WHY NOT TRY?

It occurred to me the other day out of nowhere (but perhaps the meandering mind just does that sometimes) that 2020 is pretty much a year of limbo for most of us who are being careful and trying to avoid exposure to the coronavirus that seems to be running amok. So the year just doesn't really count then, right? 

With a birthday coming up it seemed a good time to just forego it and have it happen in 2021 then. What a great plan! Save the year for use another time. Hmmmm. Just a thought from that fertile and meandering mind inside my head, but we could certainly try it. 

So no birthday for me this year folks. Check back in 2021 for an update.

Only problem is I wasn't quite quick enough on the draw with this thought and friend Catharine had already gotten this thoughtful and fun gift. Maybe we can just call it a pandemic gift instead of a birthday gift. What do you think?

 

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Essential playtime

"Is your life organized around what matters most to you?" In my earlier counseling/coaching days this was a staple question asked of clients. It popped into my head again today as I commiserated with myself about the many things that seem near impossible these Covid days.

As the question and the commiserations rambled around in my mind I realized that, while there are so many things like time with family and friends and road trips and teaching workshops--things that matter A LOT to me--other things have begun to show up that still feed my soul. 

My brown-thumb gardening attempts are challenging and yet showing signs of success. Finding ways to stay in touch with friends and family calls on creativity at times. Enjoying the time for reading, watching webinars of unfamiliar, often intriguing authors reading their work and talking about the process of writing for them. Taking ever longer walks and exploring new pathways. These things have begun to fill the time in fascinating ways that have begun to "matter" too.

We humans are really pretty adaptive so perhaps what matters most can adapt and evolve as well.

The sun shines not on us, but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing. (John Muir)

TRICKY BUSINESS

In the garden

"Working with goals in creative work is tricky business."__Beverly Cassell, founder of Artist Conference Network

Beverly's words have stayed with me over the many years since being active in ACN. They were just some of the many words of wisdom that made for breakthrough creative process.

So, goals. In 2019 one of many goals was to write this blog two times each and every week. And, yes, somehow I seem to have managed that. It just made sense then to continue, to "Keep It Simple" as I titled the first blog post of 2020. 

The "tricky business" part seems to have shown up primarily in the form of Covid-19. It seems that (again, keeping it simple) I have lost my commitment to the goal.

We have all been affected by this pandemic in one way or another and sometimes in many ways. So commitment to a goal might have come up for many of you as well. For me, the blog-writing has fallen away in part because it has at times felt there was nothing about which to write. Sure, I know that is incorrect. But, in trying to avoid talking about the elephant in the room I just seem to have found myself lacking inspiration.

Still, I could write about what small things I have been creating. The gardening, which seems to have taken a large chunk of some days, could also provide writing fodder. What about plans for creating workshops in the future? Where are those plans in process now? Or write of the beauties of nature on the many walks each week. With my love for the sights and sounds there should be plenty there. So, yes, there are many things to write on this blog.

The "motor" stalled, but right now I am committing again to the goal. Beverly also stated that the creative process "doesn't tolerate much in the way of 'shoulds' around goals." No "shoulds" here then; just a commitment to being in action and to simply observe what shows up instead.

For right now, I've begun. Now back to the baking and the gardening. Back soon.

ALL AROUND GOOD FUN!

Fun journaling

As a group of us met last night to celebrate the 2019 Round Robin Journaling success I had many thoughts. Of course, first of all, what a wonderful group was gathered together in this celebration of creativity. But there's more.

Cindy started me off down this path a few years ago, asking that I join a group of artists who once monthly did a spread in a journal and then passed it along. This has now spread and is, for us, a local group of artists who create some of the most lively and creative pages each month. 

The idea is to experiment and to explore and to play with new and old techniques. Some of the work/play that comes from this is spectacular and I am pleased and humbled to be a part of this process.

Want to join us in 2020? Want to start your own group? Just let me know.

