The Wonderful Words for This Wednesday are

“The Artist Date”

 

There are SO many ways to activate your creativity.  Last week I shared how to use one bouquet of flowers for many creative outlets.  This week I’m going to talk about something called “The Artist Date”.

Julia Cameron, the author of ‘The Artist’s Way’ says this:

“In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you preplan and defend against all interlopers.  You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, a.k.a., your creative child.

As artists, we must learn to be self-nourishing.  We must become alert enough to consciously replenish our creative resources as we draw on them – to restock the trout pond, so to speak.”

So, I took myself on an artist date to the beach the other day.  The beach is my happy place, the smell of the salt water invigorates me, the sound of the waves lapping on the beach calms me, and the endless interesting things that wash up on shore provide a treasure hunt that is different each time you walk the beach, even the same beach!  I took my cell phone with me to take pics of whatever caught my eye.  Those photos will now be fodder for my creative practice.

#1 Inspiration

Take a look at this huge jelly fish that sadly got hung up on a branch!  Look at that amber color!  I will definitely use this to create a color palette, and possibly as a study on how to paint something shiny and translucent.

 

#2 Inspiration

This piece of driftwood is a very interesting shape.  I will attempt to sketch this showing all of the dips and curves as well as the light and dark areas.

 

#3 Inspiration

This old log is host to this little gnome garden. It’s so old and rotted out but life still found a way in!  That is just inspiring all by itself.

#4 Inspiration

One of the things I like to do is try my hand at photography by trying to capture a good composition and then editing the pic when I get home to optimize the image.  My photographer dad told me that this a great composition and also helped me with a few tips in editing.  Always learning!  This was one of several pics I took at the same place, trying different settings and angles etc.  Such good creative fun!

 

#5 Inspiration

 

 

These are just little snippet pics of different spots on the beach.  Look at all the treasures!  I’m not sure what I will do with these, but I really love them!  Got any ideas?

 

What About You?

Where would you take yourself on an artist date?  What inspires you?  I’m truly curious!

Alright friends, get out there and take your inner artist on a date and allow yourself to be surprised and delighted by what you discover.

Kimberly Snider, Virtuoso, Signing off