WHIMSICAL PLAY

Sometimes it's all about whimsy in these Mixed Media Playtime work(?)shops. From Picasso to Emerson to Maslow and beyond runs the recognition that play is a necessary attribute of creativity...and life. I adhere to this wholeheartedly and hope you do too.

Play on, MacDuff...and everyone else 😃

CREATIVE JUICES

 

As I ready for another of the Sunday Studio Mixed Media Playtime workshops I find myself thinking about creativity and just what it means.

So often folks say they are not creative when what I see is any number of ways that they ARE in fact creative.So very many creative people pass through our lives every day.

One of the most creative people I encountered as a child was my ballet teacher, Catherine Joyce. It just seemed that everything she touched had a creative edge to it. Not only did she teach ballet, but she choreographed our programs, she designed beautiful costumes (one of my all time favorites was the fuchsia costume I was honored to wear as a gangly ten year old.) In addition, she made dainty porcelain figurines of dancers. She just seemed to have an abundance of creativity. 

But I digress. Sure, Catherine Joyce was extremely creative, but the fact is we are all creative and should nurture this in whatever form it takes small or large. Maybe you are a creative cook, a beautiful dresser, a whiz at decorating your home....the list could go on and on. Everyone is creative in at least one way and by acknowledging and setting aside time for our creativity life can be more fulfilling and more meaningful.

As the sports saying goes, "Just do it!" Get those creative juices flowing.

MUSING ON MUSES

A slut? No, I don't think my muse is a slut. I've heard the muse called this, but.....

Slut (n)--a lazy, careless, or slovenly woman; a lewd or dissolute woman.

The muse after which I chase is spunky, quixotic and often flighty. She is quirky and changeable. At times elusive or downright evasive, she is definitely a tease.

My muse is not lazy, careless, or slovenly. She is neither immoral nor depraved, though at times self-indulgent. Now and then a little crazy, perhaps, but in an endearing, charming and delightful way.

This muse of mine definitely keeps me on my toes and there is never a dull moment with her. Sometimes she is serious and intense and at other times wonderfully fanciful and filled with laughter, even giggles.

I trust my muse to know more than I do as she leads me at times down mysterious paths that seem far too difficult--challenging, beckoning, daring me to at least try. She constantly asks me to use all my senses--to see more deeply, to listen with greater intensity, to touch with heightened sensitivity, to taste the exotic strangeness of flavors, to smell the subtle nuances of fragrance.

The end may not always be in sight, but rather unknown and unplanned. This is both exciting, titillating, and even a little bit scary. Invariably, the risks lead to an opening of creativity. Out of what often appears chaotic comes that wonderful something that each artist seeks.

No slut my muse, but a seductive and intriguing character that I shall continue chasing after. She IS inspiration.

And you muse? Tell me about her....

 

THE EYES HAVE IT

 I love the way our eyes are able to fill in the blanks to create the whole.

We are certainly miraculous creatures, that's for sure. There are many instances of this, of course, not least of which is life itself.

And aren't we fortunate to have dedicated scientists and medical personnel to help us maintain these wonderful lives?

Yup! You guessed it. The second dose of the Moderna vaccine is in and working as I write this. Friend Catharine and I were talking about viruses and what they are and perhaps aren't yesterday. This only brought more to mind how lucky we have been to get some sort of (imperfect) handle on this Covid-19 virus in such a short time.

Here's a big shout out to all those who have cared for and developed and served and rescued and invented and.... in the last year and beyond. These folks are a special brand of artists!

ZOOMING AROUND

 

The screech of the hawk reaches my ears as it circles overhead on a cool fall morning. It seems to be asking, "What will this day bring?"

Well, I can't speak for that predatory creature, but for me it seems that a lot of Zoom time is on the agenda.

Whatever would we do without this marvel that seems to have reached its apex with Covid-19?The uses seem endless and, while not all of the ways that it gets used appeal to me all that much, it has definitely opened doors that might not have otherwise even been known.

While the creative play continues here and the birds screech and hoot and titter around me, the Zoom opportunities open the world as well. All good and somewhat of a distraction as we wind down to the final days of this vital election.

Don't forget to vote!

STANDING SENTINEL?

Watchful waiting

So much of time lately seems to be done in watchful waiting. Still, it behooves us to do more...to live life even as changes roll over us.

So...haircuts on the street. Dining only outside (Question:What about when weather comes?Answer:Deal with it. We are resilient humans after all) Wear a mask. Keep social distancing. Give up a few things to gain even more. Gardening (Who knew so many had a green thumb?) Zoom webinars (There are so many interesting things out there with which to connect.) Long walks. Reading (Again, so many good books and finally the time.).......

