GOOD-BYE AND THANK YOU WRECK STARS!!!
GOOD-BYE AND THANK YOU WRECK STARS!!!
The great "fly episode" has led to the "even greater purging episode" in my basement. It's forced me to do some very deep soul searching because although I think of myself as being in touch with my creative self, I keep coming across things I once loved to do and had completely forgotten about. With many things I'm not sure when I stopped or even why I stopped. One of the things I re-discovered was Deborah Koff-Chapin's book, Drawing out the Soul. I actually danced around the basement when I found it squealing "I loved doing this, I LOVED doing this." So, it's first on my list.
1. Drawing out the Soul by Deborah Koff-Chapin gives a step-by-step explanation of "touch drawing," an intuitive painting process where your fingers take the place of a pen or paintbrush. You can learn more about it at the Touch Drawing website and see more of Deborah's beautiful paintings.
2. If you haven't seen Frozen River yet, you should. It takes place in upstate New York at the Canadian border and deals with illegal immigration, smuggling, ethnic tension, poverty and the desperation and resiliency of two women. It is a gritty, realistic film that garnered Oscar noms for Courtney Hunt (Original Screenplay) and Melissa Leo (Actress in a Leading Role).
3. I always have a book or five going and last week I read one that has stayed with me. Without a Map a memoir by Meridith Hall tells a tale of exile, isolation, loss, joy and redemption. It begins with 16 yr old Meredy pregnant at 16 in 1965 and follows her as she searches for herself while exploring the world. Her writing is unflinchingly honest and she reminds me of Annie Dillard and Mary Oliver in that she is an observer in tune with the world and sees the macrocosm in the microcosm.
4. I've always liked the poetry of Lucille Clifton with The Book of Light being a personal favorite collection. This week I read The Terrible Stories and found this small collection a wonderful reminder of why she was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize twice.
5. And because they are good and hysterically funny, The Weird Sisters.
I received Sharon's circle page (I was hoping I would get that one). I'm so delighted to have it and it looks very happy here in it's new home. In passing address info back and forth Sharon & I have also had a couple "Wow, small world" moments. I always like being remind that we are all connected.
I thought maybe this week as we near the end of our wrecking journey, I'd gather some of my thoughts about what I've learned during this adventure.
WHAT I LEARNED WHILE WRECKING THIS JOURNAL
1. Don't save your art supplies. Use them up. Use them with abandon.
2. Wrecking happens - you can either stay stagnant or you can move forward and create from the wreckage
3. Just show up and stuff with happen.
4. Try enough stuff and eventually you'll like something.
5. Not everything has to be good
6. In fact, it's OK for some things to suck because you might just learn something from that.
7. If you don't learn anything - that's OK, too.
8. Breaking down barriers in one area of your life will open doors in other parts of your life.
9. There is a big, wonderful, inspiring community of creative people on the internet - WOW!!!
10. Anything & everything can be used to make art.
11. Sometimes working with friends can really spark your creativity
12. Sometimes working alone can.
13. And the biggie - lucky number 13 is...TRUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am always in danger of taking a creative project I love and am passionate about and turning it into a job that I suddenly resent and dread. I felt this happening with WTJ this week so I took a little break. I think it perhaps comes from making my living at something that is a part of my creative soul. I am eternally in search of balance. I did do this page though because it came spontaneously and was filled with laughter and joy.
My own little place to explore my creativity and imagination