#gardening #journalling #creative-time #artbox #art-class
This post is like many of my other ones. I share snippets of what I have been working on and thoughts on creativity. Since a few months ago I also took the plunge to garden seriously - to try and grow our own vegetables. This all melds into the mix of creativity.
I get so much joy from a new vegeable that has survived my clumsy efforts at gardeing!
I also see processes similar to other creative outlets.. Time is often against us to knuckle down to a new project or creative process. One of the things that hampers the process is not having the tools to hand to easily jump into something.
I decided to make a dedicated Creative Box.. not all my supplies, but things that I could reach for easily to start some art journalling or a quick sketch. That way I can't use the excuse that I can't find what I am looking for.
Gardening seems to take flurries of activity, then a lot of waiting - while things take root and grow - much like other creative processes!
On the thought of creativity, I also ponder Beauty and the need for it on a daily basis.And what keeps us in a positive frame of mind. Being Thankful is a medicine for the soul. Finding space to ponder can really bring about change in our outlooks.
Words that come to mind are :
Beauty
Wholeness
Observation
Recording
Pause
Discipline of Creativity
Moments of time
The cognitive benefits of even small amounts of creative time - can give back to us in many ways.
I try and start the day by sitting out in my garden with my Healthy spritzer and soak up the Vit D and listen to the birds and either read or sketch.
Tips to make creative / restorative time easier to implement:
Have tools to hand.
Surround yourself with inspiring things, music, favourite book, favourite snack!
Make a space to create - not perfection, but a space that serves the purpose.
#journal your thoughts. Note down the positive things you can count.
Decide to do something creative for even a small amount of time - 15- 30 minutes.
On a quick trip to Wales lately I just enjoyed sketching the birds on the beach early one morning. And another time recently I wasn't feeling too well, but I loathe doing nothing, so I made myself do a quick sketch in the garden - that was very medicinal!
The Garden.
I made our own raised vegetable gardens and bought in some lovely organic soil from a recycled green waste local firm. I was able to secure a really great deal that works out loads cheaper than buying many, many bags of compost. I got a 1 tonne sack! And then started filling the beds with soil and then with small plants or directly sowing seeds.
Here are some of the process and products of this project! We are now starting to enjoy radish, lettuce and courgette regularly. Waiting on the beans, peas, carrots and cabbages!
From my previous posts you will see I got very inspired by Geli printing art.. so much so that I am putting some of that work in a dedicated space on Etsy - so if you are looking specifically for that artwork its on my esty site. There will be postcards, framed prints, and mini journals made from the prints. Free shipping to the UK.
I try to do a creative class once a month with gals from our church. This session was speed drawing using 5 different techniques. We observed for several minutes then I gave them 3-4 mins to do each tecnique. 1) pencil drawing 2) 2 pencils 3) continuous line with pen 4) bold marker pen 5) blind drawing! Each time they could choose to either focus on the actual form of the flowers, or the negative space around them. I think we all agreed that the most satisfying and surprising one was drawing blind! The art class gave people exposure in a short time to different tools and techniques, and everyone had their own preference to which method they preferred.
This next one was focusing on Birds and Flowers based on a theme in Matthew in the bible where Jesus talked about why be anxious? Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious" I love how we all had the same breif but everyones work is so unique...
Even Mumma of my grandbaby managed a bit of creative time with us yesterday! Some quick collage pieces put together with a floral design on tracing paper... and here is my "little Helper" in the garden and some special moments...
Remember to stop and smell the Roses! My grandbaby is an expert at that!
Comments