Jan 5
If you haven’t yet seen this amazing video yet, enjoy. Eirik Solheim took a series of daily photos every day in a set location outside his home and the results are stunning. Necessary inspiration for winter doldrums, which will hit New England in about three weeks!
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Oct 14
In eons past, before the advent of my own set of children in my life, listening to music was a huge part of my writing process. What kind I listened to affected the mood of what I wrote. What mood I wrote in was enhanced by the music I would pop into my tape player — boom box of old. Now, my kids are noisy, especially my young S. His is a world of noisemaking used to cope with the onslaught of noise the world makes and which he finds difficult to walk through without making his own to tune out the rest. Therefore, whenever I have time to myself (ha-ha), over the last several years since his noisemaking started, I have bathed myself in quiet.
In working on my longer project again, I have rediscovered that music can be a great influence on the writing, and very inspiring. I find my main character’s mother is and hums Mozart’s “A Little Night Music.” His father is Dave Brubeck’s “Take 5” or “Modern Jazz Quartet, In Concert.” Years ago, when I started writing this book, I was listening to Miles Davis’s “A Kind of Blue.” Now my main character walks his dog to Shubert’s “Trout Quintet.” Sometimes I poke around the internet for jazz or acoustic folk and rock selections on college radio webcasts or streaming audio, whatever the correct term is. Thinking about what I listen to for writing has made me very curious to know what you all may be listening to, or not when you are creating. So I’d like to propose a conversation:
What do you listen to when you are creating? How does what you are listening to affect your creativity?
Oct 6
Wouldn’t it be affirming to see your experiences as a creative mother captured on film? Filmmaker Pamela Tanner Boll, who won an Academy Award for the documentary Born Into Brothels, now addresses the issues well familiar to readers of this blog.
Who Does She Think She Is? explores the lives of five creative women, all professional artists and mothers. Boll is personally familiar with the challenges that creative mothers face: credibility, the juggling act, financial issues, marital stress. From the Director’s Statement:
At the age of 32, I had my first child. On becoming a mother, the buried part of myself — the emotional and curious, the creative — roared back to life. I wrote, then began painting again. Motherhood had returned me to my creative, expressive self.
Over the next 30 years, I painted and wrote but always in the spaces left over after my family’s needs. If I did the work it was with guilt. At the studio, I felt that I should have been reading to the children. At home with the boys, I often felt bored by the routine of feeding, cleaning, comforting, caring. [More here under “About the Film”.]
You’ll find lots of behind-the-scenes details at the film’s impressive website. Opens in theaters October 17, 2008. Until then, here’s a clip. I think this is one film that we all need to see.
Sep 25
The photo blog 3191 is a daily pairing of photos taken by two friends, MAV and Steph, who live 3,191 miles apart — one in Portland, OR, and the other in Portland, ME. (Read my previous blog post about this treasure trove). The friends have just published their first book, A Year of Mornings. I received my copy this week and it’s beautiful.
Cathy recently noted that she can pick up just about any book and flip to a random page to find exactly what she needs to read at that moment — and I think this book serves that purpose beautifully. Bravo.
Sep 23
From the blog Art Slam, a great post full of inspiring ideas:
If you want to sustain your creative life, you have to lay down a firm foundation. You ever notice how easily you make excuses for why you can not be creative? You know the ones; you are too busy, you have to take care of the family, this is silly, you are not creative, blah, blah, blah… Well, dismiss them. Making time to feed your creative side is important. We all need a little time to play, relax and return to center. By using the following tips, you will be well on your way to establishing your creative life.
Read it here.
Sep 22
In my original post on this website, I blogged a tiny reference to Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within. Now, I know if you’re a writer, you’ve most likely read this, and if you haven’t, I more than recommend it. This book changed my life as a writer. You must read it. I believe it is a great book, even if your Art lies in any other genre. The sole purpose of this book is to put your creativity to work as a spiritual practice. Really the book has many purposes, but for me, this is the most important aspect.
