My Daughter Made a Bad Thing Great

My high school daughter has decided very willingly to make a bad thing great.  She has suffered a knee injury in a sport.  Being very active in several competitive sports like, year-round soccer, cross-country, basketball and even football (she was the kicker this year),  you can see that it is hard to keep someone with this level of drive down.

As it turns out, surgery is needed and that is the "bad" thing.  There are aspects of good to this whole situation however.  Good... that she can be fixed.  Good... that she has a great surgeon.  Good- that she is in good spirits.  What makes this whole ordeal "great" is her attitude.  As soon as she received her brace which she will be wearing for a long while, she immediately asked if it was hers to keep.

The reason for her question was because she had to wear the same type of brace once before and it is honestly intrusive  and ugly.   She looked like a robot wearing it since it practically covered the entire length of her leg.  So, when she heard that she was going to be allowed to keep this brace, her face lit up.  Being her mom, I instantly knew why.

Daughter's artistic additions to her intrusive knee brace.  Bring On The Bling.

My daughter could not wait to get home.  What was the first thing she did?  She reached for her collection of cool stickers.  She was planning on "blinging that baby out"!  Who wouldn't want to show a little more creativity in transforming her "bad" looking brace into something with more personality?  You have certainly seen neon colored casts by now and there are also designs pre-printed on casts as well.  Recall the first thing that people do when they see their friend in an arm cast.  They ask if they can sign it.  Doesn't that make the whole ugly wrapping somehow more appealing and maybe even tolerable?  Use your creativity to make your particular situation more fun and it may just prove to adjust your attitude at the same time.

Creative Waste of Time

Image created at designhergals.com

Don't feel guilty if sometimes you feel like you may be "wasting time" while you create.   Enjoy both types of creative opportunities:  productive creative time and experimental creative time.  Learn to enjoy your unplanned time creating just as much as the times that you sit down with specific creative goals.

I "lost" track of time by messing around on the computer.
I invite you do happily do the same by visiting this site:  

DesignHerGals http://www.designhergals.com/. This site was brought to my attention from a friend who had used this site to change her Facebook profile picture. This site is for both males and females so don't let the name of the website sway you in direction of not checking them if you are a dude.  Creating an image in this site is easy, fun, and free.  There is a cost, however  in using that image for other great items like stationery for example.  Those type services are also easily ordered online at the site.  I experienced alot of creative unplanned fun by use of the options provided in the site to create a cartoon image based loosely on my physical appearance as well as my interests.  Try it out for fun but be warned that you may loose track of time while creating!

Both planned and unplanned creative times can be productive in their own way.  Any time you have the chance to be creative, you have the fuel to flame your fire to be expressive.  Enjoy your opportunities and the creative "wasted time".

Dream On...Creative Dreaming

My secret to getting many things done in a single day-  I do not sleep many hours.  When I do experience a really deep sleep however,  it is sure to be accompanied by great or strange dream, all in color, of course! I try to dream possible, not impossible. This meaning that I plan to use my dreams in a creative way later, making my dream a possible useful element in my creative endeavors.   I try to incorporate my dreams from my "sleep life" into my "awake life", it helps me create.

Dreams are a great source of information about yourself and what you're doing in your world, as well as a stimulus for creativity. Their vocabulary is everything you have ever done, seen, thought, and felt, etc. --in other words, an ever-changing palette totally unique to you.   Dreams may reveal inspirations, give you motivation or spark a new notion or solution.  Learn to pay attention to them, even if in part so that your dreams can become as possible as you want them to be, in helping you become more creative.


As I attempt to discover links between any of my waking and dreaming minds (which are totally separate ideals)  it becomes a highway with an increasing amount of traffic of creative ideas.  This also gives me the feeling of being more connected and complete.  Recreating something out of my dreams or out of my norm is a whole creative journey upon itself.  Your brain is brilliant.  Dreaming for possibilities gives you drive and focus.

I have created from time to time items based on an image, or a thought, from a dream.  As an example, I recall one dream including a group of many women, each wearing large and decorative hats.  Each lady showing off unique, strange and colorful creations- all atop their heads.  The ideas stimulated by that dream were easy to replicate in clay even if they were not exact because the whole idea from the dream-like image, was out-of-the- norm for me and I knew just how I wanted to be inspired from it.  To make it work for me- the completed art was turned into a series of Club Creative Studio brooch pins.

The techniques I used in the above art were color mixing my own shades, sculpting as relief, stamping, carving, caning, and mixed media (added wire and beads). This creation ended up becoming an accessory piece of jewelry as a brooch pin.

