossed in a book called Getting Things Done, trying to soak it all in before it has to go back to the library. I get all pumped when I read it and before you can say "tickler file" my mind is out of control swirling with projects, to-do's and ideas for home and for work. I need help.

~ Right brain issue: I have so many creative ideas in my head that I don't know what to do with them! You'd think a productivity geek like myself would be able to handle that, non?

~ This week is my first working part-time; I have every Monday off and work an hour less a day. My first Monday at home was anti-climactic: I slept, I surfed, I chatted with Mom on the phone, I ate, I surfed again, I slept again. Not the delightfully creative and homey day I originally envisioned (think Emily Carr meets June Cleaver). I did however spend Tuesday's extra hour painting and that felt gooood.

A Creative Mantra: Go to the Table and Trust

a work in progress - or not

I haven't been painting as much as I would have liked to. I won't list excuses; I just didn't.

But I did go to my creative space a few times and when I did, I got lost in time. I collaged, I painted, I played with colour; I made a mess. I spread my supplies out on the table and kept telling myself "Pretend you're back at Squam. Pretend you're in Misty's class...pretend you're in Misty's class...pretend you're in Misty's class. Just play."

A self-admitted perfectionist, it's hard for me to allow myself to get things wrong before I can get them right. But I have to try anyway.

I want to live an artful life that includes making art. Specifically, I want to explore the world of mixed media paint and collage - the world to which I was introduced at Squam that had me smitten. I can read blogs about it, I can write about it or I can buy funky paints, but if I want to someday be a visual artist I need to open up those paints and get messy - I need to go to the table. Then I need to trust that things will unfold as they should.

So I present to you my new creative mantra: go to the table and trust.

Whether your table is a sketchpad on which you draw, a blank page on which you write or neighbourhood streets waiting to be captured in photos, I invite you to join me. Simply go to the table and trust.

The Beauty of Squam

This afternoon I was showing D. photos from last week's Squam workshops. At nearly each photo I couldn't help but exclaim "Oh isn't she gorgeous? Look at her smile!" or "Oh isn't she beautiful? Look how her eyes sparkle!" or "Doesn't she look stunning? I love that picture!"

Then it dawned on me: every woman in those pictures is beautiful because at that moment, she is living what is true to her, radiating authenticity and true joy. She is creating. She is loving. She is alive.

It's no wonder we were all so damn gorgeous.

Creative Space in Waiting

To help keep momentum gained at Squam and reinforce what I learned, I spent part of yesterday creating a space where I can play. D was kind enough to let me have his corner of the sunroom (thank you D!) in which I promptly set up a work table, hung the lanterns that were hanging in our lovely cabin at Squam, and spread out my supplies.

It's not quite finished, but here are a few pics:

the space before

the space between

a space in waiting

More to come about Squam later. I'm exhausted, but still on a high and enjoying every minute of it!

Transition from Squam

view from Havenwood cabin - morning, day 1

I am in the midst of two worlds, working to bring them together instead of making them mutually exclusive. Squam was more than I ever could have imagined; it pushed, nurtured, overwhelmed and elated.

I want to carry its momentum with me as I return to my everyday life. I feel ready.

More to come later, today is my transition space.

A Creative Retreat

I am in a blissful stupor of creative contemplation.

For four days in September, I will be attending this amazing series of creative workshops at a lakeside retreat in New Hampshire. Superhero's enticing invitation to the Squam Art Workshops earlier this week prompted me to look into it more closely; between feelings of self-doubt and overwhelming moments of "this feels right", I decided to heed the latter and make it happen.

I strongly feel this is the step out of my comfort zone I've been ready to take for a while. It's the creative connection I craved earlier this year, and the creative retreat for which I stashed away a few vacation days, acting on faith that I would find one that fit budget, time and purpose.

Not only will I attend three fabulous all-day workshops, I will immerse myself into a creative community, sharing lodging and meals with a group of like-minded, amazingly creative women, some whose blogs I've been reading for the past few years.

There will be plenty of time for artistic insecurities and miscellaneous fears to surface between now and September; for now I will enjoy the giddy excitement that comes with stepping out of my comfort zone, the prospect of meeting some of the women whose blogs are listed under my Regular Reads, and the potential of expanding my creative capabilities. I. Can't. Wait.

Craving Creative Community

Lately I've been craving a creative community and today, I put this craving out to the Universe. I'm not sure how and I'm not sure in what form, but when it manifests itself, whether with a bang or through a series of quiet opportunities over time, I will know.

I also know I have a responsibility to put myself out there and recognize these opportunities when they occur. One day at a time, I have a responsibility to create, to reach out, and to nurture my connection to my Higher Power - the source of my creativity.

I will not force it; I trust that if it is meant to happen it will. The first step is to recognize the craving and ask for help. The second, is to take appropriate personal action and let go of the outcome.

Rethinking My Workspace

Yesterday I moved into an office space at work that's smaller, darker and less private than the one I had before. Next week I'm moving into a home office that's about half the size of the one I have now. In both cases I need to simplify considerably just to make my space breathable and workable. It's hard to adjust.

Maybe it's the Universe's way of telling me it's time to switch my focus, nudging me in the right direction by forcing me to rethink and simplify my workspaces. Maybe it's time to cull the old and make room for the new, identify what's important for work and creativity and leave the rest. Or maybe I just have too much stuff.

Whatever it is, the thought of redefining it, although daunting, is refreshing.

On Creativity...

Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.

- Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

I think creativity is part of my calling.

When I experience creative energy, whether mine or someone else’s, I feel alive. My senses become extra aware of sights, sounds and smells. I feel connected to something bigger than myself.

I felt it at last week's presentation by M. Gilbert Cadieux, Corporate Sales Manager, Cirque du Soleil, as he described the creative energy that permeates Cirque's headquarters in Montreal. I felt it when I returned to my Thursday morning writers group yesterday and spent two hours among writers caught up in the creative flurry of National Novel Writing Month. I felt it when I watched Mr. Dressup as a kid and sat mesmerized at the stories he could pull out of his magical tickle trunk.

I suspect creativity will play a major role in my life - maybe even in my career. When I experience creative energy, I feel content and at peace.

On Taking Risks ...

We have to explore blind alleys. We have to experiment with things that don’t pan out. We have to let things die. It’s all a necessary and inevitable part of the creative process.

- Mario D’Amico, EVP Marketing, Cirque du Soleil

This morning I had the privilege of listening to M. Gilbert Cadieux, Corporate Sales Manager, Cirque du Soleil, give a presentation called The Magic Behind Strategic Planning, Creativity and Branding à la Cirque du Soleil. It left me wired.

One of Cirque du Soleil’s working principles is the will to encourage and take risks. It’s necessary in an organization with creativity at its core; without risk you can’t create.

This philosophy resonated with me at a very profound level. If I want to create a life of beauty, abundance and fulfillment, I need to take risks. I need to explore blind alleys, experiment with things that don’t pan out and be willing to let things – ideas, relationships, attachments – die. What a scary but empowering thought.

More Cirque du Soleil-related musings to come...