I remember, as a kid, someone recommended I pick up the Bible and flip it open any time I needed spiritual guidance, or daily as a spiritual practice because, whatever snippet you read will guide you for the day and be exactly what you need. Now, to some, I will sound sacrilegious in saying: I’ve discovered that I can flip open virtually any book and find what my spirit is looking for at the time I read a bit of any writing. But it is especially true for this book. A dear friend insisted I read it nearly ten years ago, thrust it at me as a gift over eight years ago, and I’ve been flipping it open nearly every day since then. Thank you, Joe Gallo. I may not always have followed the guidance I received from Goldberg, but with her nearly daily reminders I have lived with at least the feeling that I am a writer. I am a person who marks up books when I find something particularly meaningful. I underline passages, dog-ear pages, write exclamation points and notes in margins. I gave up doing so in Bones because the whole darn book would be underlined, margin noted, covered in exclamation points and every page would be double turned at the corners.
There are certain passages I read repeatedly, unintentionally, because, these are the passages I need the most. Recently, I discovered a passage I hadn’t read in a while that I felt was appropriate with recent posts — especially Bethany’s — and comments — Charlotte’s on the Monday Page — and what I especially need to hear for myself of late as I commit so fully to writing my manuscript as I’ve never done before. I am still full of self doubts and guilt for family and income, but I keep telling myself, I have to write if I am to call myself a writer. Here are the words that jumped off the page at me:
…I had a year and a half off to just write. I never could find a rhythm that worked longer than four or five days. I tried writing from nine in the morning to one in the afternoon. That worked and then it didn’t. I tried two to six. That was good for a while. Then, whenever I wanted to write. That was okay, on and off. Each week I varied my schedule. I had the opportunity to try all times of the day and night. Nothing ever became perfect. The important thing was never to give up the relationship with writing, no matter how many different tactics I may have tried….Think of writing as though it were breathing. Just because you have to plant a garden or take the subway…you don’t stop inhaling and exhaling. That’s how basic writing is, too.
I never can find a daily rhythm that works for me. But getting into regular practice lately has shown me that my most inspired times seem to be Tuesdays and Sundays. Why? Beats the hell out of me. Having said that, this past Tuesday was spent staring at my open manuscript document, so even that elongated rhythm isn’t full proof. I’ll just put it down to my love of jazz, of syncopation. Heck, I can’t sing the ABC song straight in 4/4 time, and Baby C doesn’t want to hear it that way either, when I try. But I am writing as I breathe. It’s with me when I walk the dog, when I drive S to tae kwan do, when I ask K to unload the dishwasher, when I’m nursing Baby C, when I’m thinking it’s been ages since Honey and I have had time to ourselves, and when I am yelling for the TV be to turned off for the umpteenth time in a day.
Then, in the same chapter, Natalie Goldberg reminds me:
I know…working with my tired, resistant brain is the deepest I’ll get on the earth. Not the joy or ecstasy I feel sometimes…but the nitty gritty of my everyday life and standing in it and continuing to write is what breaks my heart open so deeply to a tenderness and softness toward myself and from that, a glowing compassion for all that is around me….So, it is very deep to be a writer. It is the deepest thing I know. And I think, if not this, nothing — it will be my way in the world for the rest of my life. I have to remember this again and again.”
And I have to remember this again and again, too. I know it sounds ridiculous on some level. I know we all make fun of people who walk around saying, in an unbearably pretentious tone, “I am an Artist!” There are plays, movies, all kinds of Art that warn of this particular pretense, which frankly, makes me cringe. Then I ask, why does it make me cringe so? Is it because I am at heart an artist who feels I am not serving my Art? When I am not serving my Art, I am not serving my spirit. When I am not serving my spirit, I am not living well for myself, my family, humanity or the planet. Then yes, I sound ridiculous, too. But doesn’t the Truth often sound absurd? Okay, so now that I’m out on this limb of ridicule, I might as well walk the walk, and not just talk the talk.
