Out of Bounds Creativity

Corporate America has practically worn out the phrase "thinking  outside the box". It has become so cliche it has almost become its own paradox. Aside from the fact that those who use this phrase usually have a very tiny box they like to think inside they seldom stray very far from that box in their "creative" thinking. 

But I know artists and writers and others who truly do defy convention in their perspectives. Unfortunately finding a market for those things they create can be a struggle.

How do you market science fiction that focuses on sexuality and genetics, customs and strong female characters? So many critics are very uncomfortable with my friend's writing, but her message is important and well thought out. Her plots and characters work well. But she has gone out of bounds and people keep telling her to come back inside the box. 

I know jewelry and clothing makers who specialize in "adult" items (sexually stimulating, or sexually graphic) and they end up marketing to a very deep underground market, because they are too far outside those narrow and confining boundaries. The reality though is that there is a market for these things and often a very big market. Just have to find your way into this market, if you want to.

Did you ever wonder who decides a nude portrait was sensual or sexual? Is it erotica or pornographic? Whose penis gets to make that decision? 

The boundaries are not just about sex, there are other things that make us uncomfortable. Death, hunting, birth, anything that might fall under the heading of ugly by conventional definitions. Did you ever notice how the witch has warts and moles along with the nasty personality? Guess what? Real people have moles and warts and odd tufts of hair and strange bald patches and wrinkles.

Sometimes thinking outside the box is just saying no to the conventions the bind our thinking and feeling and reactions to one another. 

Looking Forward, Looking Back

I think that the process of creation is a process of looking forward. Its not about what did I do wrong its about what can I do better. 
Now that isn't to say that I do not glimpse the places I have been and things I have done in the lens of the rear view mirror, but I try not to spend days and weeks agonizing over what went wrong. Maybe the outcome of an idea did not match my vision, or something I saw or experienced in the past may inspire me in tomorrow's efforts. 

I know people who spend a lot of their time thinking about what used to be, or what should have been, or what could have been. Like there is no room for potential still. But that is a difficult way to live. Those shadows haunt and cloud everything from being seen as it is or how it could be. 

People call me a Pollyanna, always doing my best to look at things as they could be; How can things be changed for the better? And what are the good things we can take from the now into the future? Of course I have a bag full of miserable failures. But if I truly can not salvage something from them then they can either stay in the bag until they are useful or they can get tossed out. I mean this in the literal as well as the metephysical sense. At the very least I should have the knowledge that something didn't work for me and I can take that forward.

Ah there is an image that inspires a story. Guess I once more have something new to create today.

Original Ideas

One of the things I have noticed about crafty people is they (we) are really good at seeking out the cool the clever and reimagining it with our own twist on it.
I figured out awhile back that anything I make that is unique or new to the folks in the local area has a shelf life of about 1-2 years before other crafty folks have put their spin on it and compete with me at bazaars. In someways this keeps me happy because my crafting ADHD gets full reign and I can keep looking for the next new thing to bring to market. But then it also makes me a little sad when I am creating something that is heartfelt and true art and the version that is similar is much more mass produced and quickly made.
I have not seen it but I have been told that another local crafter is now painting skulls. They are using spray paint and marbling to do their work.
I admit I have also used a marbling overlay to achieve an effect, but the under-painting and ink work is all done with direct inspiration from the piece itself and it takes time.
I have not seen these other skulls, but I would like to.

And usually I am ok with people who enjoy making 300 of the same thing and selling them, after all I would be terribly bored doing that.

The Value of Creativity

There are so many returns for the investment of being creative. I keep my mind agile. seeking new inputs and developing new outputs.

When I first get an idea I explore different facets of it in my mind. I picture the outcome I want and then plan what I need. I spend time rehearsing the how. Everything from what type of glue to exactly when and where I would use it in the process of whatever I am creating.

That is not to say the reality matches the planned and imagined outcomes, but sometimes it gets close enough and sometimes there is a better outcome and sometimes the result goes in the junk box for failed designs.

So the mental payoff is big from keeping myself creative. There is some financial payoff as well.
I do try to sell many of the things I make or create or paint. And when my husband brings home a 20 inch length of copper cable that might be worth $3 at the scrap yard I can take it apart and make it into $70-$100 worth of jewelry.

