Lately I have rediscovered something which I am sure, if you have ever made a gift for someone will come as no surprise. Creating art is a pure expression of pure love. My paintings of my cat and dog are wonderful examples. When I am thinking about painting and choose a subject, my pets are by […]
Read MoreCategory: Creativity
There’s Nothing in the Fridge
There’s nothing in the fridge. I was in college, living in an apartment on Wickenden Street in Providence. We lived above a flower shop. I loved living there. There was a wonderful living room with nice light, a cozy kitchen and two cute bedrooms. Three of us lived there, so whoever wanted to pay the […]
Read MoreRepetition
Repetition can get boring. I walk on the same sidewalk every day down the same road with my dog. We often see the same people and the same dogs. We pass the same houses and the same plants. But things are inevitably different. The weather changes. One day it might be hot and sunny, the […]
Read More“I am willing to work harder because I love what I do”
This quote encompasses the idea of internal motivation. If you love what you do you will naturally want to work harder, because you enjoy the process. You are working on a project because it brings you joy, not because someone else is telling you to do it. I encountered this quote in taking my students […]
Read MoreIt’s not perfect
I write this as I anticipate the Womens’ Festival of Crafts tomorrow here in Burlington. I haven’t participated in a craft show in many years, partly because the last experience wasn’t that great, and partly because I don’t feel I really have the temperament for it. But I decided to go for it. Am I […]
Read MoreWhat’s your spark?
What is that thing that really fires you up? Maybe it’s hiking on a beautiful fall day. Maybe it’s thinking about a story you just heard on NPR about equal pay for equal work. It could be that you can’t stop thinking about that horrific earthquake or other natural disaster. It doesn’t have to be […]
Read MoreIt’s okay to cheat
Some people thing using ideas or images or things that other people have created in their artwork is cheating. Sometimes it is. If you use an image and don’t give credit for it, or take someone’s idea wholesale without transforming it somehow to make it your own that isn’t right. However if you are drawing […]
Read MoreMaking from the heart
This summer I had a wonderful opportunity to go to Haystack School of Crafts in Maine. If you don’t know about it, look it up. It’s an intense, generative, beautiful spot on the coast of Maine on Deer Isle. I was there for two weeks and the weather was warm, the water an icy 55 […]
Read MorePutting yourself out there
I have recently been reading a book that I am loving. It’s called “Stopping the Noise in your Head” by Reid Wilson. I highly recommend it. The book focuses on decreasing incessant worry and anxiety using incredibly simple strategies. I think that the strategies that he outlines in the book are also applicable for pushing your creativity […]
Read MoreEssentialism and creativity
I haven’t been reading as much lately as I used to. I do listen to books on tape and podcasts on my way to work and home, but overall, I just haven’t been doing as much lately. But I just found this book that is going to be amazing. How can I tell? Well, I […]
Read MoreChoose one thing
Have you ever been in a position where you are trying to juggle too many creative projects? Have you ever not been in that position? I feel like I am fighting that urge all the time. I see a cool project idea “I could make that!” Then I go through the process of getting all the materials, […]
Read MoreBoost your creativity NOW!
I am a creativity coach. I work with people to help them to transform their creative lives. I can help you, too. Many people think ‘I am not creative,’ or ‘I am too old/ young/ busy/ to be creative.’ I think that’s a load of nonsense and I will tell you why. I believe that […]
Read MoreHabits, Revisited
Habits Revisited Hi there! I just wanted to share an amazing strategy that I have started using for getting back into creativity just over a week ago, and it works! Get it done early. Like, first thing early. Wake up. Brush teeth. Get creative. Give yourself an hour or 30 minutes or whatever works for […]
Read MoreResistance
How many of you know exactly what you want to accomplish creatively- raise your hand? Me too! Ok, of those people who know what you want to do creatively, how many people just can’t find the time to actually sit down to DO it? Raise your hand. Me too! Why is that? I think there […]
Read MoreHappy New Year!
It’s that time of year when people start to make resolutions. I think of resolutions as a negative thing, made with positive intentions. For example, ‘I will not eat sugar.” Wanting to be healthy is great, but when you frame it like that, it’s not going to get you anywhere. ‘I want to feel good […]
Read MoreColors
Colors What is your favorite color? Today mine is green, yesterday it was purple and tomorrow- that coral that you see around the sun as it is setting. Mmm- delicious! I love mixing colors. Taking them right out of the tube is not nearly as fun. I like to paint things that inspire me; a […]
Read MoreRocks are cool
I love the way extreme heat and pressure in rocks manifests itself in such a beautiful array of different stones that we can use in jewelry! Setting stones into jewelry is a fun way to incorporate color and patterns into your work. Incorporating cabochons (flat bottomed stones) into jewelry is easier than you might […]
Read MoreDo I really look like that?
I am wrapping up the drawing unit with my Art 1 students, and the last assignment is a self portrait. Most people shrink in fear when they think of drawing a self portrait. The self criticism that it evokes can be incredibly stressful for anyone that is not a professional artist. In a room of […]
Read MoreFire and Metal
There is something so dramatic about casting. The fire, sense of mystery, and transformation of a material from wax to metal is so magical that I love sharing the process with others. The process is also very zen, because as much work as you put into your piece, there is no guarantee that your piece […]
Read MoreCreativity
I am creative every day, but sometimes I still feel like what I do doesn’t ‘count’ as creative. Why? Because it’s not formal enough, didn’t take long enough, or wouldn’t be able to sell. But that is not my motivation for doing creative things. I create because it nurtures me and is part of […]
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