What are you doing to live life as the changes come?

THE SAME BOAT...

Memorial Day weekend. I think picnics and barbecues and other friend and family gatherings. But, alas....

I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss hugs and kisses and even friendly smiles (the downside of masks.) I miss my workshop students and teaching them. I miss camaraderie and laughter and sharing of stories. This time of year, I miss the gathering of fellow artists and artisans as we pick a spot and build the booth that will be home away from home for 66 days of summer at the Sawdust Art Festival here in Laguna. I even miss all the decision-making that goes into that venue for each of us.

Yet, while I miss these and so many other things, I am happy to have my health and a roof over my head, food on the table and gas in my car. I am thrilled to be able to walk 4-5 miles each morning, whether in the neighborhoods, in the hills, along the beachfront, or the harbor. I am lucky. I am grateful. I am hopeful that all these things I miss will return.

But I have to admit I'm still sad; I still miss all of it and all of you. So stay safe and healthy, practice that social distancing and wear that mask and do whatever else it takes so that we may all come back together....PLEASE.

Lots to do

JUST IMAGINE...

Imagination. Seems like we need a lot of it right now in these troubling times. And it is working...in some pretty amazing ways.

Not only are parents and teachers tapping into their imaginations in order to teach and keep young people engaged. Not only are hospitals and staff tapping in to find new and creative ways to handle shortages of supplies and the glut of Covid patients with all that entails.Not only are restaurants and other "essential" businesses quickly imagining new ways to keep employees busy and business going. 

So much more can be attributed to imagination.

As I read through what scientists are achieving right now and the work done to re-fit plants to produce what is needed (but where the heck is the toilet paper?),I am truly amazed. Plants like GM and Ford are re-tooled and manufacturing ventilators. JPL scientists have designed one ventilator now that uses even fewer parts than previously thought required. Samsung has made a wristband that, among other things, buzzes when the wearer comes within six feet of another person. This last is being tested and used in some of the aforementioned plants to help maintain a safe work environment.

And, of course, there is so much more. I am sure many of you are aware of the innovative things that are taking place now. Please share.

We will get through this together...and apart because of these things and more.

Imagination. Ingenuity. Resourcefulness. Resilience. Spirit.

WELL, NOT EXACTLY

A "sorta" poem

While this is not quite a poem, it also seems to somehow "fit" with our current situation. We certainly dream of how we would like to return to some kind of "normal," but the reality is not there...yet.

I'm trying each day to do some form of art and hope all of you are as well. Experimenting and exploring with a variety of materials and techniques helps to keep me engaged, often for many hours. As one of the "elderly" I am trying to observe strict regimens, though I walk each day (of course, social distancing), which helps also to keep me sane.

I hope all of you are doing well. This IS difficult (even for us introverts, by the way) and we SHALL see it end.

Stay well. Stay creative. Smile and be kind.

ANGEL FLIGHT

First angel in

After posting the blog about angels the other day and then sending out a request to some students...
nothing happened.

It is so hard to have patience in these troubled times, so I figure this was a challenge and a test for me. All good things come to those....

So here is the first one. It flew in from Phoenix, Arizona from Gloria Gardner. I like the whimsy of it and hope you do too.

Anybody else participating?

MURDER OR SUICIDE?

Not sure if five counts as a murder of crows, but it's not a suicide and I don't know why not so here goes. These are crows I have been working on for the 2020 summer Sawdust Art Festival. It would have been my 21st consecutive year of showing in this great Laguna Beach festival. Sixty-six days of art, music, food, classes, and more. But, alas, I will be taking a leave of absence this year. 

It's time. I need to close this door at least for a while and see just what other doors might open. Road trips, time with grandkids hopefully, sunset watching, long walks, and so much more.

But what will I do with my crows now? LOL with them I suppose.

IDEAS ABOUND

Faith's entry

The art jounaling fun continues. In fact, I am currently working on two round robin journals and two of my own. It is a wonderful way to try out techniques and/or to just play around.

The two-page spread above done by Faith Fickett is from a previous round robin journal. Isn't it fun?

JOYFUL SOUNDS RING OUT

If only we listen

Anyone who reads this blog even sporadically knows that I do love my morning walks. They are for keeping me, not only somewhat fit, but sane.

On a recent morning the symphony of sound coming from a soloist mockingbird in a nearby tree prompted me to stop and listen. What joy! The variety and scope of this little guy's tunes was amazing. I thought to myself, "If only..." I wanted to hold onto this joyful rendering, but how?

As I stood transfixed I could not help but think if only the sound could be captured in my mind, all worries, stress, concerns, problems, foibles even would simply disappear. Silly thought perhaps, but...well, what if...?