And that allows my husband to keep supporting my creative endeavors. It keeps our relationship strong because I know he understands my need to be creative and I feel his support. That is yet another payoff; the relationships I have with my husband and others who know and support this "thing" I do.

I think that everyone is creative in their own way. From being organized and seeking efficiency, to developing strategies to be more successful at sports or a job. All are manifestations of creativity on some level and there is always value to be found there.

Passing passions

Once upon a time...
I used to watch movies and shows about this or that person who had dedicated their lives to a cause.
Saving elephants, educating the poorest children, fighting poverty, reintroducing wolves, monitoring bird migrations, saving rainforests.
I grew up in an era of doing good works. peace corps, save the children, unicef. A world filled with a passionate need to improve their world beyond their own front yard. But that era seems to have diminished.
And people seem more plugged into the idea of making enough to get by and get a few goodies along the way. "He with the most toys when he dies wins" or something like that.
 As I shift my work situation from working with youth at risk to a more varied and nebulous mission I feel a bit lost from all the dedication and passion I felt at my last job. I am hoping I will find it again as I get my feet firmly planted in this new job, but I wonder. when I take a step back and ask myself where I would like to find my passion, my practical side reminds me about bills to be paid and possibly huge medical expenses. I have no interest in having the most toys, but I would like to not be living out of a dumpster when I die.
I also have to ask if passions are temporal. focus on the now and dedicate yourself to whatever you are doing, rather than do what you are inclined to dedicate yourself to.
When that question comes up of who I would most like to be like when I grew up my heroes were wildlife conservationists and educators. Maybe someday, when I can catch my breath and focus on more than the here and now I can once more follow that passion instead of trying to bring passion to something else.

Wandering the Rabbit Trails

Once upon a time in my teaching days, we were warned not to let students lead us down the "rabbit trails" with diversions and stories that kept us from making our points as we explored topics like ecology, aquatic biology, mammology, and ornithology. And yet on those time when I chose to let a student lead us down some trails it proved to be an opportunity to enrich the lesson and provided a chance to bring more relevant information to those students.

The internet seems custom made for rabbit trail wandering. From random videos, suggestions by our friends on Facebook, to Wikipedia articles to following links from one page to another. We could get quite lost from our original intent, but we could also end up rather enriched by the experience.

A sample from two such recent wanderings:
first question: can you make chocolate bread that is a yeast bread and not a quick bread. (muffins and such quick breads are ok but not my favorite. I want something that is chewier.) I found a recipe and from there I learned about making my own bread flour and then I went on to find information on some ancient types of wheat, such as faro and spelt. I had no idea that wheat came in so many varieties and that some of them are neolithic.

And another:
following a link on making geodesic domes to videos and making 3 dimensional spheroids from aluminum cans and some origami techniques. I may have to try some of them just to see if they come out as awesome as they looked in the videos. from there I found videos on paper mache from egg cartons and creating bowls from paper. When I came up for air I Had lost a couple hours of my day, but gained lots of ideas that are now in my idea book, so when I get some aluminum cans and tins snips and free time I know what I am doing next. and egg cartons I am gonna start saving those too.

I can hardly wait to see what I find down the next rabbit hole.

Creative connections

Creativity never happens in a vacuum. However it may happen while vacuuming. When I am sitting in a waiting room with boring old magazines, or sitting at the bus terminal, or waiting in line at the bank, I try to find ways to allow colors, patterns, phrases, or the position of objects seep into my creative mind. They can go into the nooks and crannies without being anything big or spectacular. but something as simple as the way two colors look next to each other. like that ladies purple coat against the mottled grey and white wall, can add to the richness of my next quilting project.
Watching how a girl colored a picture of snowflakes was inspiring to me and I am looking forward to my quilt retreat next month so I can play with that inspiration.
I try to stay open to inspritation and I keep a notebook in which I sketch and not down interesting observations as well as ideas.
If I am ever faced with time unfilled I have my notebook right there able to help me find my next idea and put it into action.
Do you have methods you use to keep yourself creative?

This wall hanging is not sideways. It is inspired by the emotional turmoil I was going through as I was forced to absorb a lot of difficult information, process it it quickly and still give every indication that the world was still bright and sunny. Making this quilt was very satisfying and it seemed relevant to anyone who heard what it represented. I still need to finish the quilting and binding this piece.