Shutting up now, so I can write. But one last mallet over the head: if you haven’t read this book, read it. If you have read it and it’s been a while, read it now, especially if you’re struggling to squeeze your art into your life. Every morning I pick it up, I get a little thrill, a little aha!, a little fire under my butt to write, to create, to look at the world in which I live a little more closely, from a skewed angle, and to write.
Aug 12
The summer Olympics? Yeah, I’m watching. It’s always a thrill to see the world’s top athletes doing what they do best (and, at least for the swimmers, breaking world records right and left). Whenever I witness someone at the top of his or her game, it makes me regret that I’m such a slug in comparison want to reach higher. (And who among the readers of this blog isn’t waving a few extra flags for Dara Torres?)
Whether the greatness is a gold medal for synchronized diving or a Nobel Prize for literature, I’m in awe. I went to see Doris Lessing reading at the Boston Public Library in 1997 (on tour to promote the second part of her autobiography, Walking in the Shade) and the place was a mob scene. Rabb, a huge lecture hall, was packed to overflowing and satellite seating areas with closed-circuit monitors were set up to accommodate some of the extra audience. Being in the presence (albeit, distance presence, although she did sign her book for me) of a true great was a thrilling experience. Obviously, Doris Lessing is beloved by many, and the fondness of her audience was palpable that night. While I have no illusion that I will ever approach anything that Lessing has created, it was hard not to be a little starstruck — to want to earn some of that success and popularity, to dream about going to bed at night knowing you are truly “great” at what matters to you. That maybe somehow the external evidence of success makes you believe “yes, I have accomplished something.”
When I watch the athletes in Beijing, I gobble up the “human interest” stories that detail the competitors’ “regular” life. What must it be like to work at your craft for 6 to 8 hours a day? What must it be like to win a gold medal; proof that you are the best in the world at what you have spent a lifetime pursuing?
Yet my life couldn’t be more opposite. Instead of creating a cocoon in which to concentrate all my effort toward a singular purpose, I have given birth to five children, ensuring that I spend a great many hours taking care of other people and their interests rather than my own. However, as Christa observed in a comment yesterday, that isn’t a reason to succumb to “can’t.” But it does add a few extra challenges. At some point, even if it’s decades away, I want to experience what it’s like to be fully immersed in my craft for an extended period of time. To at least live like a “great,” even if I’m just trying it on. Hopefully, at that point, I’ll be able to manage my child-free time better, and not be so adrift without the structure that motherhood brings.
Until then, I’ll keep cobbling my work together in bits and pieces, creating something around the edges. While I’m at it, I’ll keep my eye on the “greats,” hoping to pick up a few lessons on self-discipline, perserverance, and courage to use along the way. (Seriously, I wonder if I’m too old for a second career in beach volleyball…)
Jul 22
OK, I may be the last blogger on the face of the internet to post about Wordle. But I can’t help it; I have to jump on board. I’ve been playing with this toy for weeks now. Just for the benefit of those of you who haven’t read about Wordle elsewhere (there must be two of you!), here’s an intro.
Jonathan Feinberg at IBM created this addictive little toy. Wordle creates graphic word clouds using any text or RSS feed you enter. The size of each word is dependent on how frequently it appears in the text; graphics can be randomized or reset according to orientation, color scheme, and font. Everything you create with Wordle can be used however you like (even for profit) under a Creative Commons attribution license. Paste in some text and see what happens. Here’s what I came up with when I pasted in my personal life mission statement (it’s seven years old but it still fits):
And here are two different examples of what you get using the Creative Construction feed (click on the images for a closer look):
Apparently we use the word “house” a lot! I think this is a result of our recent “My mother’s house” prompt, since the possessive “mother’s” is also showing predominantly in the word cloud.
You could use Wordle images to create all kinds of things. I’m thinking holiday cards…If you play with Wordle and come up with something cool (and I think it’s pretty much ALL cool!) save it to the Wordle gallery and paste a link to your design in a comment below. Ah, the beauty of words….