I think that it is worth pondering the question a bit longer.

EVERYTHING OLD....

It's funny how everything old just seems to come around new again. It is often as if there are only these few iterations of things that just shift slightly to reinvent themselves. 

But morning walks along our beautiful shoreline.... Same? Different? Definitely new each day in my mind. Always refreshing. Always gorgeous, no matter the weather. Always...the same and yet different as well.

In any case, makes my day!! Leaves me inspired. Off I go to create!

WHO WOULD IT BE?

Who?

Normally, I prefer to use my own images for this blog, but this one seemed to call out to me.  Perhaps it will to you as well.

Having created a space post-festival season to see what will show up, I have found myself spending many hours each day simply clearing out my spaces and ridding myself of long-saved yet unused pieces. Still unsure what will show up, I nevertheless move forward with the clear image that whatever it is will be pretty wonderful.

So what do I answer to the question of who? After a good deal of thought and with the creating space in mind, it suddenly came to me that I would need to sit down with myself. Who knows better what might lie ahead and who better to manifest?

So who would you choose to sit with for that precious hour?

DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS....

Working on signage details

To create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail. (Georgio Armani)

I look to create something exceptional in this, my 20th, Sawdust Art Festival. This means, as Mr. Armani says, that I must be relentless in my focus. In these last days, it now comes down to all of the details. The art work is complete and will have to stand on merit. The details will have to be on me.

Booth color. Check. Shelves. Check. Pricing....well, soon. Work station. Check. Signage. Halfway there. Business cards. Check. Educational Display. Check. Bio and Photo. Not complete.

There are myriad details still...labeling, price list to Sales Booth, bags and wrapping, and on and on. I must be relentlessly focused because this is to be a celebration of the twenty years. Focus! Focus! Focus!

CREATIVITY STEW

Sawdust booth coming along

One might think from the title of this post that I am in a stew about the whole summer festival thing. Let me assure you that is not what this is about at all.

Instead, this stems from these Henry David Thoreau words: If one advances confidently in the direction of their dreams, and endeavors to lead a life which they have imagined, they will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

So many of us have a plethora of creative ideas, but what is that has some getting results while others do not? I asked myself the questions--Why some and not others? What is the recipe for creativity? 

Aha! A recipe for creativity...perhaps that is what is needed. A simple add and stir and bake kind of thing. Why not? Here goes.....

CREATIVITY STEW

Take 1 dream, any size--stir until a clear vision is formed

5 tsp current reality (start with this amount and add to taste)

1 action (this action may or may not work; be prepared to take another one)

Add a dash of adjustments

Add a splash of learning

1 tsp evaluations

2 dashes adjustments

Stir the above until momentum is achieved for greatest effectiveness

Bake at level of desire until energy is formed and rises

Best served hot

Serves one or many

So, there you have it! This is pretty much the recipe I have been using for at least the past twenty years of doing the Sawdust Art Festival. I will be taking a leave at the end of the summer season this year to leave a space for the next thing to show up. I am pretty sure it will!

EYE OPENING

Mark Bradford on 60 Minutes

 Sunday night I watched Anderson Cooper interview artist Mark Bradford on 60 Minutes. What a fascinating story of the man and his art. I was mesmerized.

The techniques he uses and how he came to them are so very unique and also inspirational. An amazing story. Check him out if you can.

I keep saying I am working to create a space so that I may see what fills it.  Somehow, Mark Bradford's art and his techniques, while not it, are still a hint, I think.  We shall see.

WOW

The piece here to the left was something Mark Bradford seemed to feel he HAD to do. It came out of a posted video done by a woman who was in the car when her friend was shot by police. These are her words heard on the video.

AND NOW IT BEGINS...

X marks the spot

Booth pick for 2019 summer Sawdust Art Festival was Tuesday. For once, my choice was arbitrary and easy, but I do think I chose well...right on the center aisle and near good friends. This will be a great summer festival.

#205

PLAYTIME DONE...FOR NOW!

As I said last time, a big oops for forgetting to outline and show the step by step on this one. But here is the verbal step by step: I first chose a magazine image of a dark skinned woman, tore it out roughly. Next, after lightly sanding the image, I applied a light coat of white gesso.

Then, though she had beautiful eyes and lips and perfect eyebrows, I took the liberty of choosing some new ones for her. The black collar pieces and green succulents backed by text pieces for hair...a few flowers and leaves and some rosy cheeks almost complete things.

The very last touch...a few words from the great Mary Oliver. TA-DA! Just a whole lot of fun in preparation for Sunday's workshop.