5 Ways to Add Your Creative Color to Your Life!

For the background of this Mid-Week Oasis Moment I used a photograph I took in the Chalkboard Room exhibit at the Centre Pompidou on my recent trip to Paris.

The exhibit invites you to step into a room with green chalkboard walls on all four sides, pick up a piece of colored chalk and add your own words or doodles or both.

The result is an exhibit in which you're enveloped by an impressionistic, modern work of art created by people from around the world including yourself. Wow! What a beautiful experience! 

I loved how the chalkboard exhibit felt so welcoming and made it so easy for people to put their own colorful creative mark on the ever-changing piece.

What was it about the experience made it feel so special and wonderful? Here's what I've concluded:

#1 ~ I was completely surrounded by color.  The blending of all of the colored chalk used over time created a beautiful collage of soft color on each wall. I love color, so for me it made for a very inspiring atmosphere.

#2 ~ I was part of a greater good. Because hundreds or more likely thousands of people had added their marks before me it felt good to join in and add my own colorful wishes for the world to theirs.

#3 ~ I was instantly creative. It was easy to jump right in, pick up a piece of chalk and write. The simplicity of the creative act allowed me to be instantly creative without overthinking the results. I spent less than two minutes in the room but I imagine I'll remember the experience for the rest of my life.

#4 ~ I was given permission. Here it is again ~ permission. The instructions to the exhibit gave me instant permission to contribute my creativity to the piece. Think about it. I would never dream of walking up to a piece of art in a museum and adding a splash of paint because I thought it would enhance the piece. But, in this instance, I had permission and as you've heard me say a hundred times, giving yourself permission to be creative is the first small step!

#5 ~ I was enchanted and inspired by something so simple and new. I've never witnessed or been a part of something quite like the chalkboard room exhibit. Immediately I began thinking of ways to recreate the experience on a smaller scale back home in my classes and workshops.

I invite you to use the following creative prompts inspired my experience in the chalk room to have some creative fun of your own in the coming week:

# 1 ~ What's a creative experience in which I can surround myself with color?
# 2 ~ What's a creative experience that will help me be part of a greater good?
# 3 ~ What's a creative experience that will allow me to be instantly and easily creative?
# 4 ~ How will I give myself permission to enjoy a creative experience?
# 5 ~ What's a simple and new creative experience I can try?

Click here to download your complimentary printable version of these prompts. 

If you choose to play with these prompts, I'd love to hear about your creative experiences! Please feel free to share in the comments below.

Here's to being brave and sharing your creative colors with the world! The world could use more colorful creative energy, don't you think?

Until next time, all the best from my colorful Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Building Creative Confidence ~ April 18, 2015

"Jill's workshop gave me permission to take time for myself and 

not feel guilty about it. It inspired me and got me going!" 

~ Sherry Houpt, Creative Oasis Coaching class participant

My passion is to help people give themselves permission to make the time and space in their busy lives for creative fun and fulfillment. You can imagine how thrilled I was to read the above quote from a satisfied student in a Dallas Morning News article. 

The article by Jamie Knodel went on to share: "For years Sherry Houpt, a Dallas artist, put aside her projects and art while she focused on her kids and art projects for her students at Shelton School. But creative coaching classes helped her reclaim time and energy for her own pursuits. She's since been in multiple exhibits and joined a collective of women artists."

Houpt also said that Jill's creative classes reminded her of lessons that she's been teaching students for more than 28 years: 

Creativity is a gift that should be used. 

Don't be too hard on yourself. 

And, put a priority on your own creativity.

I couldn't have said it better myself! And remember, you don't have to be an artist to be creative!

In my book your Creative Oasis can be so much more that art, music, writing or other traditional artistic outlets. It's any activity or experience that makes your heart sing and time fly. 

It could be gardening, cooking, yoga, dance, entertaining, comedy, reading, scrapbooking...you name it. Whatever puts you in that lovely creative "freedom zone" where you're fully engaged in the joy of the process...that's your Creative Oasis and I'm delighted to help you weave those experiences into your life on a daily basis! 

I hope you'll join me for my upcoming workshop, Building Creative Confidence, where I'll introduce you to some simple and effective ways to move past blocks like procrastination, perfectionism and overwhelm and into the flow of creative momentum! 

What:

Building Creative Confidence Workshop

When:

Saturday, April 18, 2015

1 to 5 pm

Where: 



Creative Arts Center of Dallas
2360 Laughlin Dr. 
Dallas, TX  75228

Cost:
$65 for CAC members
$95 for non-members
plus $10 material fee

*Note: This workshop is limited to 10 participants with
pre-registration required.To register call the Creative Arts
Center of Dallas at 214-320-1275 or visit their website at www.creativeartscenter.org

“I absolutely loved Jill’s workshop.  I learned how important it is to start with small steps. I’m more mindful and aware of new ways to acknowledge and incorporate creativity in my everyday activities. I'm inspired to give myself permission to get the crafty stuff out and use it.  It was like a massage for my mind! Thank you!”  ~ Denise R.