creativity and time

As I sit between work and a very busy summer I find my mind turning over more ideas than I have seen there for awhile. Where have all these thoughts been lurking? evidently they needed time for me to sist still so they could catch up. Creativity is like that. not always very aggressive, it will not force itself when there are more pressing matters. One way anthropologists measure free time in ancient civilizations is by the art they produce. The theory being that a group of people who are in sheer survival mode and devoting all their energy to food production and staying warm will not produce art.

So time is a critical element in the process of creativity. As I look though the groups I belong to and the beading magazines, I get I am often disappointed by the step by step how to's for producing jewlery. Sure I could do that and end up with a nice pair of earrings or bracelet, but I would feel very unfulfilled, and self gratification is a big part of why I create.
My mother used to put together kits, embroidery, latchhook... But I found more satisisfaction in creating the kits. I designed many of the pieces she worked on. She was able to make substitutions in colors and rearrange some stitches to make something unique, sort of. She worked in a similar way with food. She loved to cook and loved readding through cookbooks to try something new at least 3 days a week. But she always insisted on making things by the recipe at least the first time. She would make notes on the recipe to add a touch more this, take out that and such until she was satisfied with it, then she would type it on a roledex file card and add it to the stash.
In our society everybody most likely has time to be creative. I do not know why so many people are afraid to let themselves be creative. Or they keep a tight leash on those impulses. On the other hand if everybody felt creative it would limit the market for those of us who are.

creativity and marketing

In these tough economic times marketing yourself or your product effectively becomes more crucial and more difficult at the same time. There are more and more outlets for making those connections, but doing it the wrong way can be far more devastating than missing a few opportunities.
Here is an example. I belong to a group of artists whose work is sold through a particular outlet. the group of people that runs the outlet occasionally sends out an email with news about the shop or monthly events and classes. By accident one day they sent out their email without the bcc protection on everybody's email addresses. I personally barely noticed this glitch. however one person whose product was marketed there took all those email addresses and began a marketing campaign. Spam hit everyone's email accounts. and while it was not voracious amounts it was a little disconcerting to get offers for products I had no interest in. The folks who made the inital mistakes have been trying to get the spammer to give up the use of these addresses. Since they have refused the store has recommended that people block the incoming email address. but I will probably do more. I had seen and heard of this tea shop before the spam started and had even talked about joining my coworkers on a little shopping trip there, but now I will very likely share this story and encourage them not to give their business to an operation that would take advantage of such a mistake.

So then the question is where and how to use as many tool as you can to reach the audience you want. There are lots of options to consider and that will be the topic of my next essay eventually.

supporting creativity

I recently took a writing workshop and one of the ground rules was to keep all critiques positive no matter what. But what if there was nothing positive to say? The rule was there to build trust and allow virtual strangers to be more open in their written expression. It is easier to be brave if you do not have to fear hearing negative comments.

This seems to translate to other creative groups too. Moderators, or workshop leaders keep everything so civil as to be almost pointless in terms of seeking feedback.
We are certainly vulnerable to flaming and pointless hostility if we allow anything negetive. Right?

But here is my point in writing this entry. There are people who assemble beaded jewelry and seek great praise for their cleverness. Well I am sorry. Go ahead, throw some beads on a head pin, bend it into a loop and add an earwire. Yes you made apiece of jewelry, no you were not creative or clever or even highly skilled.
Again string some beads in a pretty pattern add a clasp and yes you have made a necklace but again not so creative. following a pattern or a tutorial you bought with the beads of your color choice is only marginally creative. But for the most part this describes 90% of the beaded jewelry being sold today. How sad and how tough for a buyer to choose between all the options that are nearly the same.