Getting the story out

One of the things I enjoy about doing bazaars is telling folks about the things I sell. But last week after hearing me telling people the same thing over and over he suggested I put together a story card so folks could read the info rather than my having to repeat myself. I suppose this would let me talk about other things with my shoppers.
So I pulled a template for a trifold and set it up to be cut apart so I get 3 cards for each page.
Now I just need to get them printed before next weekend when I do my next bazaar.
And of course all creativity gets put on hold when winter chores like moving snow around gets first priority.

Update: I finished the cards and created some for my skulls as well. They are turning out to be more effective than just business cards.

Those little stories

The other day I had the opportunity through normalish conversations to hear some very funny stories. Normal for me means I have conversations with just about anyone including fellow swimmers in the locker room, folks at the bus stop, or even people on an elevator.
They were not long stories but they were funny and spoke a lot about the lives these people had lead. And I thought about how wonderful it was that they shared these with me, but I am guessing not with many other folks.
I think that we all have stories like this in our lives if we are more than 20 years old. and through time have gained the perspective to see the humor in them. Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing to find a way to share these with a bigger audience? And really couldn't we all use the pick me up of an amusing anecdote in our day?
So now these ideas are just starting to bubble but I think there might be something to them. Anyone want to add to the idea or give suggestions?

learning about marketing

Yesterday as I sat a very slow bazaar I had a conversation about marketing with someone who used to do it for a living.
He explained that for someone like me: basically a hobby artist the best form of advertising was exactly what I was doing. Getting out in the community, making connections on facebook, and etsy. Joining art clubs and guilds and associating with people with similar interests.
I do admit I need to spend more time on the Etsy store or explore the facebook store concept. But as a hobbiest I tend to ignore the value of the time spent on promoting since my bottom line is not compelled by successful sales. I do admit I prefer to have a busy sales day at a bazaar rather than not even recoup my table fee. But I do get exposure to people who may not buy this time. but maybe next time as my products are now in their mental catalog.
I am also working on some table cards to go with some of the more "complex" items or the ones that have stories or explanations.

So my take away for the slow day at the bazaar was to learn as much as I could from other vendors and to get some exposure for the work I do.

Storm Update

The cancer diagnosis feels very unreal still.
I think this is in large part due to the fact that I am in the waiting stage. It is the weirdest thing, but with leukemia an early diagnosis is not a good thing or a bad thing.
Right now the treatment options are similar to those of many other cancers. And chemo and radiation can take such a toll on the body the prevailing wisdom is that there is no point in putting a patient through that until the symptoms have become so acute that quality of life is impacted. And that may take a very long time.
Years even. So I am in wait and check status. Getting my blood tests every few months and trying not to be paranoid about every little twinge or sniffle.
I am much more aware of all the new medical developments I hear about for cancer now. And I have some hope that in 10 or so years when I may actually need treatment there will be some new therapies that are not so brutal on my body.

A rainbow does not mean the storm has ended, just that it is off in the distance.

Cats and the Creative process

There is something about cats, they seem much more interested in what I am doing while I am making things than a dog ever would be. Maybe it is the nature of cats to turn every stray thing into a game. If I play with wire they are right there swatting and attacking those wobbly ends. If I play with fabric that want to lend a paw to make things interesting. And knitting certainly seems fascinating to them.
It is easy to get creative for my cats. We seem to invent a new cat toy every now and then as they suggest some scrap of this or that is REALLY interesting with a high potential fun factor.
But I solemnly swear I will not be making any cat costumes now or in the future.

Now my sister and I when we were very young used to dress the cats in doll clothes and let them take naps in her doll crib. It was really pretty amusing when the two of us would haul the battle scarred old tom cat from his front porch lair to our bedroom so we could stuff him into a little knit sweater and then tuck him gently into the crib. He actually played the part really well. We could play house with the "baby" napping peacefully away, purring his heart out whenever we would check on him.  When he was done he would have somehow shed the little yellow garment and was waiting at our door to get let out to the great outdoors once more.
My parents used to laugh because the old veteran was a stray that showed up at our place only now and then and did not allow anyone generally to show him much affection. But dress up time was ok by him. Maybe it was the tlc or maybe it was just the peace and quite of a warm bed.

