February 2010

Jim Haynes

28 February 2010 - 12:00am — creativevoyage

Jim Haynes is one of those one person whirlwinds who gets things done. Like start the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh and the kick off the 60's in the dreich capital. He now lives in Paris and has a weekly open supper where anyone can drop by and mingle for a donation. A freind of mine just went and had a fantastic time.

The Gift of the Gift

26 February 2010 - 2:56pm — creativevoyage

The Gift of the Gift

 

Creativity is a gift. Too many of us refuse it unwittingly. Assaulted by self-doubt, we fail to believe that it has been put into our hands. We diminish it by insisting that we should have been child prodigies. We insist its only proof is commercial gain. But the creative is a gift to us from another realm, and it comes to us when it comes.

 

The creative is first and foremost for us; this is why creative people are called ‘gifted’. First, the gift is given to us. To recognise that we are gifted – that we have been given the gift of creativity – is to claim parts of ourselves too often denied. But, in order for us to be given to, to be gifted, we must be willing to receive.

 

Second, we are asked to nurture and develop what has been given, to make something with it. By adding to the gift, we make it more fundamentally ours, and in doing so, we are made more whole. The third part of the gift is that we must pass it on by offering a gift to others. Something is healed in us through the giving; severed parts are brought together. Exchange occurs and the world heals a little.

 

Some of these ideas are themselves the gift of Lewis Hyde, who wrote the remarkable book, The Gift, Imagination, and the Erotic Life of Property, in which he articulates the difference between a gift-giving and an acquisitive or consumer society. In a gift-giving society, an individual gains prestige and satisfaction by receiving, then by adding to what has been received and passing it on. The society thrives on the energy of the exchange. In a consumer society, prestige and satisfaction are gained through accumulation and acquisition. Nothing is given, nothing is passed on, no energy of exchange exists. Describing several potlatch societies, Hyde identifies artists as members of another kind of gift-giving society.

 

 

In 1939 an odd trio travelled the length of Mexico together: the great muralist Diego Rivera, the renegade revolutionary Leon Trotsky, and the king of surrealists, Andre Breton. Together they wrote a manifesto about the state of art, which Trotsky and Rivera later disclaimed and only Breton was willing to sign. In this manifesto, however, the three of them had agreed that creativity was innate in every human being and that societies were to be held responsible for crushing the creative instinct. Therefore, they reasoned, a government in the interest of the people would ensure the freedom that would allow the artist in each individual to emerge.* Fifty years later, the idea that creativity is innate in everyone is still revolutionary and is still valid.

 

From Writing for Your Life by Deena Metzger pub HarperSanFrancisco ISBN 0 06 250612 9

 

*Please note this is not to suggest that you personally should wait until the ‘day of the Revolution’ in order to be creative as one of my former AW participants eagerly leapt on this new excuse/block! You are your own revolution and your change profoundly affects those around you - Mary

 

Modern Quilt Guild

24 February 2010 - 12:56pm — creativevoyage

Week 2 of the cold cough thing is wearing me down. What cheered me up was finding these modern quilts acessorised by cat.

Cups of earl gray tea.

My mother coming around with cat food and port while the sleet tumbles down. She took away a present for my neice's birthday and acted as a postie for me - removing mail I'd hastily written this morning.

Winter Creative Blues Day 5

22 February 2010 - 12:36pm — creativevoyage

ACTION: Congratulate yourself !

 

We don’t spend enough time giving ourselves credit for what we do – do. So break that habit now and congratulate yourself for finishing the course.

 

Two into the future goals are to 1. keep a pen/pencil and piece of paper about you so you can take notes for future creative projects. Seriously don’t assume you will remember that fab idea for a screenplay from being on the bus – you will forget so write notes. 2. Have something to look forward to plan some kind of fab outing to a café, exhibition whatever would be fun and interesting for you. We need things to look forward to.

 

Good Luck !

 

Winter Creative Blues Day 4

21 February 2010 - 12:00am — creativevoyage

ACTION: Self care

 

Think of something that would make your life better – not necessarily expensive but better. New headphones, good coffee at work, a basket to chuck bathroom necessities into, going to bed half an hour earlier, library books.

 

Repeat Actions from Day 1-3

 

THEORY: We tend to think of creative people as suffering but really by carefully supporting and caring for ourselves we make it much easier to create.

 

 

Listen to your life

20 February 2010 - 1:33pm — creativevoyage
Listen to your life.
See it for the fathomless mystery it is.
In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness:
touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it
because in the last analysis all moments are key moments,
and life itself is grace.
~Frederick Buechner

Winter Creative Blues Day 3

20 February 2010 - 12:00am — creativevoyage

ACTION: DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT

 

Anything small or big. The important thing is to do it. Small could be taking a different route to work. Looking for books in a different section of the library. Trying a new recipe. Not picking the phone up when it rings.

 

DO IT

 

In addition repeat Actions from Day 1 & 2.

 

THEORY:  Our lives are dominated by routines – we cook the same foods, walk the same roads often at exactly the same time and it takes out the random element (often what makes what we call luck) The more different random things you do the more random luck elements arrive in your life.

Winter Creative Blues Day 2

18 February 2010 - 7:36pm — creativevoyage

ACTION: Take a walk for 15-20 minutes.

 

Either make it part of your day – walk part of your way to work or home or try and walk in a park.

 

If you think that the weather is too bad remember the Swedish saying ‘There is no bad weather only bad clothes’.

 

REPEAT ACTION from day 1

 

THEORY: Every creative person from Wordsworth down has got inspiration from walking. The rhythm of walking occupies part of the brain allowing the rest to free associate and make connections. Lack of light also depresses many people at this time of year even a small amount from outside will help lift mood

Winter Creative Blues Day 1

18 February 2010 - 12:00am — creativevoyage

ACTION: Pick up a pen (an easy writing one rather than a biro) and two or three sheets of  A4 paper. Use junk mail if you can’t find any paper.

 

Find a corner of your day and sit down for twenty minutes. This can be your lunch / tea break  or even during your commute.

 

Write – just let it spill out – grumble on the page, grouch about what you hate, and whiter about what obsesses you. Allow yourself to dream about what you would like to do.

 

Ask for guidance when you write eg ‘What can I do about Aunt Minnie?’ answer your self on the page. You will find yourself surprisingly eloquent with more inner wisdom than you imagine.

 

Don’t try to be literary – just keep your pen moving. Don’t worry about grammar and spelling you are not going to reread this.

 

THEORY: Our heads are filled with junk, which rattles around preventing us with getting on with things. On the page it doesn’t have such a hold over use. We also fail to regularly have proper in-depth conversations with ourselves about what we want and like. This is a way of accessing our true selves unmediated through other people.

 

Winter Creative Blues?

17 February 2010 - 12:32pm — creativevoyage

I'm aware that everyone around me is struggling with the tail end of winter. Energy levels are low and a sort of cabin feaver has set in.

I've put together a blog series starting tomorrow which is a gentle 5 day programme to get people out of a winter creative slump so check back tomorrow for part one.