Don't get me wrong, I love summertime as much as the next person...long, sunny days outdoors...nature trails, camera in hand...visits to grandchildren unencumbered by homework assignments...travel time adventures. It's all good... except for .... THE CREATIVITY DRAIN!Those long, lazy days can certainly drain the creativity right out of my brain! I was sure that a weekend of baseball games with the grandsons, followed by a few days soaking up the natural wonder known as Niagara Falls, would be just the ticket for fresh ideas for painting and printmaking. I WAS SO WRONG! I came home with some wonderful photographs and great memories, but not a single bit of motivation to pick up a paintbrush or even a drawing pencil. UNTIL THIS PAST WEEK!I no longer remember whether it was a Facebook post or an email, but somehow I discovered that the Dayton Art Institute "Language of Art" program had a book-related gallery tour coming up on June 27. That was only about ten days away at the time, but Amazon delivers quickly and I'm a fast reader, so I decided to take a chance on "The Purple Swamp Hen and Other Stories" by British author, Penelope Lively. MEET MY NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR!This book was a perfect introduction to Lively's writing style and sometimes quirky take on the human condition. Plenty of unexpected endings and a mix of past and present made each short story a delightful read on a hot summer day, but the whole time I was wondering how our DAI tour leader would relate these tales to art in the museum collections. I was sure that a trip to the Ancient Art galleries would be on the agenda since the first story in Lively's collection provided a bird's eye view of the life and times of ancient Pompeii at the time of the Mt. Vesuvius eruption that buried this once-thriving Italian city. NOT QUITE CORRECT...The title story was indeed the first one on the tour, but the artwork chosen for our discussion was Georgia O'Keeffe's "Purple Leaves", a lovely painting by one of my favorite American artists.. Purple pencils were distributed for some quick impressions, followed by a lively (sorry, couldn't resist!) discussion about the meaning of purple from the point of view of both artist and author. Our tour included two other works, well-chosen for their connections to several stories from Lively's book. I came away with a new appreciation for artist Robert Brackman's "Life About Me", a wall-size painting that I had simply passed on by for years while on my way to view my favorites by Hopper and Wyeth. SO, WHAT ABOUT BOGART?Not just the famous American film star, but famous faces from another place and time, thanks to the amazing black and white photography of Yousuf Karsh. This exhibit of 48 iconic portraits, is on loan from the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. through mid-September. I wasn't able to stay that same day to visit this exhibit, but returned two days later to soak it in at leisure. Photography was forbidden, but suffice it to say, that I was enthralled by Karsh's work. I had seen several of the photographs over the years in other contexts, but had never given a thought to who may have been the photographer. What a life he must have had, with the opportunity to fulfill his dream of photographing the movers, shakers, and history makers of the 20th century! AND WHAT ABOUT THAT INSPIRATION?As part of the Yousuf Karsh exhibit, the works of 20th century Dayton photographer, Jane Reece, were also on display. Unlike Karsh's sharp contrast black and white photography that so perfectly captures the personality of the individual, Reece's work has an ethereal quality with soft images and occasional color overlays with colored pencil and crayon. I've only dabbled a bit with black and white photography, and have much to learn, but I am going to get a few of my photos printed and give adding a bit of color a try in the coming weeks. COMING NEXT...THE RESULTS!I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM OR SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES AND GET CREATIVE INSPIRATION DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX!
No, it's not an amazing new Asian cuisine...not a character from the Star Wars film series...and not the name of the latest trend in minimalist home decor!Wabi-sabi is a philosophy, a way of looking at the world rooted in Japanese culture and traditions. This world view, with its origins in Buddhist teaching, is centered on an appreciation for the beauty to be found in transience, imperfection, and simplicity.I first learned about wabi-sabi as a participant in the Ongoing Creative Retreat that I wrote about a few weeks ago. One of the classes, taught by Galia Alena, introduced us to the concept of wabi-sabi as a way of looking, not just seeing, of being mindful of the transient beauty in the most mundane aspects of our journeys. It was one of those "a-ha" moments for me, as mindful just happens to be my inspiration word for 2017. As a part of the class, Galia encouraged us to take our cameras or sketchbooks and just take a walk. And along the way, to capture moments in time that caught our eye. While doing just that, I realized that this is something I have done quite often, just because I enjoy the solitude outdoors wherever I happen to be...and like most of us, I always have my trusty iPhone with me. When my husband would wonder what I was doing all that time, I would simply reply, "Wandering and walking", or words to that effect. Whether you call it "wabi-sabi" or just "wander walking", take some time this week to observe the world around you...not just the breath-taking sunrise and sunset...and not only the majestic view from a vacation mountaintop...but the tiny glimpses of wonder and beauty in your own backyard. And if you do, please share a photo on Instagram #creativity_crusader. I'd love to share a glimpse into your world!Come along...take a look...art really IS magical!So, what is this Art is Magic Creative Retreat?Simply put, one of the highlights of my summer so far! Artist Galia Alena gathered an amazing group of fellow artists to teach a series of workshops, which were shared with hundreds of fellow creative spirits from around the globe, throughout the weekend of July 8-9. The video I just shared is made from the Instagram Stories that I posted on the second day of the retreat. So much art in so little time! Even though each artist's session replayed for 24 hours after the first viewing, for many of us, that simply was not enough time to take it all in. Fortunately, we were offered an opportunity to purchase the Ongoing Creative Retreat at a very reasonable cost! I have just scratched the surface, and can't wait to dive in and revisit the retreat sessions...and the new lessons to come each week for the next several months!Click here to learn more about Art is Magic. You can sign up to join us in the Ongoing Creative Retreat. I'd love to meet up with you on the retreat FB page and see the magic you are creating!Recently, I spent two weeks in Pittsford, NY, visiting family and helping with my grandchildren. I didn't have a lot of "me time", but was able to spend one incredibly gorgeous early July morning walking the Eric Canalway Trail that runs through this quaint New York town. "Methinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow." Henry David ThoreauSo true, at least for me! There is nothing quite like a long walk in solitude, Nikon and iPhone is hand, to fire up those creative brain cells. Here are a few unedited photos from my walk on the Erie Canal Trail... And here are a few that have been tweaked a bit using one of my favorite iPad apps, Photoshop Express... Playing with photos is fun, however it's the not the end of this story. My photos are all part of the prep for the next step...painting. I'm still not sure whether I'll use watercolors or acrylics, but either way, I'll be sharing my work in progress here on the blog and on Instagram. Meanwhile, stay creative, my friends! Take a walk in the woods with your camera or smart phone, capture the beauty that surrounds you while you breathe in the fresh air and sunshine, and then share your photos on Instagram with #creativity_crusader.
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