I have a tradition that at the end of each college term, I take a couple of weeks to rest, read and explore new art media to rekindle my creativity. I commit to myself that anything I do for those two weeks must be completely disconnected from my job or business. It also must be fun, joyful, and focused on process, not product.
What I Listen and Read
One of my favorite podcasts is One Day by Max Jaffe. Each story narrates the one day that changed someone’s life. The stories are both intriguing and inspirational.
Audiobooks are intriguing and entertaining. I have listened to the Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn this past two weeks. Just what I needed to rest my brain after a semester of constant learning and teaching.
I often go fromn a light reading or easy listening audiobook, to a book that satisfies my intellect and search for knowldge.
I read the book 1941 by Charles C. Mann. The book is 1491 is a thoughtful study that deepend my understanding of the Americas before the arrival of the Eropeans. It was particualrly illuminating when it comes to understanding the cotribution and lives of the indegenous people in the Western Hemisphere.
It does not get any better than painting Habotai silk scarves with friends. It is fun and straightforward, and the results are excellent. I learned this is a process exploration from Bev Bos during the Good Stuff conference. You can do it with children of all ages (including adults).
I purchase the silk scarves from Dharma Trading. They have them in a variety of sizes.
The bleed tissue paper can be purchased from Amazon or Blick Art.
Fill a spray bottle with half water and half concentrated lemon juice.
I recommend you check each color on a paper towel to see how the color bleeds when it is wet.
Lay the tissue on the scarf and saturate it with the juice solution.
I like to do small sections at a time and fold the scarf as I go.
By doing it in areas, I can spray the back side and make sure there are no air bubbles.
Once the desired result is achieved, remove the tissue from the scarf.
Iron the scarf until dry to set the color.
The result is magnificent! Remember that the focus is on the process and not controlling the elements.
How will you recharge your creativity this summer?
