Creative Kickstart Prompt 2 |
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The new yet familiar cycle of another year drew me to this week's prompt, “cyclical”. Below are some ideas to kickstart your brainstorming as well as inspiration from our January art movement and artist, surrealism and Remedios Varo. See what you feel a connection with---it can be a shape, a color, a feeling, a word or phrase in one of the articles, or something in one of the images in this newsletter that you really like. Take that and interpret it in an abstract or a direct way, make it a starting point for a drawing or collage, take a brush and try to mimic a curve or line that caught your eye. Feel free to wander without having to use this prompt in any specific way. (And if you prefer a specific, try one of the exercises below.) I know the start of the year can be full, busy, or just a lot to take in so I also wanted to mention that if filling up an entire sketchbook page feels daunting, split it up into 2 or 4 sections and take 15 minutes to fill one in for each prompt. Lower any barriers that may be stopping you from creating and take that first step--tiny steps totally work too :) |
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“It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels.” - Heinz Stücke, German long-distance touring cyclist |
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- Try this easy exercise with circles Use it as a warm up or as the main method for your page this week. Sometimes we just need to just get something down on paper to get started so give this a try if you're stuck.
- Naturally occurring cycles, circles, and spirals in nature Phases of the moon, the transformation of a butterfly, the transition of seasons, water droplets, the rings on a tree stump, snail shells, galaxies, cyclones. Look to nature and see what speaks to you.
- Start scribbling Try gesture drawing, this article is a great place to get started
- Find inspiration in cycling, wheels, and movement This wheel sculpture stands over 60 ft tall and was constructed by L.J. Maasdam when he was 90! and here's an interactive recycled bike sculpture (turn the sound on to hear the story).
- “The circle is the synthesis of the greatest oppositions. It combines the concentric and the eccentric in a single form and in equilibrium. Of the three primary forms, it points most clearly to the fourth dimension.” - Vasily (Wassily) Kandinksy See some of his circle inspired paintings here. There are also many tutorials on creating your own version of Kandinksy's Squares with Concentric Circles. (Many are kids art lessons which I always find to be just as enjoyable for adults!)
- Blast from the past Do you remember making art as a kid with your spirograph? If you still have one, take it out and see what you can do with it now! I'm finding these process videos very satisfying to watch!
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The Spiral Journey, 1962, Breaking the Vicious Circle, 1962, Still Life Reviving, 1963 by Remedios Varo |
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- “In Spanish this title Still Life Reviving means ‘dead life reviving’. This extraordinary spiral is Remedios Varo’s last painting – completed shortly before her sudden death from a heart attack at age 55. It is a testament to her belief in the cycle of death and rebirth. It is one of her very few paintings in which no human figure is present.” - excerpt from Remedios Varo: Her Spiral Journey by Mary Wells Barron. Read the forward here and the entire paper here.
- In something quite unexpected and delightful, I came across “Eating Arts” a food blog where Carme creates dishes inspired by art. See what she created for Still Life Reviving.
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I'll talk to you on Tuesday to check-in on Week 2 of our Creative Kickstart. In the meantime, put on this cyclical inspired playlist and have fun creating and experimenting! |
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