Online Book Group and CED (Creative Every Day)…

Back in December I signed up for an online book group led by a woman whose blog I wandered to through Leah’s Creative Everyday blog. It is called The Next Chapter book blogging group led by Jamie Ridler and we are reading the 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women. I have never participated in a blogging book group before!

I also signed up for Leah’s Creative Every Day project. I had participated in the Art Every Day Month and that was good for giving me that extra little push to make my way up to the studio to paint…but creativity in any form counts.

Chapter 1, or Secret 1, in the 12 Secrets book is about “Acknowledging Your Creative Self”…this is something that I have already started to do. It is a scary step…all those ‘who am I kidding’ and ‘you’re not really an artist’ negative critic voices. I find it scary in the same way that I felt scared when I first started putting my paintings ‘out there’ – out where people can see them. It is a big step to start doing that – just as it is a big step (for me, anyway) to start thinking of myself as ‘an artist’ and maybe even saying it out loud! I had held back for a long time…making most of my creations in my head…but then, once I started actually putting pencil to paper, paint to canvas…it was like something burst free and now it is getting easier and easier to claim some time for me to go and get lost in my painting without feeling so guilty…and it is so nourishing…I feel so good during and afterwards.

I especially like the quotes from this chapter – “Your creativity is waiting for you like a dancing partner.” ~ by Barbara Sher and “Creativity is like a great receptive womb.” ~ by Lynn V. Andrews.

In the Creative Every Day group, Leah is offering optional monthly themes. The theme for January is “Play”…like acknowledging my creative self, play is also something I do a lot in my art…in fact, I think it is mostly play what I am doing…playing with colour, playing with texture, playing with different series of paintings, shapes, ideas. What got me really loosened up and able to play have been the postcard and trading card projects through WetCanvas that I participate in…I have talked about these before and how they help me to grow – to push myself and try new things – without the fear of ‘wasting’ too much…just a little card…not too much investment in materials or time, really…and if I try something that doesn’t work…who cares…I have learned something anyway.

So this month I am playing…even with the deadlines, I am still playing! I am also reading about creative women…next week is about “Honoring Your Inspirations”…but I won’t get ahead of myself…I am going upstairs to play now! I do have some finished and almost finished pieces…will photograph them later and get them posted. Right now I am working on the 4 pieces that I am going to submit to the Ottawa School of Art Boutique…deadline tomorrow…hope the paint dries in time!!!