In spite of this memory that makes me smile, I do not dress cats up in silly hats or outfits. And I have a very sweet old lady in Texas to thank for my change of attitude. Her obsession was not cats but sea turtles. She rescued the endangered and injured turtles and rehabilitated them back into the wild when they were healed. And she would give presentations in her home where she had aquariums and pools everywhere filled with recovering turtles. Her dedication was amazing. But as she was introducing us to some of her charges she would have them dressed in little outfits and hats. Now these were not the full grown turtles but rather 1 and 2 year olds that weight less than 10 pounds.
The woman must have been in her seventies when I saw her and I think I read somewhere long ago she was nearly 100 when she died.
But the ludicrous sight of those poor turtles dressed in outfits, solidified my feeling that animals should not be made to put on a show for the amusement of others. I realized this woman had probably learned she could get more donations from her audience if she tried making some kind of connection between the turtles and them, but I walk away feeling embarrassed to have even watched such silliness.

As much as I know there is money to be made from adorable doggy outfits and frilly feline finery I will stay out of that create outlet.

busy months

Wow! A lot has happened since my last post.
I got a job. working full time but with different hours. Its still working with kids but a very different population.

My creative outlets have become therapy for me in some ways. My job can be frustrating and overwhelming at times so coming home to twist and manipulate metal and literally bend it to my will is a nice thing. Copper wire is my latest medium.One of the reasons I have gone to the direction of playing with copper wire is we have accumulated quite a bit of it from salvaging electronics and transformers and motors and such. While some of it will go to a recycling center much of the rest of it I can re-purpose to jewelry and decorative items to sell at bazaars.

A nice feature is that I have many different gauges of wire to work with. And that lends itself to a broad range of creative uses. Just looking through the coils and twists in their gleaming heaps whispers to me of things to try.

While there are many times a creative idea comes to me that I have to go out and buy materials so I can realize it , there is something very satisfying in being able to be inspired by what I already have. The tricky part is to make sure that the gathering of stuff does not become its own obsession. I do seem to pick up every stray set of beads I find, from salvaging them off discards at the dumpster to an occasional purchase of "grab bag" of jewelry at the second hand store.

Fabric is another pile that grows from other people's cast offs. I seem to find some of the most amazing fabric in the form of discarded clothing that I salvage. Since most of my sewing is either small work or quilting I do not need fabric in big chunks.

And now of course there is the wire. Dissecting the electronics is almost a meditation. As the screws come out the bits and pieces suggest other uses. And those pieces we do scrap are easily salvaged by others who want to recycle them or use them. The copper wire has some value at the local metals recycler and many folks snatch up every inch of old copper they find with this in mind. But my profit margin is much higher. With 24 inches of 14 gauge copper I can create an object to sell for $10-$15 where the recyclers will get about $.50 for the same piece. I'm not just creative, I am smart. LOL

As usual with my brain I have a thousand ideas and time to prototype a dozen and produce only 2 or 3. I am not sure if this is average for most folks or not, but I find it a bit irksome that I can not get more stuff going.
Some of this is because the idea is too nebulous, another is that I need to put some major research to see if it is even possible, and yet a third reason is that I would need to recruit help to make it happen.
So I did start making headbands from scrap fabric. They seem like an easy project and I came up with a one piece design. Well two pieces of you count the elastic. They are fairly comfortable I have found but I am not that satisfied with the look of them. They tend to fold in on themselves more than I wanted. I can change this by adding interfacing, but it does add time and energy to this project that may not make it worth the effort.
I have some classes I want to teach. I just need to get some photos and such ready for the application.
the first one is on making displays for craft bazaars. Another is prepping skulls for display.
Again I need to get things organized for the application.
In the mean time I am still job hunting and hoping whatever job I get leaves me enough energy to stay creative.

I refuse

I refused to be defined by things I do not control.
I grew up with a violently alcoholic parent, but I do not think of myself as an adult child of alcoholics.
I was sexually assaulted, but I do not think of myself as a rape victim.
I lost my uterus due to fibroid tumors, but I refuse to think of myself as less of a woman because I can not bear children.
I have been diagnosed with leukemia, but I do not want to define myself by this disease.

