Great class

I took a class this past Saturday at the PFAC on creativity. I met four wonderful women and had a great time. We did exercises in relaxation, improv, movement and creative work. I learned some really good techniques for getting my mind ready for creative endeavors. One of the things that really struck a cord with me was a list of behaviors that help us through the creative process.

1. Being present and really paying attention
2. Personalizing
3. Imaging
4. Serious play
5. Collaborative Inquiry
6. Crafting
   

That last one really hit me hard. I am good at coming up with the ideas but I rarely find my way to the actual work that has to be done. Crafting is the part where you sit down and bring your ideas, your art into fruition. You actual practice your craft, whethers it's oils, pastels, water colors, mixed media...whatever. I have a shed full of architectual salvage that will attest to the fact that I don't craft as much as I imagine. I have all these great ideas for what to repurpose those pieces into and never get to the part where I actually work on the ideas. Bad habit. I need to follow through on my ideas and if they fail accept the experience as a learning one.

My favorite activity of the day was making soul cards. I liked the fact that you are only given so much time to get each phase done. I found I was able to jump into the process because I didn't need the idea up front. You first just gather images at random, things that stick out in a positive or negative way. Then you trim them and lay them out to view them. I found my were ending up in loose categories of sorts. Then you choose the images you want to use and you have a certain amount of time to get them collaged together on your 5x8 card. When your done you look at what you have created and you give it a statement starting with "I am". It was incredible how the images came together and formed a statement without any preconcieved idea.

My statement for this was "I am the action that causes change." I really liked this activity and plan to make more cards. I think the process would work well with my art journal too.

The instructor for the class was awesome. She is the Creative Director for Alternatives Inc. , Linda Hansen. She is teaching another class during the Spring sessions on collage and I plan on taking it. Great experience, great day, I really felt I grew as an artist!

Okay, real quick this is a proud mom moment I can't help but include. A piece of my daughters art was chosen for a Newport News art show. The show features art from all the area schools. Here is her piece...