A creative thinker
When people ask “what do you do for a living?” I proudly answer: “I am an artist with a day job on the side”. That’s right! I have an office job Monday-Friday and the rest of my wake hours are spent making art, being creative, planning new projects, thinking about new ideas, researching and learning new skills, watching other creatives do what they do best and following their lead. When I am not working in the office my mind is traveling the creative thinker roads. I must admit that some of my best ideas though, occur to me when I am in the shower. Julia Cameron said “Showering, swimming - are regular, repetitive activities that may tip us over from our logic brain into our more creative artist brain”.
I have so many ideas lately, that I find myself writing these all down on the different notebooks I keep. Things happen faster than I can record them especially thanks to social media. I follow various other artists on FaceBook or Instagram, I listen to their podcasts and I am subscribed to their mailing lists. Due to daily access to social media, I am exposed to artists, art forms, techniques, classes, teachers, groups and other creative thinkers all the time. Social media, I feel is like a dam gate that has been opened. The overflow of ideas is often times overwhelming yet a lot of fun.
Once a creative thinker, always a creative thinker.
What are some of the ideas I am currently playing with?
As I have mentioned before, I am inspired by artist and business owner Laura Horn in Adelaide, Australia. In her own words, she helps artists to build their skills, confidence and creative style. I cannot thank her enough for all that she has taught me and continues to share with me and many more artists around the world. I am like a kid, I look up to her and want to be like her. So one of the things I am currently working on is on building an audience by having something to say on a regular basis. One such steps is to continue to write on this blog and share my “behind the scenes”, my thoughts and, my progress within my art practice for you to enjoy.
I am also busy plotting out the individual projects for each of the workshops I’ll be offering at The Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum Beach, BC this coming February. These are 4 classes workshops for kids and teens on mixed media. I am creating a “Pictionary” with the different techniques they can use and samples of the four projects for them to follow. I have to be mindful of the different age groups and abilities. I am collecting collage materials, found objects, paper, books and magazines to share with the class. These workshops will be instrumental in the development of my future online classes, one of my goals for 2022.
These are some of the many thoughts that go through my mind every chance I get. I am in my happy place when I think, inhale and exhale art. I am home when I create.