TEN DAYS BUT WHO'S COUNTING?

Yet another older journal piece

As I write this it is the start of the ten-day countdown to the end of the 
2019 Sawdust Art Festival season. After 20 years I have many mixed feelings about taking leave.... I am both excited and a feeling a bit nostalgic at loss at the same moment.

What will be behind the next door? At this time I have no idea at all, but look forward to the adventure of not knowing.

For now, ten...nine....

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!

RESOLUTION AND BLOGGING

I resolve over and over to do more with this blog. Sometimes, I have a bit of success, but more often not.

Resolutions bring success and failure

This year let's see if perhaps by doing more and perhaps even failing more at creating what I want to within the blog I can actually achieve some form of success.

Some bloggers are able to write a blog daily. Dare I even reach for that with my past level of non-achievement? It would certainly more than double my rate of failure, that's for sure. Too big a push? Definitely, a leap of faith. Am I ready? Willing?

Each year I choose to embrace some factor and let go of another. This year what I have chosen is too daunting to even breathe aloud quite yet. Does a blogging challenge fit into it somehow? It absolutely could. And, yet, I hesitate....
(Pause while thinking this through...) (But is that any way to leap?) (Nah, but...)

OK. (The pause entailed transferring laundry from washer to dryer and folding what was in the dryer. Am I any more clear? LOL!!)

Still...what the heck...here goes: I resolve to more than double the output of this blog by writing two blogs each week for the coming year (oh, the naysaying voices at work in my head...hahaha.)

Here I go...one down and only mid-week! Hope you will join me in the journey.

WHAT A DAY! WHAT A LIFE!

Just call me June

The day began sunny and a bit brisk so I headed out for a long walk along the coast. An hour into it, I was the one who was brisk...(ly) walking because the wind had picked up and the dark low clouds had moved onshore. Then, just two or three blocks short of my destination, the clouds let loose and I got soaked. It was oddly invigorating, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Now, just a few short hours later, it is again bright and sunny. You've gotta love California weather!
On this glorious weekend I find myself filled with the joys of the walk and finishing taxes and getting back to art play. Got some new brush pens and love the depth of colors, though struggling a bit with them. Still....as is said, "the play is the thing."
I am truly blessed to be able to live this life!

I KNOW...WHAT??

Only the beginning

Yeah, yeah, I know...it's finally raining outside and it's the dead of winter and...why have I zealously begun spring cleaning? I can hardly move around my office at this point and it seems to be only the beginning as each move creates more moves and more mess. 
No resolution sparked this; it just showed up with this morning's rain. Why? Who knows. But now I am in full throttle on this.
Lots of art fodder will either go in the trash or, if you have need of specifics please let me know and I can set aside for you.
This is crazy, but back to it!!! Inspiration awaits at the bottom of all these piles I am sure.

TINY BUBBLES...LET THEM BEGIN!

Happy New Year (inspired by Jacki Long)

Beginnings and endings...this day into night marks them for so many of us. At this time of year, rather than resolutions, I strive to embrace something, while letting go of something else. There are always possibilities.
What will those things be for 2018? I don't yet know. I DO know that I seek to explore more, to spend more time with family and friends, to say "yes" to more...the list is unending.
Workshops are a place I am already stretching
and hoping for changes. The schedule has only 
just begun to show up.It will start with some 
fun in January creating fun figures in collage and
move in February to an intensive image transfer
session. I hope many of you will join in for the
fun.

Always possibilities

FRESH STARTS

Footprints in the sand

Each day I have started to write a post for this blog lately has ended with one word--"delete." I just could not get out of my own way I guess. Frustrated by many of the things not going my way, I managed to miss all those things that were good. 
I am blessed to be able to do the work that I love. I am grateful to live in this beautiful place where I can walk on the beach each day and see things above and below me that are purely wonderful.
So get off it, Cherril.  Move on and make a fresh start with this new week stretching out ahead.
Play! Let the joy rise up to the surface.