I do want to define myself as:
An Alaskan, because I love it here and I chose this place to live.
An Artist, because I use my creativity to make wonderful things.
Intelligent, because I choose to keep my mind active and engaged in learning new things
Loving, because I willingly give my heart to those I choose to love.
Strong, because I do not give up on achieving things that are important to me.
Gentle, because I seek opportunities to understand the fragile and delicate things.
Generous, because when I can I go the extra mile to help someone out.

So as I go through this latest challenge I know I will have emotional ups and downs and there will be difficult days ahead. But I will try to maintain an attitude and definition of myself that  I am not a victim.

The Coming Storm

There is a storm coming, but I do not know what form it will take.
A flood, a drought, a fire, a tidal wave, an earthquake?
Maybe all of them at once. My world has been on a slow tilt for a few months. Losing my job, and learning the ins and outs of the unemployment system. Crossing my fingers and hoping that my car can last till I get a few paychecks socked away. Tightening our belts and tying another knot in the end of our rope.
But then my world got flipped upside down suddenly and without warning.  My regular blood tests are just routine, really just routine, but not this time.
Now a couple of weeks later I coming to grips with the diagnosis of Leukemia.
For the first time since that word was uttered by my doctor I have been able to focus on my art again.
It felt great to be able to sit still long enough to pick up a brush.
But this is still the lull before the storm.
I do not start treatment till August. I have no idea what this will be like. I just know my world will not be quite as stable or as quiet as it was.
I can only hope I will be able to find the centering that is my art and the focus and energy I want to do what gives me joy.

blue and yellow

As I thumbed through a magazine the other day I spotted the classic Mediterranean blue and yellow on a dresser. Normally this color combination is not very exciting to me but this time it caught my attention.
And then today I ran across some fabric with the same colors and again I found myself drawn to it. So I will go forward with this cloth as my inspiration for now.
Sometimes I just gotta go with the flow.

Finding a niche

Right now I have an Etsy store, stuff on consignment in a funky gift shop, and works in a local gallery. The objective is two fold; to get my name out there as an Alaskan artist (no I am not native) and to make some money from what I do. To date only the stuff in the funky gift shops and the occasional bazaar ever sell.
It is a frustrating situation as I want to create. I must create, it is part of who I am, but what do I do with it all. My friends and family have all the jewelry from me they want or need and the apinted skulls are too much work to just give away. (though the first one I ever painted was a gift to a very special and dear friend)
Creating things right now is a large part of keeping me sane.
I am out of work and I can only spend so much time job hunting before I have exhausted the options for the day.  Spending some of my time making jewelry feeds the part of me that wants to feel valuable and needed. Of course this would work better if I had a few more sales to reaffirm that.

But recently another situation has come up. It seems after some blood tests that I may have some form of cancer. However nothing is confirmed and I am waiting for the oncologist to talk to me and give me more information. After that I do not know what to expect in the way of treatment. It may put a hold on the job hunting if I am in a debilitated state.  Crafting and painting and spending time with my art may give me something to do and if I can start generating sales help me feel more valuable to myself and my family.

Changing colors

As you can tell from my Blog back ground I am attracted to blues and purples of all shades, but just lately I find myself more grabbed by yellow.
Not dull butterscotch orangish yellows or pale buttercreme yellows, but rather those bright vibrant wake your eyeballs up yellows. The kind that are not quite safety/highlighter yellow but rather those super saturated lemon and marigold yellows.
I find this odd. I had a favorite dress when I was about 5-6 that was yellow. and a few year later I had some bright yellow patent leather shoes. But at some point somebody told me yellow was not my color at all. I should never wear it as it made me look vaguely ill. greenish and such.
So Maybe this just means I come to a place in my life where I no longer care what something makes me look like when I wear it. It just has to be comfortable and make me happy.

Why do we create?

I think I create because I can not not create. I do not create for the pleasure of others, though I do get pleasure when others appreciate what I create. I do not create for money, but I do sell many of my creations. I am not an ephemeral artist, that my art and crafts have an endurance beyond a few moments or even years is important to me.
Today for the first time I entered my art in a gallery show. It is not a juried show, but it is an honest to goodness gallery. I find myself with mixed feelings about it. Like I have abandoned my children. Like I am feeling a little egotistic as why my work is worthy. Like I am proud of my work because the reception I got from those setting up the show was very positive.
Still the motivation is internal.
I want to create because creating is part of who I am and what I do.
That other people enjoy it as well is just a bonus.

