Creative Kickstart Week 3 Check-In |
|
Hello! I hope you're enjoying your week so far! Below is inspiration from our community, different interpretations of this week's prompt as well as some year of the mark projects, a podcast and book suggestion, as well as an exercise to try. |
|
"Finally, the connect the dots quote read as: ‘Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you; spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.’ — Amy Poehler" |
|
This piece of dot art by Sue P. is inspired by her love of nature, eating healthy, and getting in activity. am attaching the dot art work and wanted to let you know that I love nature and I love eating healthy as well as getting in my activity. She used the dot method to create the Cholla cactus and rock from a hike she took last Saturday. There's also plenty of sunshine and a bunch of assorted fruit that she overlapped. |
|
“DS Cobalt Turquoise, Derwent watercolor pencil Turquoise Blue, Gunmetal. Abstract landscapes/ Landscaped Abstracts. Exploration of color, brush strokes, texture, mark making” - EB |
|
“Interweaving lichen. Derwent watercolor pencil Gunmetal, Turquoise Blue, DS cobalt Turquoise, Indigo, French Ultramarine . Abstract landscapes/ Landscaped Abstracts Exploration of color, brush strokes, texture, mark making" - EB |
|
“I knew I wanted to do something that explored the connection to family- specifically through time- as I love researching family history!! My first attempt was pretty literal using circles to lay out a branch of a family tree. For the background I used white acrylic first to make splotches and then painted over them with watercolors. I've been liking this technique, especially on softer papers the way the acrylic repels the second layer which melts down around it. It's not quite as effective on this particular sketchbook's paper but I liked the little bit it did give me. Still thinking about family I moved on to my next attempt!” – Claudia |
|
“Using first the white acrylic splotches I then covered the double page with a watercolor background and when that dried I filled the pages with hints of people in what I imagined to be ancestors and descendants gathered together in some in-between place! I have been inspired as well from this prompt with an idea for a larger painting incorporating big colorful solid circles like from the Connect 4 game!" – Claudia |
|
“I am choosing to do a box a month using nature for my mark making. Twigs, flowers, lichen, bark……..Nature brings me sustenance. This piece was made from a piece of lichen from the woods of Occidental. The squares are about 3.3” x3 or so. @dalerrowney1783 sap green and burnt umber acrylic ink. Resting the lichen in the natural flow of the ink until it dried. Abstract landscapes/ Landscaped Abstracts. Exploration of color, brush strokes, texture, mark making" – EB |
|
“Below is my “mark” representing the month of January which always comes with adulting duties that until complete make my head feel like exploding; e.g., checking smoke alarms, getting under my car to change the oil, updating important documents, and preparing federal taxes — you know, the fun stuff. 🙄” - Vanesa S |
|
For my Year of Marks project, each section will be a summary of my creative endeavors for that month. For January, the collage pieces and gold thread represent finishing my 100 Day Collage, re-discovering stamps I had made years ago, and I wanted to add elements for the “vision” and “messy” prompt (I was inspired by Claudia's piece above to add a piece of used paper towel :)). So perfect to have found “creative sparks” in a magazine to symbolize the very first year of it! :) |
|
There were lots of interesting, fun, and new explorations for “Messy”! The album has been updated and you can take a look here. A couple of new collages have also been added to the “Vision” Album. |
|
SOMETHING TO TRY “We tend to think of the artist’s work as the output. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world.” – Rick Ruben Have you heard of Rick Ruben? I had not but have definitely listened to music created by artists he has worked with: Adele, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, and many more. I recently listened to a podcast interview with him--it caught my eye because the title was Creativity As A Way of Being. At the end of the interview, he presented an exercise and talked about how it's amazing that no two people come up with the same results. This totally reminded me of our prompts! I had also never heard of this exercise before (some of you might know it!) but wanted to share it in case you'd like to try: The Cube Test (it's the 1st one listed in this article followed by 3 more similar tests.) Another point in the conversation that stuck with me is how he defines success: the moment a song/project/creative endeavor gets released into the world. Everything after that is out of his control (what other people think, if it sells or not, etc.) so he doesn't dwell on that and moves on to making the next thing. (I believe he said he's never been to the Grammys even though he's been nominated and won many!) Rick is also the author of The Creative Act, a book I am hoping to read soon. (If you've read it, I'd love to hear what you think!) |
|
This month marks 10 years since I first began Atiliay! For “connect” I am planning on using mediums I've created with throughout the years and put them together to make something. If (like me) you haven't started yet or are playing catch up, continue using this week to explore connection. I'll be sending out the 4th (can you believe we are 4 weeks in already?!) prompt on Friday. I'm looking forward to talking to you then! |
|
You've received this email because you signed up for The Creative Spark Newsletter. |
|
|