Last week I happened across the Creative Mom Podcast:
“The Creative Mom Podcast started in June of 2006. The goal of the weekly show is to provide a creative talk show filled with good creative discussion and inspiring music for creative moms (and non-moms and artists and creatives of all types) to listen to for a feeling of community, understanding, and inspiration. The format for the show is fairly organic and changes often, but staples of the show include creative projects with kids, artist notes from the week in review, journaling ideas and suggestions, book reviews, blog mentions, weekly prompts, and, sometimes, creative non-fiction essays.”
Episode #104 includes a review of Danny Gregory‘s Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to Be the Artist You Truly Are, one of my favorite books. The podcast’s music selections may or may not be to your taste, but you might enjoy listening to a few episodes while you’re cooking dinner, folding laundry, or commuting.
Amy Cowen, the creator of the Creative Mom Podcast, also has a blog, Threaded Thoughts:
“At Threaded Thoughts, I’m tracking, tracing, mapping, and recording the many overlapping, intersecting, often-gossamer strands of motherhood and creativity that define me. From black and white to Technicolor, from lace weight to bulky, from watercolor to pen and ink, I’m following a path with no clear map other than an internal compass and the ever-changing lens of personal vision.”
Enjoy and create!
Jul 3
Keri Smith is a guerilla artist, blogger, and the author of several books, including Wreck this Journal — a ground-breaking approach to creativity. In print and online, Keri offers a treasure-trove of creative inspiration, including terrific freebies on her website and blog, such as:
Keri recently gave birth to her first child, and wrote a memorable blog post on the transition to motherhood. Excerpt:
…i am a complex melting pot of contradiction most days. ying and yang. I am triumphant. I am winded. I am invincible and powerful. I am lost. I am in love. I am fragile. I am awed. I am confused. I am all knowing. I am unsure. I want to suck up every bit of this experience piece by piece. I want to hide. I am so happy I am going to explode. My self-confidence shatters temporarily.
this is the best thing i have ever done.
Cecil Vortex has a fascinating interview with Keri — highly recommended reading. [Ever notice the ad-free blog icon in our sidebar? That’s part of Keri’s campaign.] If you’re ever feeling depleted or in doubt, Keri is your one-stop creativity panacea. I can’t wait to see how her work evolves to include the experience of motherhood.
Jul 1
A few weeks ago, we profiled Erin Loechner of the blog Mankind Design. Yesterday, Erin debuted her new magazine, Mankind Mag, available free as an online PDF as well as a print-on-demand hard copy ($8.95). The magazine is beautiful. Do check out “101 Steps to a Creative July” on page 35. Many of these ideas are things that even overbooked mothers can handle. (And I confess, I’m one of the advertisers: top of page 33). The last issue of Erin’s former publication, Inspiration, had over 10,000 downloads — and Mankind Mag promises to be even more successful.
Enjoy — and congratulations, Erin!
Jun 19
Liz Massey is a creativity coach and the blogger behind Creative Liberty, a blog dedicated to fostering creativity across media. Liz offers a bounty of interesting articles related to creativity, including a weekly roundup of creative links (in which Creative Construction has been mentioned a couple of times–thanks, Liz!).
I happened across an interesting piece that Liz wrote on “one-sentence journaling“–the idea being that short and sweet may be just the key to unlocking your creative self.
Perfectionism and over-scheduling are two enemies of creative expression, and one-sentence journaling has the advantage of tackling both of them head-on….While writers may seem to benefit the most from keeping one-sentence journals, it is a handy tool for anyone who finds that recording their ideas on a regular basis leads to creative expression later.
This is an excellent tool for creative people with little time to spare. It’s a great way to stay creative, make a record of the day’s highlight (or downfall) and, quite possibly, retain your sense of humor. To read more about this intriguing technique, read the full article here.
I look forward to continuing a mutually creative relationship with Liz!
Studio Mothers: Life & Art 