Selling Innovation

Sometimes I get ideas that are rather outside the mainstream. Either its something no one locally has done or something no one has done and either case leads to a dilemma. How do you sell something that is different? Most people want something they are familiar with. They can look at and know what it does and where it fits into their lives. But something new has to be explained.
Over and over and over again. Each time selling it with as much or more enthusiasm than the last 49,000 times.

One of the problems is that if I fail to make a sale I feel like I am not communicating as clearly or as detailed as I should. But others I know take a different approach. Give it a catchy name and hot slogan and eye catching packaging.

But I want people to buy my things because they do understand the thing they are buying. It just takes more time and energy and enthusiasm to make that happen. It also makes it difficult for my partner to make a sale when I have to take a quick break.

Elements of chaos and elements of entropy

I have found when creating things there is a point in which I give up control and let things happen. Marbling, splatter painting, anything really where the application of form or color is loose, and the results might be unexpected.
Then the artist eye has to decide if it works or doesn't and keep or reject or maybe deconstruct and reuse that which was being created.

There are also time like firing clay or maybe other times when entropy may gain the upper hand and your work is destroyed. Other external forces like flood, earthquake or fire can destroy all our efforts as well. Or the accidental destruction when something merely falls and destroys that which was below it.
These are things to be accepted as part of life and moving forward to new and great works is the solution.

Some art forms are ephemeral and are expected to be washed away in the tide or to fall apart with rust and decay. Working with entropy as part of the process.

A tribute

I recently had the opportunity to learn something new from a friend. We spent hours together as she patiently showed me how to set up the tools and materials to do fabric marbling.
In exchange I had helped her get set up for her to get more of her beautiful silk scarves made and promised to spend another day helping her.
Almost incredibly only 5 days later she had passed away suddenly.
Since then I have shed many tears for her loss. On the most personal level I lost a friend and a mentor on the broader level our entire art community has lost a dynamic and vital part of our lives.
I was so excited about the process and result that I had plans to create an art piece to enter into an art show as a way of showing off what I had learned. Now I will make the piece as a tribute to this wonderful lady.
Rest in peace Sue Cole.

random or not

There are some people who are able to meticulously add minute details to things in pursuit of perfection so their vision matches their artwork. I look at such things with awe and admiration and some anxiety. I know that I do not have that kind of patience and I do not have visions at that scale. So when I compare my visions and my art to that I wonder if I am worthy. But then I have the chance to do something like this right off the bat as a first time practice piece and I can be calm again because I remember detail and scale do not matter if the creation brings joy and those who see it have joy, it is all good.

Engaging in your arts community

For many reasons creativity should not be limited to the act of creation.
Creativity is really just a sharing of perspective as often as not. One of the things I love about a group of people trying to solve a problem is that someone will always say they have no creativity and they can't add to the solution, but as often as not these are the practical folks who pull reality into the conversation. "But what if..." are often the first words they have in response to someone else's ideas.
   Sometimes they get a reputation for the being the pessimist or the buzz killer, but as everyone stands around admiring the new stained glass window, they are the folks who ask important questions like how to protect this work of art and is there a way to avoid sacrificing the energy loss of not having a double or triple pane window there.

Getting involved in the creative aspects of your community doesn't mean you have to be an artist, or a novelist, or musician to still bring your presective to this world.
Serving on advisory panels, responding blogs, letters to the editor are good. So it taking the time to get to know your local art community by taking classes, visiting galleries and bazaars and art shows, what about teaching a class. maybe on something more mundane like basic book keeping, building safe and economical displays, or the ins and outs of particular computer programs.
You can become part of an artist's endeavors through support for your local arts council. Even if you are not an artist and don't have money for donations, maybe you can volunteer at an event.
As a consumer of art you are a valued member in the art community.

