Love your Inner Artist

How often we forget to feed the hand(s) (and heart) of the inner one who keeps us creating. Our inner artist is the one we hear when we haven't made it to the studio often enough. The one who comes knocking when we forget to slow down and put our hands into our favorite materials. The voice inside our head that starts whining when the well is dry.

Creativity is an activity that happens with intent, with some "new eyes' experiences, with a little bit of adventurous exploring, with some soul food that nourishes the spirit and imagination.

One way to feed your inner artist is with artist dates, as Julia Cameron styles these fill-up times in her book The Artists Way. At least once a week we need to do something intentional, often on-our-own, to bring joy and inspiration to our inner artists. INTENTIONAL is a key word. I'm sometimes tempted to look back on the week and say that sure I had an artist date, remember that movie I went to, or the 30 minutes at the used book store? Well, better than none, but best of all is making an intentional, anticipated date with your inner artist in advance, and then sticking to it. Iam going to see my friend Liz today in Kerrville for some artist inspiration and advice, and on the way I plan to stop in at one of my favorite thrift stores -- the Animal Defense shop in Boerne. Now that's an artist date. And I planned it in advance. And I will give myself a modest allowance of "blow" money so I can even do some shopping or tea sipping.

What's on your artist date calendar this week? I'd love to hear what and how you feed your inner artist and keep her (him) happy. 

AND if you are looking for a weekend-long artist date, I hope you will consider signing up for one of my next two El Cielo workshops. 

(HEART) YOUR INNER ARTIST

February 11-13

How do you nurture your creative self in a world that doesn’t always honor artists and artful work? This pre-Valentine’s Day workshop will provide that support while you learn more about your individual design strengths with creativity exercises, learn simple yoga and breath work, and make an artist’s altar for your studio. 

NATURE-INSPIRED SURFACE DESIGN March 25-27

 Find color, shape, form and inspired design for new surface design tools at this spring-is-sprung weekend in the blooming Texas Hill Country. We’ll do sun prints, leaf-inspired thermofaxes and screenprinting with dye, flour paste resist and more.

Sign up early (at least 30 days in advance with a $25 deposit) for a $15 discount on the $175 fee. (Accommodations from free to $30 for both nights) Email me susiemonday@gmail.com for details. First come/first serve -- single bedrooms are in demand! Note that some of the recent workshops have been filling early. Workshops generally start with an optional Friday night potluck and fun activity or two, then continue through 3-4 pm on Sunday afternoon. Most supplies included.

OTHER POSSIBILITIES:

Flying or driving in from afar for one of these weekends? Or just want some solo supported work time in the studio? Add one or two days of instruction in the studio for learning techniques that you are interested in -- dyeing, screen-printing, ink-jet transfer, soy batik and more. Each custom designed workshop and night’s lodging and meals costs $225 per person. Limit, 2 artists per session.

OR Are you interested in a workshop for your guild or other group? Many of Susie’s workshops go on the road! Please write for available dates and fees.

Art Cloth Network Call for Members

If you're a creator of art cloth, consider joining Art Cloth Network. The group, which is limited to 30 members, actively promotes and exhibits art cloth. We will be meeting this fall in Florida (attending the first meeting is required for new members). Here's the official info about applying: 

Art Cloth Network Membership Information and Application Process

Thanks for your interest in becoming a member of the Art Cloth Network. Those of us who are members find that the opportunities for community, conversation, sharing of techniques, inspiration and resources benefit our art and creativity. We have recently increased our membership limits to 30 members in good standing, including those on formal leave. When the number falls below 30, we accept new member applications. We currently have openings for up to 6 new members.

While some of us also make art quilts or mixed media work, the group is focused on art cloth and its specific surface design techniques and approaches.  This includes making lengths of cloth, rather than small samples or fat quarters. Please read the information about art cloth on our website and look at examples, to make sure that you are interested in this field.  Only those artists who submit examples of art cloth that meet this description will be considered for membership.

We meet as a group every 9 to 10 months in different regions of the United States, usually between August and October. Since these meetings are critical to our growth and vitality, we require attendance at 2 out of 5 consecutive meetings.  Membership begins with the first meeting attended. Members bring and discuss their work at these meetings, and we share other professional concerns and opportunities. Previous meetings have been in Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, Florida, California, Georgia, Arizona, and New Jersey. The 2011 meeting will be in Florida.

We also produce a new exhibit annually, with a call for entries each year. Since opportunities for showing art cloth are limited, this is an important membership benefit. Members are required to enter two of five calls for entry in order to maintain their membership status.

Only applicants who can and will attend the next meeting will be accepted into the Art Cloth Network during this membership call period. That meeting will be in or around St. Petersburg, Florida on either October 13-16 or November 10-13, 2011. Full details about the conference and this financial commitment will be mailed to those extended a membership invitation.

The current deadline for membership applications is March 15, 2011, and you can send in your application materials at any time prior to the deadline. You will be notified by April 15, 2011 whether your application has been approved. 

Send a request to susiemonday@gmail.com in order to receive the POSTEROUS application site address.

Time Flies

Watch this YouTube video by artist Eilrik Solheim and be reminded how quickly the year flies by. Awareness. (I'm tagging my posts this year, when relevant, with one or more of the three As of Awesome, as proposed by Neil Pasricha writer/blogger)

The back story of how this video was made is here on the artist's page: http://eirikso.com/2010/01/04/one-year-in-90-seconds/

There are also other videos of similar projects with different time frames, zooms, etc, as well as a version made from still images in 2008. This is an interesting example of taking a project from concept to form over an extended length of time. It takes commitment and a willingness to let the process happen over time. Wouldn't it be great to see the evolution of a piece of your fiber art with such a photographic technique!
 

Trash Bags and Hot Air

You may have already seen this -- it's gone viral rather quickly, but I thought it worth passing along! Just another reminder that art is all around. It needn't take a lot of money to make. That sometimes a passing fancy can add wonder and imagination to everyday life. This guy didn't bother to ask permission or ask someone to pay, he just expressed and idea, took a little whimsey to the streets, and, gee, now something like 2 million people have seen him on YouTube. Makes you think.