Monday Post ~ February 6, 2012
“In the midst of our daily routines, it is critical that we steal a few moments to sit with our idea or project each day to be sure our target is ‘still’ there, even if we can’t direct our energy to it at the moment.”
~Suzanne R. Roy
This is the moment to deepen, or commit to, your regular creativity practice. Regularity — a daily practice, if at all possible — is key.
So what are your plans for creative practice this week? Given the specifics of your schedule, decide on a realistic intention, goal, or a milestone to reach for — and plan that time in your calendar. An intention as simple as “I will be creative for 10 minutes every day” or “I will gesso three canvases on Wednesday” is what it’s all about.
Share your goal(s) as a comment to this post, and let us know how things went with your creative plans for last week, if you posted to last week’s Monday Post.
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Studio Mothers: Life & Art 
Last week- kept up mostly with the daily habits. I’m made a lot of progress here. It really helps me stay focused, as my head tends to spin when the to-do list grows to long and I have trouble prioritizing. It shows too in how my house, although far from perfect, is at least not embarrassing. My mother-in-law could visit on the spur of the moment and it would be moderately okay. This reduces a lot of stress in my life, leaving more energy for other things.
It’s an odd thing, you might notice, that I have to constantly justify all of this to myself.
Was looking for make-up tips in a book called Bobby Brown: Living Beauty. I just wanted to have a natural look and better skin. What I found was wisdom in the form of Susan Sarandon’s remarks on beauty:
“Not smoking, cardiovascular exercise, greens, and, most important, attitude. When I’m open, joyful, curious, and compassionate, I look my best. Self-love. The realization that age brings wisdom, confidence, and perspective that is palpable and admired by those who are still trying to figure out who they are.”
This started a whole chain of thinking. My goals and new year’s resolutions are always about losing weight and getting more organized. This doesn’t always work for me as I approach my life and my yoga mat with a grim determination to accomplish a certain number of things and am very critical of myself or depressed/angry when it doesn’t work out the way I intended. What if my goals are too pedestrian? What if I’m asking the wrong questions and wondering why I’m not getting the right answers?
There’s a blog post here.
Goals this week:
1. Think and write about cultivating joy, curiosity and compassion in my life.
2. Maintain the 6 daily habits- which includes daily drawing.
3. Set-up a session with a private client and make a flyer for a workshop I’m planning- deadline for both = Friday
4. Go to the MFA to see the Degas show before it closes, even though this will cost me precious work time.
5. Begin the backbending series of drawings/paintings, even if it is only to ”sit with our idea or project each day to be sure our target is ‘still’ there, even if we can’t direct our energy to it at the moment.”
6. Figure out what art supplies I need, what kind of paper I need to order especially. Including the supplies for daughter’s Zentangle presentation to her class.
i love the idea of 6 daily habits. I love checklists, and it would be so satisfying to accomplish each day that which I’ve identified as essential. And even more than satisfying, just having an easy way to check-in that I’m staying on track with my values.
My creativity goals include:
1. Bake white loaves for Tuesdays with Dorie Baking Club
2. Create altar space for Create Space on-line class
3. Write in my journal four times this week
4. Catch up on Artistic Fitness Sketch for the past weeks
5. Take time to use my Smash Book
So nice to see you here, Misty — and your creative intentions are so appealing!
How’d it go, Misty? We’d love to see your next juicy list!
Got whacked by stomach thing Thursday night, which seemed to lift during the daytime on Friday, but returned Friday afternoon and knocked me out until Sunday. Not great for productivity, or socializing, but there it is. (Obviously I had laid off of Jane’s creative medicine prematurely!!)
Last week’s intentions:
* Open Studio work [yes]
* Read peer pieces for nonfiction writers’ group [yes]
* Complete module for Wishstudio e-camp [no]
* Write press release for GD Arts foundation (volunteer gig) [yes]
* Draft piece for guest blogger post (lowest priority) [no]
* One blog post [yes]
* Journaling [yes–but not daily]
* Yoga/run x3 [yes, X3]
This week’s intentions:
* Open Studio work [Tues, Wed, Thurs]
* Spend 2 hours on nonfiction essay (Thurs 10:00 to noon]
* Complete module for Wishstudio e-camp [Tues/Wed]
* Incorporate committee edits to press release for GD Arts foundation (volunteer gig) [Mon/Tues]
* One blog post [Tues, Wed]
* Start making valentines with kids [Mon/Thurs]
* Journaling [daily]
* Yoga/run x4 [T, W, Th, Fri]
Last week:
– Yoga [3X] – YES
– XC Ski if it snows AHEM.
– Assess 2011 accomplishments/plan 2012 goals YES
– Clean sewing area and finish husband’s yoga shirt YES, and NO
– Bottle up herbal syrups – YES
– 1 blog post YES, 2011 ACCOMPLISHMENTS/2012 GOALS
– Try to make it to Wednesday open house at Open Studio YES
– Calculate cost of herbal immunity kits NO
– Read/research Grow Biointensive gardening method TINY BIT
– Continue design for portable 4-season hoop tunnel greenhouse TINY BIT
I finished the 2011 Assessment/2012 Planning exercise. It’s so very useful to assess what I’ve done and where I’m going – and simultaneously grounding and celebratory. I’m starting to get a little traction accomplishing things in 2012. Most importantly, I just feel happy. I credit yoga for that – and am so grateful.
Next Week:
– Yoga [3X]
– Journaling
– Finish husband’s yoga shirt
– Calculate cost of herbal immunity kits
– Continue design for portable 4-season hoop tunnel greenhouse
– Ruminate on 6 daily habits idea
– Wednesday Open Studio
can’t even look at last week’s, though i made a bit of edits at my writing group last tues. i must have. can’t recall, but i know i went there, so i must have.
i just baked cookies. that’s creative! and comforting.
this week: go go go. next week: writing group next tuesday, touch upon manuscript again.
bye!