While the image above was symbolic of the images I saw in my mind as a random dream there is also a term that can be used to describe a different type of dream, "intentional dreaming".

To induce intentional dreaming try the following:

1. Write, read, or think about a topic you're interested in just before going to sleep (writing seems to work best)
This serves to bring your brain's attention to the subject and put it on notice that you're serious about whatever the topic.

2. When you first wake up, or in that beginning stage of waking/drifting:
Notice the first image or scene that comes to you even if it seems unrelated, and if you write down what you "see" you will remember the image longer. Analyzing dreams and decoding them is a science and I can't give you answers on deciphering them or interpreting them but number three point may help you understand more.

3. I can tell you that if you ask yourself specific questions before sleep, you may awake to hold some insight into the requested answers you seek.  The information you sift through may not seem to be anything that you asked for but you have to associate and relate your images to understand  what it "means" to you.  How do the dream images fit back in to the story of your dream?

4. Another way to begin getting the outer and inner parts of your brain closer together is to draw (and/or write) a scene(s) from your dream.   This seems to put your brain more firmly in the track of  documenting and integrating your symbolic experiences. Call it a "dream book".  Use a notebook,  decorate it and review it to see how you can incorporate your dreams and visions in to your daily creative life.  Dream on!  Dream Possible! Dream with a creative purpose!

Oodles of Doodles

Do you spend time making oodles of doodles?  It is not just a waste of time.  Actually, they are a terrific exercise to help you become more creative and remain more creative. Your thoughts become more imaginative.  It becomes easier  for you to brainstorm  new ideas and the exercise of doodling unlocks your creative mind to be free to explore creative fun.
Doodles are very simple lines that become drawings that eventually evolve into other images.  They may start out as a few meaningless lines but, after adding your own lines - and color if you like - your drawing becomes anything you like. The point of  a doodle is not to create art, simply to use your creative vision.   This vision is often unplanned but it can have great outcomes.  They are fun to do and you can see yourself evolve and your thoughts unfold almost before your eyes, as you create doodles.

When I was younger I used to play a game that involved doodles.  It was mainly a "car game" but, it was adaptable whenever two or more gathered.  Low cost, you only need paper and a writing instrument.  A simple line is drawn on the sheet of paper by one person, then the pencil and paper is passed to another.  The second person adds an additional single line to the original line drawn and then passes it back.  The image that is a transformation from the first line drawn is part of a collaborative creative process.  The "players" feed off of each others vision.  It is fun to see what the final outcome turns out to be.  It may be a totally nonsense image or it may end up being a recognizable image that together  you both build upon with combined doodles.  As an example, if a few lines turn into the outline of a house,  each of you may recognize that and your additional lines become details of that house.  It may end up having detailed shingles on its roof, curtains in the windows, a mailbox in the front yard and so on and so on.  The outcome will show creativity in all aspects.

When you become creative with visual brainstorming activities like this you are collaboratively generating ideas without using the spoken or written word. It's a fantastic exercise.   To spice up the game, you may add colored  markers and find that a sort of masterpiece is created in the end after all.  Create oodles of doodles and see where your creativity takes you!

Myth Buster- "I Am Not Creative"

Have you identified yourself as not being creative?  It's a myth!  It's not obvious to all so, let's bust it this very second. If you have said, heard or believe that you are not creative, please read on to realize that you are mistakenly WRONG.  I have had my share of hearing this sad statement from all ages of students and adults alike. Over the years, especially in the years I have spent in classrooms as an art educator,  I have heard a lot of people say a lot of  things about creativity. Some of those things, I hear again and again.  Many of those complaints – or myths – about creativity are contributions to this negative attitude towards the creative process.

“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” — Edward de Bono



“I am not creative”.  I wish that we could erase those combination of words and the statement from world language.

When I hear someone precisely say those words, I cringe.  The truth, of course, is that we are all creative.  And while some people are naturally more creative than others, we can all have very creative ideas. The problem is, as we grow older, most of us learn to inhibit our creativity for reasons relating to work, acceptable behavior and just the notion of being a grown-up.  Pablo Picasso, Spanish Cubist painter (1881 - 1973), made an epic statement and observation when he said: "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."  The child-like, no fear attitude is inhibited somewhere along the line as we grow older and the notions that we are no longer or were never ever creative in any way take over our being. When we lose that, we have to fight harder to be free to express our creativity.

Image:brainzooming.com

“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” — John Steinbeck

Some think that “Creative people always have great ideas”,  That is certainly not true but we still think that creative people  always have ideas.  Well, newsflash... we all have ideas.  Maybe creative people tend to share or act on their ideas and that is one reason why they seem to always have them in the first place. Over time, we may then tend to forget creative people's weak ideas and remember their great ideas because they have made points to express them or act on them.