My creativity doing the hard work

I seem to have these almost separate worlds of creativity. One is this ideas gallery that is in constant flow through my brain. Then there is the world where I actually make or attempt to create some of those things.
Almost everything I make I do it with an I on marketing it. But this ends up creating a whole new set of creative challenges. Packaging and marketing also take creativity. its not enough to throw something in a plastic bag, hand letter a sale sign and throw a blanket on the ground.
Now its attracting customers through packaging and presenting items to potential buyers through as many venues as we can afford.
The important thing is to keep these costs in time and materials reasonable. It makes no sense to have the part the consumer throws away to have more value than your craft.
So I may start making this blog in part about the marketing of my projects.

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that zing.

     An artist friend told me the other day that he has been surprised by the effort it takes to display his art. The time to mat and frame all his original work takes almost as much time as creating it. And as I take that in I realize that there is value in packaging as well as marketing. Because without an effective package or marketing scheme your chances of selling go way down. 
     So to that end I have been focusing on the packaging of my painted skulls. I am creating some nice, but low cost wood stands for them that make them stand out as works of art rather than just that cool thing that sits on a shelf getting dusty.
     This process is taking much longer than expect however as I have to dig my tools out of storage, buy the materials needed, wait for warm weather so I can do glue ups in my unheated work space and just generally find an hour or two where I can focus on this. It is the drudgery that we all detest, but I have hopes that it will help the sales.
And considering that buying a similar display would cost $35 when I can make it for $5 I can put in the effort.

stimulating creativity

There are several cooking shows that demonstrate a method of stimulating creativity.
For example there is one where contestants are given an odd selection of ingredients and must use all of them in creating a dish.

As I put together baskets for the school silent auction I am reminded of this. taking odd bits and pieces and turn them into some kind of cohesive themed package that will persuade people to spend money and even compete for the privilege of doing so.
So
A hand made pillow in shades of blue, green, purples
a colorful basket in purple and yellows
an empty grape vine wreath
will become a house warming home decor package. I sure hope folks like this color scheme.

Fostering creativity in others

How to foster creativity in others:

As our school district faces huge budget cuts, classes in art and music are being sacrificed. In some ways I think these kinds of classes teach you to reach beyond the scope of the teaching far more than any other classes.
 They help you understand the tools of creativity:  pastels, the nomenclature of music, wood carving, how to play instruments, use a potter's wheel, rhythm, the emotional connections to both sound and colors... These are all tools like protractors and dictionaries are tools for math and English. But they are not valued at the same level. There are no standardized tests for art of music.
So as these kinds of cuts go forward it is more critical that our art community step forward to help fill these gaps.
 Offering classes and exhibitions and concerts and even setting up an easel or opening a guitar case in a place where you will be seen and heard can foster creativity in others. But to do these things take some bravery and willingness to share at a different level than when we join and orchestra or have pieces in a gallery.
Take part in street fairs and weekend markets and let people not only see your work, but interact with you. Be positive and encouraging to others. Think of them as part of the family and not as competitors. Soon you will be the person others look to for guidance and advice and you can help others find the creative voice they will no longer be able to find in their schools.

Day three sort of

Life has a way of getting in the way of a clear plan.
 Yep I went the thrid day and picked up a bit more material in some added colors. I put these in the bag with others to be washed and salvaged and used for the next big project. And then...
My life got a little hectic and other things took priority. 
I have to let that little project sit neglected for awhile and trust that one day when the mood and desire strike me it will be waiting. But I am ephemeral like that. I drift in and out of my passions and plans. 
I have been busy with a couple of small wall quilts that will be donated to a bazaar at the school where I work. 
And then...
 I decided to marble some clay pots to turn into herb planters for the bazaar. I started with 6 figuring it was a sample to see if I like the technique. I did. The next day I did 24 more. Surely this would be enough. Nope. Bought another 20 pots and then in a fit of lunacy and because hey there was still a coupon I bought the last 5 pots they had in the store. Plus one more larger pot to give as a gift. 
So I got those painted and the original 30 now have basil seedlings growing in them. I still have to seal the 26 pots and plant them out all before the bazaar at the end of the week.
Then perhaps this latest fit of creativity will pass and I can drift on to my next big thing. I did just get a few boxes of elk skulls...

DAY 2

Three days at the recycle pad
Almost everything I found today is either blue, white, or blue and white. Mostly dress shirts. I found one child's blouse in autumn colors and Some flannel burp clothes that are rather well worn but might work well as the batting for a few small quilts that will come out of this project. I did find a knit shirt with some beads that I will salvage to embellish at least one quilt.

