Atiliay noun, a play off the French word “atelier”; a workshop/studio, esp of an artist or designer; my creative space Notes plural noun, a brief record of facts, topics, thoughts written down as an aid to memory; a short informal letter |
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In 2023 I worked through 26 prompts, created 41 sketchbook pages, and spent countless hours painting, drawing, cutting paper, trying new things, problem solving, getting messy, gluing things down, coloring, and having fun! It was definitely the year I created the most in my adult life--EVER! In this note I wanted to share a few things that helped make this happen and invite you to join me for a year of creating in 2024! |
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How did this even happen?? It was because of the Creative Spark Newsletter--not only was I hosting it but I also committed to interpreting each prompt I sent out! Even though I pick them, I never know what I'm going to do going into it and I work through them in real time just like everyone else. Here are 3 things I learned along the way that helped me create consistently throughout the year: - Have one dedicated place to create in This makes the process easier--you don't need to pick what paper you're going to use every time, adjust to a new surface / texture / size, etc. My place was my ONE sketchbook :) I have a rule that I don't get a new one until I finish the one I'm working on. This way everything is kept neatly in one place, easily accessible while I'm traveling, and I feel motivated to fill in the pages--each time I do I feel a sense of accomplishment that I'm one step closer to completing another sketchbook!
- Have one--or more--accountability buddies It's easy to put things off when it's just for you but when you make a commitment to others, it becomes a priority. Having a wonderful group of creatives to make art with was so helpful--I was inspired and motivated when I saw their work! And having a few close friends I could chat with about my projects and art also helped me stay on task and troubleshoot.
- Schedule in the time! Finding/making the time was challenging for me but the biggest thing that helped was to put it in my schedule / on my calendar! I also tried to stay flexible and know things may fluctuate and that's OK, to just DO IT (I would want to wait until there was good lighting so I could film but some days I decided to just do the best with what I had, work in the evenings if I had to, etc.), and to work in both larger (an entire afternoon) and smaller (15 min) blocks of time depending on what worked.
What are some things that help support your creative practice? What challenges do you face and what solutions have or have not worked for you? Here is my last sketchbook page for 2023! A woven piece created with all the prior pages: |
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If you'd like to watch a flip through of my 2023 pages and hear more about the prompts and inspiration, check out my latest YouTube video. If you want a fast condensed version, you can find that on my Instagram or TikTok! There are also process videos of just about every page on there too. Which brings us to 2024 and the start of a new Creative Spark Newsletter cycle! The Creative Spark Newsletter is a year round companion for your creative practice. The newsletters includes prompts, ideas, inspiration, and resources but what I feel like it's truly providing are two important things: Inspiration and the prioritization of our creative practice. We need these 2 elements in order to create. If we don't feel inspired or aren't sure what to make, that blocks us from creating and if we don't make time for it, it's not going to happen! And when creating doesn't happen, so many ideas get missed and never have a chance to grow, to be explored, to reach its full potential. We'd miss out on opportunities to connect with ourselves and others through art as well as moments of learning, joy, and fun! I'd love for you to see if CSN is right for you and I thought the best way to do that was to show you! I'm sharing one of my favorite 2023 prompt newsletters with you as well as the following check-in email. Click on the links below to check it out and while you're looking through them, consider what you would create for this prompt… |
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If you'd like more details or want to sign up, here are the links: |
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The first prompt of 2024 will be sent out this Friday, January 19th! If you want to work through each prompt in real time with me, I suggest signing up in the next few days so you can receive the welcome emails and get ready to begin at the end of the week! Sign ups will be open all year round so you can do so at any time! You'll receive all the past prompts and emails so that you can work through any you may have missed. If you have any questions, let me know. If you know someone who might be interested in CSN, I would really appreciate it if you forwarded this email to them! You can also help spread the word by sharing on social media. Thank you! There are so many possibilities in just one word and one blank page. Let's take some time to explore and discover as many as we can together! :) |
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PS: It's almost time for me and Valentine to get back on the road! Valentine's tests came back and everything looks GREAT! I'm so relieved and happy / excited to continue on our adventure. Our next major stop is NEW MEXICO! If you have any recommendations--especially ones that are dog friendly and vegan, send them on over! White Sands National Park is already on my list :) After that we will be heading to TEXAS! The plan is to stay in these areas through the winter months before heading to the midwest and east coast. |
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In the meantime, Val and I are enjoying our stay in CA. I have loved this AirBnB and neighborhood--there are so many squirrels, a variety of birds, dogs, and we've seen a few coyotes too. It's been peaceful and lovely, the perfect place to recharge. |
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