People say they are not creative to colleagues, family and even to themselves. Indeed, this is one reason why people believe they are not creative: they have got into such a habit of censoring their creative ideas, by telling themselves that their ideas are stupid, that they no longer feel creative. Next time you have an idea you think is stupid, don't censor it. Rather, ask yourself how you could improve on the creative idea that you do have.

        “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” — Albert Einstein

Club Creative Studio has adopted a working motto that serves as inspiration.  As we continue to do things to: Be Creative Everyday", we are less likely to set aside ideas that we may think are not "creative" and it is an ongoing process to not sensor the ideas but test them out and proclaim the results to others.  We are creative everyday, and you can be too.  Be creative in thought or action.  Challenge yourself to recognize when you're creative and continue those contributions.

Sweet Serendipity

Sweet Serendipity!  The word means to "dip" into life with serenity.  Serendipity is closely related to creativity in that often you may set out to create one way and in the process accidentally discover a different way that works better for you or your art.   It can end up being a meaningful part of your whole creative thought process or progress.

Serendipitous connections with people or your creative projects can open up your eyes to lead you to a whole set of circumstances. 

Club Creative Studio's 3-D pendants.

Sometimes, when not expected, you will naturally bend in a direction that may first seem accidental.  It is a discovery in growth and your creative spirit being set free.

It took me nearly a year to reach "sweet serendipity" on a recent project I had been involved in creatively.  This is what sparked me to write about it here in this blog.  I want this short story to inspire you to step back or take time to creatively work through challenges or roadblocks, even if it may take a year or more!  I first formulated what I refer to as my "square beads".  They are small one inch by one inch creations that start out on a flat base and then are built up with layered art clays, textures and finally paints and a finishing gloss.  When I first started making them I envisioned each square to be linked to another, completing a bracelet.  It seemed like a really cool vision and possible to do on top of that.   What I soon learned after having a sizable pile of these small squared art sections stocked up was that it did not work the way I thought it would.   I did not throw away the small squares because I knew deep down that I would find something to do with them at some point.   As I mentioned before, it took almost a year to pass before the new idea came to me on how to better utilize the creations.


After I took the time I needed to reassess the art and it's function for me,  the revisit to it was an awesome 'aha' moment.  About the same time that I discovered a new medium on the market, I immediately knew how I was going to incorporate my 'new' square beads.  By also combining my time-tested methods to this new project, I gave birth to the successful results of Club Creative Studio's 3-D hand-made bezel pendants.  Looking back, it is a far cry from the bracelets I initially set out to create.  I love creating these one-of-a-kind necklaces now.  Give yourself the gift of time that may be needed for critical analysis to overcome your obstacles and gain the sweet feelings of sweet, sweet, serendipity.

Measure Up to New Heights

My physical stature may be a mere five foot tall frame but, my creativity height makes me a giant!  How can I grow even taller in creativity?  It is not only a talent...it is a skill.  Around this time of year we all think of the visions of sticking to a routine that will make us grow into a better person.   Maybe it is to eat healthier, maybe it is to act in a more favorable manner.  Whatever the goal, we have to make adjustments to get that growth.  Creativity is both inborn and learned.  What does not come naturally to you may need to be practicticed.  We feel the need to grow in creativity when life around us is flat in flavor and we feel that our actions can step things up one notch higher.  Do you want to become a creative giant?

Do you have a creative buddy? Sometimes artists are known for being a "different breed" and for those reasons, we don't seem to always see things the way the norm does.  I have found it extremely helpful to seek out other "artist types" or highly creative people in guilds, groups and businesses.  Being in contact with others with creative minds are helpful to fuel and stimulate my own creative ways of thought.  Gather with like-minded folks to grow and develop your creative ideas.  You will not regret having that support system to bounce your creative ideas off of from time to time.

My cat Nymbus is sometimes a fixture in my creative zone work area.

Do you have a creative zone?  Do you have a special place to visualize your goal?  It doesn't have to be a rented studio loft or store front on main street.  You may utilize an end of a small table, find a quiet nook, or use your outdoor patio or garage. A nice space or separate room will allow you to focus and routinely spread your creative wings in thought.   Your creative zone is the space where you know you can expect great creative thoughts, actions, and productive products.  I have a cute wooden plaque that reads:  "Mom is crafting...go ask Dad!" It serves a a fair warning that when I am in my designated creative zone- I may want to be alone with my creative thoughts and project at hand.  It's ME time!

