Savouring Winter - Online Happenings and Inspiration

Bundled Up, 8"x8" on canvas

Three days into December I'm already feeling a strong call to cocoon with tea and jigsaw puzzles, to fall into a restful state and savour the season. I thought I'd pass along a bit of online goodness that's been inspiring me...

Darlene's (a.k.a. Hippy Urban Girl) December Views. In its fifth year, December Views is a "space for spending time with the visual...to sink in and be with what is in front of you, the beauty you see, the lush imagery that seems to explode in the darkness of this time of the year."

If you're craving a break from words and a shift to images, this is a wonderful way to explore your world this month.

Tina Jett's ideas to celebrate the Solstice and enjoy winter on Scoutie Girl. From outdoor camping to hot winter drinks, this is a great list of activities to help celebrate the season starting in December and all the way through to March.

Leah Piken Kolidas' Winter theme for December over at Creative Every Day. Her Art Every Day Month challenge taught me more than I ever expected. She continues challenging us to be creative every day, this month playing with ideas of winter whether expressed through images, food, decor or any other medium of choice.

The concept of Connie Hozvicka's Soul Hiatus over at Dirty Footprints Studio. Taking a step back from the online world to focus inward and on life with loved ones, this isn't a formal challenge, but a personal one for Connie. I included it here because it inspires me to do the same.

Pixie Campbell's Mother of All Releasings Ceremony. On December 22nd, to honour this year's Winter Solstice, Pixie is inviting us to gather for a collective releasing ceremony to let go of what no longer serves us: "Envision a fire, and see yourself tossing your old worries and fears in there." What a beautifully cathartic way of preparing for the year to come.

If you're interested in joining in, Pixie's graciously offered detailed instructions for creating your own releasing bundle here. You can also create your own version of the ritual.

Re-filling the Creative Well

We feel sluggish, uninterested and uninspired in our art and don't know why. We push on, but nothing we do really speaks to us.

It's time to get out and be fed.

Julia Cameron calls it the Artist Date, I call it re-filling the creative well and you may call it something else, but it essentially means the same thing: seeking inspiration so we can continue doing what we do.

We know it's important, but how many of us do it?

"An artist date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist. In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you preplan and defend against all interlopers. You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, a.k.a. your creative child."

~ Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

In The Artist's Way, Ms Cameron advocates two tools to foster creativity: daily Morning Pages (stay tuned for a future post on this one someday) and the weekly Artist Date. Through morning pages we communicate creative dreams out to the Universe, through Artist Dates we receive insights and inspiration.

I totally dig that.

After nine days of pretty intense art-making and what felt like endlessly tweaking a piece in progress I craved a change of scenery and remembered Ms Cameron's words, so I a) put the piece I was tweaking aside for a few days and b) decided that it was time to get out and take in some inspiration - see what insights the Universe had to offer.

results of an invigorating artist date (parking ticket not included in the picture)

After a few hours spent at the library, a favourite thrift shop and a frou-frou funky clothing boutique my creative well overfloweth. Armed with books on artists and creative spaces, borrowed movies and some new crafting supplies I am giddy and ready to roll!

Do not underestimate the power of an Artist Date whether it's an afternoon spent lingering on the town or fifteen minutes stolen during a lunch break. After today's few hours I'm a believer.

Re-filling the creative well helps keep art-making sustainable. Period.

~~~

What five things could you do to re-fill the creative well?