Creative Humans Do These 3 Things

I'm currently reading The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. If you're unfamiliar with Amanda (who is a creative force of nature!) I recommend you watch her TEDTalk which has now been viewed over 3 million times and was the inspiration for her book, The Art of Asking.

When I read Amanda's words I immediately thought of the painting "Dot-Scape" my dear friend (and another creative force of nature) Jessica Jane Lynch had just posted on Facebook. (She graciously allowed me to use it for this Mid-Week Oasis Moment.)

"Dot-Scape" was a collaborative piece created by a group of children ages (3 to 15) living with Type-1 Diabetes from two Connecticut chapters of JDRF (formerly "Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) to be auctioned at this year's 2015 JDRF spring gala. Jessica served as the Children's Art Project Chair, conceptualized, artistically realized and photographed the piece. (I told you she was a creative force of nature!) 

The heemeesheemee (my word for serendipity) of all of this lies in the fact that Jessica's creative project so beautifully illustrates Amanda's observations and actually uses dots to do so!!!  

#1 ~ Collecting ~ Jessica collected inspiration for the piece from a cross-cultural look at meditative dot painting. The children were influenced by Australian Aboriginal Dot Paintings, Pointillism and dot artworks by pop artist Yayoi Kusama. 

# 2 ~ Connecting ~ Jessica connected the children to their own creativity as well as to the influences she'd collected to inspire them. She also connected her own creativity to a foundation near and dear to her heart, JDRF as a means of raising awareness and funds for them. The ripple effect of the connections continues as I connect "Dot-Scape" to Amanda's words and to you with this Mid-Week Oasis Moment. (Perhaps you'll share and continue the connections?)

"Children were guided in an artistic experience using circular stencils and brushes to create hundreds of overlapping dots using acrylic paints. Every dot, using this soothing technique, embodies the resilient nature that children and adults living with Type-1 face daily." 

~ Jessica Jane Lynch

#3 ~ Sharing ~ Jessica shared her creative connections with the children (now her co-creators) as well as me, you and everyone who attended the gala, saw her Facebook posts or reads this story. (That's the beauty of the internet.) She shared her hope for a future without Type-1 Diabetes. She shared her belief that we can use creative connections to make the world a better place. I couldn't agree more!

"Dot-Scape" ~ 30 x 30 gallery wrapped canvas

Inspired by Amanda's words and Jessica's works, how might you collect, connect and share using your creative spirit in the coming week? Or at the very least, what's one fun way you might play with dots? 

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

Jill

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.

Mother Nature Makes a Good Point

Mother Nature gave me a wink and a nod last week when my friend took me to the beautiful Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls. As we hiked lush trails that wove in and out of moss-covered trees and flowing waterfalls I snapped photo after photo while soaking up nature's powerful inspiration with delight. Talk about Creative Oasis Moments!

Since the name of the workshop I'd come to Art and Soul Portland to teach was entitled, "So In The Flow" (Maintaining your creative moment even after the retreat) the serendipity of having the opportunity to spend time trekking alongside these falls was not lost on me.

I hope the above image and haiku serve as a nice reminder that the free feeling of being in the creative flow is as natural as a waterfall - not to mention as energizing and refreshing!

Here are three simple ways we might take a page from Mother Nature's book:

#1 – Water flows downhill. It doesn't fight gravity. It literally goes with the flow. When we remember that the struggle is optional and we can choose to try things the easy way rather than the hard way, we open ourselves up to enjoying our creative pursuits more easily and frequently.

This may be as simple as remembering to ask ourselves, "How can I make this easier?" or "How might I make this more fun?"

What's one creative project you might try this with today?

#2 – Running water is an extremely powerful force. It can move heavy tree limbs, boulders and people down a mountainside with great force. Our creativity gives us super powers of our own.  When we embrace our creative flow we have the awesome ability to turn bad days into good days…wash away negative thoughts from our inner critic…and add positive energy and joy to the people in our lives.

What if being in the creative flow was your super power? How might that look? How might that feel?

#3 – Simply taking a moment to drink in the beauty of a waterfall feels like a sacred creative act.  Giving ourselves the opportunity to just enjoy the creative output of others is an important and delightful part of the creative process that we sometimes forget about. We become so focused on producing…doing…making…checking things off our list that we forget the importance of filling our own well.

Why not read an inspiring article or gaze at the lovely images in a coffee table book…watch a good movie or listen to a new style of music…take a walk in nature or enjoy a stimulating TED Talk video?

What's one way you might enjoy creative exposure this week?

Until next time I'll leave you with a few seconds of the lovely sound and image of a waterfall and the the wish that you'll give yourself permission to try at least one of the suggestions from above to dive into your own Creative Oasis flow very soon!

All the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. – If you'd like to have Mid-Week Oasis Moments (bite-sized bonbons of creative inspiration) delivered each week please sign up here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html

You'll also receive a free copy of "Permission to Be Creative 101" – my e-booklet that will help you take the first small steps to make the time and space for creative fulfillment – your Creative Oasis – in  your busy life!

Sipping from the Fountain of Youth

Last weekend my daughter and I took a fun introductory digital photography class together. I guess you could say I sipped from the fountain of youth that day because studies show learning a new skill is a wonderful way to keep our brains healthy and agile.

In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, mental stimulation is one of the five best ways to maintain a healthy brain. (things like learning a new skill or language, playing games, traveling to new places, trying new foods, playing an instrument) Other factors include physical activity, nutrition, socialization and spirituality.

As I shared in an article I wrote in 2011 for Natural Awakenings Magazine (“Is Creativity The Fountain of Youth?”) studies also show that people who remain engaged in some type of creative endeavor, whether it be art, music, gardening, cooking, crafting or other creatively satisfying pursuits enjoy a variety of health benefits throughout their lives.

This is great news! 
We now have more compelling reasons 
to give ourselves permission 
to pursue our creative interests without guilt!

Since I happen to know many of you feel guilty when it comes to taking time for your creativity I hope this will help you to realize time spent enjoying creative pursuits isn’t a luxury…it’s a necessity to live a healthy, fulfilling life.

Here’s a great 3-minute TED Talk by Matt Cutts about the benefits of trying something new for 30 days. 

My fabulous personal trainer, Pauline Stafford, founder of Garage Fitness in East Dallas, has created a year-long contest for her clients in which we’re challenged to add one simple healthy habit to our daily routine for two weeks at a time. 

So far our challenges have included eating at least three servings of veggies a day, stretching at least two minutes a day and listing at list four things for which we’re grateful each day. It’s been a wonderful way to gently increase our health and create new habits with some friendly competition thrown into the mix.

What creative pursuit have you been longing to try for the first time or reintroduce back into your life? What if you took a moment to make a quick list right now of just three creative activities you'd like to do sometime soon? I'll join you. Mine are:

#1 – Try out ZenTangle 

#2 – Practice taking photographs 

#3 – Play piano and sing

Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis Fountain of Youth to yours,
Jill

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."  – Mahatma Gandhi