Consistent creativity tests will make you automatically and painlessly used to the challenges of looking outside of the box.  When your mindset has no boundaries, there is no limit to the creative endeavors you will want to both discover and develop.  As a rule of thumb- if there has to be any level of rules here- use tactics for your benchmarks.  In other words, if you feel like trying out a new product or technique take your time to learn a bit first.  Maybe, you want to experiment with a new medium - let's say oil paints instead of acrylics.  You surely do not want to invest your hard earned money or time jumping into getting the needed supplies and then later find that you do not care for the medium.  Take small steps when you are creatively trying something new.  Take time to research a product or technique before you decide to jump into a new venture with your whole heart.  This does not mean that you are starving your creativity.  This does mean that you can be just as creative taking small bites of new information so that you can properly digest and successfully enjoy what you are learning in your new creative experience.

Seek out "creative buddies", spread out your supplies in your "creative zone", and be prepared to challenge yourself with use of your creative bursts of energy.  You are sure to sprout in a higher degree of creativity if you allow yourself to grow!

Remember To Breathe

It has been a great year of creative growth and there are new ideas in store for the upcoming year.  Creating Art That Sets You Apart continues to be the main focus of Club Creative Studio art.  What is your mantra for the new creative year?

As the creative year of 2010 ends, remember to breathe a sigh of relief.  Do you remember the relief  you felt as you made it through creative road blocks?  Recall the relief you felt when you worked through a specific creative problem. 

                                   Just breathe!

For me, whenever a creative problem arises, my first gut reaction is fear.  I am afraid that the problem may not be able to be solved.  Then, the tables quickly turn to the natural reaction of thinking of the problem as a challenge.  Steps in solving the problem become the next chain of event process.  The problems may be due to technique or individual circumstances dealing with your art.  For example, there may have had a communication breakdown with a customer, or a missed  deadline.  Perhaps you promised too much in producing a custom piece of art or you made a costly miscalculation in material needs.  Have you ever tried a new product or technique and failed at the first attempt to gain the level of success you expected?  Whatever  road block you encountered in your creative endeavor, the adrenaline rush of fear may have halted your speed reaction to solve that problem.  What can you get in the habit of doing to make the alarm sound less blarring? Answer:  Breathe!

You may have heard that "counting to ten" when angry gives you the needed time to refocus your thoughts and actions.  The same can be said of stopping to take a deep breath.  This method can be a useful ( FREE) tool in your creative toolbox.  The shift will guide you from the threat and into the new focus challenge.  Just five to six deep breaths should make a difference.  You will find yourself becoming more creative and more effective.  You will find that your focus will change over from fear and threat of failure to the rush of excitement of getting back in charge of your creative situation.

Remember to breathe...
                                                     
Thich Nhat Hanh has a lovely meditation to use while concentrating on your breathing:  ”Breathing in, I dwell deeply in the present moment; Breathing out, I know this is a wonderful moment.”

Make a promise to yourself in this new creative year to see your problems and take the needed pause.  Figure out how to solve or work around your creative road blocking circumstances.  Vow to not get too overwhelmed.  In 2011, I have decided to find other ways to move toward the goals that have intimidating solutions.  I will remember to breathe.  Will you join me?

Motivation from the Mountains

Everything around you and any place you go can serve as a source for creativity. The Club Creative Studio artists strive to be aware and open to their surroundings and the creative possibilities that can come out of a seemingly "ordinary day".

Aspects that can make the world a better place, are right in front of you. Start by being aware of the next sight that inspires you to be creative. It is your creativity that will make the world a better place! A recent visit to a local shop filled with prom gowns for example, was an overwhelming yet satisfying few hours of gathering mental visions of color combinations both popular and unexpected. I was inspired by the prints and sequins, and thought those ideas would make beautiful beads. An upcoming trip to the mountain regions of western North Carolina will serve as inspiration for me as well. I plan to take many photos and incorporate the colors that I notice there, into Club Creative Studio's upcoming beads. I hope to be motivated by the mountains.

I hope the mountains are further inspiration for me to incorporate a bit of natural or raw look to some future beads. Usually, I love creating using bright and bold color combinations. The "back-to-nature" ruggedness will become yet another different style offered to chose from.

The color combinations found in Club Creative Studio beads are not mixed by accident. They are deliberate reflections of inspirations drawn from my surroundings on a daily basis. I will share upcoming examples on how the gown shop and the mountains directly influenced how a series of beads turned out. It may further illustrate how the motivation went from a molehill to a mountain and the final product will reflect the sights and surroundings I experienced.

To be continued...
-Club Creative Studio