I do hope the next and last day I go to the recycle pad for this project brings me different colors to work with.

three days at the recycle pad

If you have not heard about our wonderous recycle pads here in Fairbanks do a google search or I am sure they are mentioned in our local paper somewhere. The Daily News Miner.

 I have really been enjoying my opportunity for some peaceful quiet sewing time. I have been making some wall hanging quilts and I have inspired myself.

When people ask where I get my fabrics, my typical answer is that I salvage what I can collect or occasionally someone’s scrap stash finds its way into my world. Both sources have the recycle pad as the vector.

 So  after several years of sharing my goodies with others I have decided to challenge myself to one or more pieces made purely from the scraps and salvaged clothing I find on my local recycle pad in the course of 3 days. The batting could be a bigger challenge unless I find some felt or such.

 Day 1 collected so far:

Note this was done latish at night with poor lighting and I have not yet looked over my spoils closely.

 1 pair of small scrub pants with a bright green Dr. Suess green eggs and ham theme

1 pale blue button down oxford type shirt

1 med. Dk. Blue Chambre shirt

1 blueish bed sheet with blue circles as the pattern.

Once I have washed these and ascertained their real colors and condition I will figure out how usable they are.

I am looking forward to seeing what I find next.

Sustaining Creativity

When I look at other works of art or intricate crafts done by others I often find myself more in awe of the time involved rather than the skill.  The ability to sustain my interest or drive to complete a project sometimes escapes me.
I am also learning that different types of projects take different methods to get myself to sustain my energy and interest.

For example fiber art and quilting I need people.  I need the energy of other people, the vibrancy of their input/feedback as well as the inspiration of their own efforts keeps me focused on my end result.
Beading and wire wrapping are meditative to me.  I can work on them as completely unrelated noise and activities take place in the background. Both are easy to put down and pick up without missing a beat.
Writing and painting though I do better in solitude. I tend to follow a winding path with these and I have no clear picture of the end product and so I let myself wander and experiment and paint over or erase as I look at the results and search for the level of satisfaction I want. A fly on the wall might hear me talking to myself or the skull in front of me.

With some forms of creativity I need a road map to know when it is complete and with other the project leads me and I cannot always guess what the outcome will be.
I find that it is easier to sustain a long-term creative effort if it is a project that leads me. There is excitement and surprise.
But a well mapped project needs to be quick or I will get bored and give it up before my objective is reached.
For other people I know it is opposite. The unknown uncharted end has to come quick or fear of the possible outcome will keep the unfinished project in a drawer. And it is the well charted design the may take long hours of carful stitching they prefer.
My mother and I worked well together this way. I loved designing cross stitch pieces and latch hook patterns. I could even sustain through the painstaking process of creating the color chart for my mother to follow, but then the actual repetitiousness of making the rug or the pillow front bored me and I was ready to move on long before it was done.

creative point of view

For myself one of my favorite stages in problem solving is the brainstorming part of the process. Where ideas are thrown into the ring without judgement. If I am in a group and we are doing this it is often a great insight into how other people think and a way to lead them to the idea that any idea is a valid one to start with.
There is always more than one solution to a problem. (Sorry math teachers) Some solutions are better than other though.
And then there are those rare times when I feel the urge to be creative but I have no real idea of what I want to do or where to start. When this happens I will pick up a magazine, newspaper, catalog, pamphlet or just stare out the window in search of the tiniest thing that grabs me.
It might be the juxtaposition of two colors used in an advertizing, it might be the pattern of shadows from a tree branch, it might be the bulletin board in the background of a photo. I never know what it will be. But once I have that tiny spark I begin my own brainstorming session. Would those colors work well in a quilt? Is that pattern something I can weave in wire? or would it make a good resist pattern on a piece of cloth? Do the color blocks on the bulletin board lend themselves to a dying, painting or printmaking process?
I wish I could say that I walk around open to inspiration all the time everyday, but the reality is I need to adopt a certain point of view to even notice the backgrounds of photos, or the shadows out my window.
Having a diversity of art and craft media I enjoy doing also allows me to use a variety of inspirations in combination and in many different ways.