Art & Creativity
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The case for quality
“When you have deep friendships with good people, you copy and then absorb some of their best traits. When you love a person deeply, you want to serve them and earn their regard. When you experience great art, you widen your repertoire of emotions. Through devotion to some cause, you elevate your desires and organize your energies.” ~David Brooks, The Road to Character My husband and I are lucky to live within short driving distance of several fine art museums, world-class gardens, and historic sites, including Cranbrook House & Gardens. What a gift it is to spend an afternoon in the presence of beauty, creativity, and tranquility. Whether you’re wandering…
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The wheels of inspiration
“If you can’t do what you long to do, go do something else. You might think it’s procrastination, but it isn’t; it’s motion. And any motion whatsoever beats inertia, because inspiration will always be drawn to motion.” ~Elizabeth Gilbert After years of writing on deadline, I’ve learned not to panic when inspiration packs up and leaves my home office. As author Elizabeth Gilbert suggests, motion fuels creativity and productivity. When you’re blocked or unmotivated, try doing something else. It doesn’t have to be “productive” or look important. Ride your bike, organize a junk drawer, work in your garden, read magazines at the library. (Sorry, scrolling social media doesn’t count.) When…
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Just do it
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” ~Andy Warhol Artists are courageous people. When it comes to expressing creativity, fear is usually what stops other people in their tracks — not lack of talent. Fear of failure … Fear of being imperfect … Fear of appearing foolish … Fear of being misjudged. Are you toying with the idea of starting a new creative project or trying a new hobby? Once you ignore the inner critics that discourage you, you’ll start to paint, knit, sculpt,…
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Morning people
“The muses love the morning.” ~Benjamin Franklin Since I’m the granddaughter of Scottish farmers, I wonder if I’m genetically programmed to be a morning person. Whatever the reason, I enjoy watching the sun rise over the treetops while I sip my morning coffee, check my email, and write my morning essays. My mind is sharper early in the day, and there are no phone calls or conversations to disrupt my early morning peace. The only drawback to early rising is that I’m inclined to tire out earlier in the evening when my night-owl friends are just getting started. How about you? Are you a morning or night person? ~CL
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Germinating
“During the times we think we’re being ‘unproductive,’ the seeds of new worlds are germinating within us, and they need peace to grow.” ~Martha Beck Somewhere along the line, I bought into the notion that I need to be working 24/7. I feel guilty if I’m not writing articles, teaching classes, organizing my home, working in my garden, or otherwise being productive. Now that I’m semi-retired, I don’t want to become useless or irrelevant. While most of us celebrate the idea of retiring from our jobs, we still live in a culture that rewards busyness. So it’s not surprising that many of us are conflicted (or secretly embarrassed) if we…