How do we educate buyers and beaders to go beyond the most readily available formulaic products?

touching base

This is just a touching base blog today. I have been so busy with my new job and visiting family and what not that I have not added anything new for awhile. I have also been somewhat neglecting my creative needs. I had anticipated winter to be the time of year where I could sit in a comfy chair and let my creative side have free reign. but alas it seemed not to be. But then one night of tossing a turning when my mind refuses to let go of an idea until it is at least captured in a minimum sketch and I know my muse is once more kicking a screaming to be heard.
As usual the directions of my creativity seem to change directions and there is no guessing what form of creativity I will be exploring next.
Last weekend it was the writing of a children's book, next week it could be a mosaic tiling idea. I ride the wave.
Kat

more recycling ideas

this blog mostly focuses on jewelry and beads.
first off anything with a hole is a potential bead. limiting factors may include size, weight and if the item would stain skin or clothing.
take apart a computer and you could have a small cup full of nuts and bits to use as beads.
Wire can be used for wrapping other items like glass or china shards.
Flat pieces of metal can be cut and drilled to become dangles, pendants, and links for chains.
Larger gauge wire can be hammers to create dangles and pendants.
there are other websites and groups on the internet where you can learn more about techniques for this.
Nuts, washers, wire, tubing, can all be salvaged from electronics, appliances, and other constructions. be careful though. Old refrigerator may have freon in their coolant system and even the though tubing is a fabulous gauge for making beads, be very careful about avoid exposure to the coolants. Sharp edges and sharp points within the bowels of an electronic, bead bonanza can put a damper on the retrieval. Also beware of live electrical bits that could give you a nasty shock.
As I watched someone smash up perfectly working monitors and cut cords off usable appliances for the copper they could sell I was reminded tat not everyone who salvages has the environment in mind.

space for creating

laying in bed with eyes closed I can create anything or at least develop some ideas in detail. But the room to make these things real is another story. How can I possibly put together a 7 foot mural when I barely have a single square foot of counter space in my kitchen.
I have a friend who is a writer and I think perhaps I should turn my creative muse that direction. at least I can put things and idea on the computer.
Finding my footing during and after transitions makes it hard for me to limit my creativity to the reasonably possible. the good thing about computers is that I can keep ideas and ideas and ideas without worrying about every tiny scrap of paper that may hold the greatest idea yet.
I have a billion other things to do, but the creativity demands it place in spite of my lack of space.

Molding ideas

Some idea for using scrap moldings. I love the shapes and profile of moldings. They come in so many shapes and weights and profiles. but all of them have potential beyond trimming a ceiling or doorway.
these ideas are either ones I have seen or tried or just thought of and I can not vouch for any results anybody gets in trying them. For the most part a miter saw and some small nails and glue are all you need to create cool things with moldings.

Picture frames: they make molding just for this but you can still use any of them though you may have to add strips of flat wood on the back to make the recess for the canvass, photo or glass.
Small shelves: I did make these and they came out really nice. Use 3 pieces of molding for the front and sides and then use a flat piece of wood for the shelf itself. You can use different kinds of molding and get an effect like a collection of architectural style.
If you can wrap your mind around compound miter cuts you can create triangular shelves that look like part of a box corner poking through the wall.
Small boxes: use the moldings for the sides of the box. if you want a lid you can create one with the same molding by using triangles and effect making a frame with no opening. then use a small square of wood that fits inside the opening glued to the bottom of the lid. Considering the weight of some crown moldings I have seen this could be a pretty good size box.
On a similar note
Display trays for jewelry: This is one I need to try. using short 1.5-2 inch wide moldings make a box that is whatever size I need to fit into my transport container. I would use wood for the bottom of the box. I would paint it shiny black and then line the bottom inside with a velvet covered pad that I can display my jewelry on. the hope would be I could transport everything without having to pack it all away into small boxes or bags anytime I was done with showing it.
Bead rolling planks: Some molding have interesting grooves that mike make interesting polymer clay beads.

Since molding come in all kinds of materials from PVC to foam to wood to composits it important that you make sure you are consistent within each project as I have found that the same profile can vary in dimension between different materials. Molding can be bought fairly cheap, but in my reuse and recycle mode I come across used and scrap molding all the time that I have made a small collection of. When I have more room and my workshop reestablished I will collect more and put some of these ideas into play.