"The Thinker" by Auguste Rodin Art: What Should I Make?
Life: Just Do It!
Well, here I sit at JFK airport preparing to fly back to Florida. While I am waiting for the plane to arrive I am on my computer planning my lessons for the next few weeks. The life of a teacher, always planning…
I have found that my day at school is more successful when I am well planned. However, I will admit there are times when I just want to go in and ‘wing it’. No plans, no real point to make…just throw materials on the table and say, “create”.
Some of you would do just fine with that assignment. You would conceive an idea quickly and begin working, while others would just sit there and stare at the stuff and say, “what should I make?” So, as I sit here and ponder if such a lesson would actually work, or would you guys need more inspiration and guidance? I ask myself, “How do artist get inspired and stay inspired?”
Everyone is different of course but for me I can narrow it down to "5 ways that I stay inspired":
1. Hangout with other artists: creative people need supportive peers to inspire and support each other. My artist friends inspire me to make art when I see the things that they are working on or simply just hanging out and talking about art.
2. Switch it up: creative people need to keep the creative juices flowing, so mix it up! Paint, write, play an instrument, write music, sing or dance. Learn to express yourself in many ways. In my life I played the piano and the clarinet plus I also express myself through writing, cooking, baking and sewing. I can crochet, do needlepoint, knit and use a sewing machine. One day I got certified in cake decorating and candy making, lol...just for the fun of it. I wanted to know how to make those beautiful roses on a birthday cake; so I signed up for classes and learned how to do it. Expressing yourself in different ways awakens different parts of your brain and forms new neutron connections.
3. Always have a new project in the works, or if you are like me keep a journal and write down ideas that you want to paint or write about at a later time. I sometimes record these ideas on my iPhone so that when I am sitting in front of the computer and feel like writing or in front of a canvas and feel like painting, but I ‘don’t know what to make’ I will look at this list and let it spark some ideas. I call these ideas, Art Sparks!
4. Continue to grow and learn all your life! Never stop. Visit museums, read, take a class, listen to a speaker, watch creative people on the internet especially YouTube….I love to watch artist and musicians on YouTube.
5. JUST DO IT! Sometimes it is as easy as that! I know I should exercise daily and I tend to slack off especially with my running. I procrastinate. We all do at times. But when I push myself to ‘just do it’ by just putting my running shoes on and getting my butt out the door, it feels great!
So, if I ever tell you in class to take the supplies on the table and ‘create’, if you can’t think of what to make, just reach out, grab something and JUST DO IT! Who knows, it might be your best creation ever. Love you guys. See you bright and early in the morning.
Life: Just Do It!
Well, here I sit at JFK airport preparing to fly back to Florida. While I am waiting for the plane to arrive I am on my computer planning my lessons for the next few weeks. The life of a teacher, always planning…
I have found that my day at school is more successful when I am well planned. However, I will admit there are times when I just want to go in and ‘wing it’. No plans, no real point to make…just throw materials on the table and say, “create”.
Some of you would do just fine with that assignment. You would conceive an idea quickly and begin working, while others would just sit there and stare at the stuff and say, “what should I make?” So, as I sit here and ponder if such a lesson would actually work, or would you guys need more inspiration and guidance? I ask myself, “How do artist get inspired and stay inspired?”
Everyone is different of course but for me I can narrow it down to "5 ways that I stay inspired":
1. Hangout with other artists: creative people need supportive peers to inspire and support each other. My artist friends inspire me to make art when I see the things that they are working on or simply just hanging out and talking about art.
2. Switch it up: creative people need to keep the creative juices flowing, so mix it up! Paint, write, play an instrument, write music, sing or dance. Learn to express yourself in many ways. In my life I played the piano and the clarinet plus I also express myself through writing, cooking, baking and sewing. I can crochet, do needlepoint, knit and use a sewing machine. One day I got certified in cake decorating and candy making, lol...just for the fun of it. I wanted to know how to make those beautiful roses on a birthday cake; so I signed up for classes and learned how to do it. Expressing yourself in different ways awakens different parts of your brain and forms new neutron connections.
3. Always have a new project in the works, or if you are like me keep a journal and write down ideas that you want to paint or write about at a later time. I sometimes record these ideas on my iPhone so that when I am sitting in front of the computer and feel like writing or in front of a canvas and feel like painting, but I ‘don’t know what to make’ I will look at this list and let it spark some ideas. I call these ideas, Art Sparks!
4. Continue to grow and learn all your life! Never stop. Visit museums, read, take a class, listen to a speaker, watch creative people on the internet especially YouTube….I love to watch artist and musicians on YouTube.
5. JUST DO IT! Sometimes it is as easy as that! I know I should exercise daily and I tend to slack off especially with my running. I procrastinate. We all do at times. But when I push myself to ‘just do it’ by just putting my running shoes on and getting my butt out the door, it feels great!
So, if I ever tell you in class to take the supplies on the table and ‘create’, if you can’t think of what to make, just reach out, grab something and JUST DO IT! Who knows, it might be your best creation ever. Love you guys. See you bright and early in the morning.
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