365 Days of Creative

The Idea:
This project was born from my need to create an intention in my art. While exploring many forms of expression has been fun, I feel I'm ready to focus on the work I am meant to be doing. I'm ready to move beyond being a "dabbler" or "hobbyist." This project is my answer to maintaining a daily art practice: something to help me stay connected to my creative spirit every day, because that's what makes me feel happy and alive.  And I know that's what it's going to take to find my voice as an artist. I'm hoping that this project evolves into the art form that will be my best expression of self, but until then, I just have to keep showing up and using my creative energy every day. I know it has to be simple enough that I can do it daily for at least five minutes, something interesting enough to keep me coming back, something where I can let go of the end result and just enjoy the process of creative expression, a project without limits or rules or room for excuses.  I'm going to start in the most simple way that I can think of: by paying attention and noticing what creative things I'm already doing naturally. Reflecting on this will lead to the next step.

I have a sneaking suspicion that creativity is often spontaneous and informal. Maybe that's why we don't always recognize when we're being creative. Since I have yet to succeed at initiating daily attempts at "making art," I hope to catch myself in spontaneous acts of creating. Maybe, in this way, I can redefine creativity and art to make it more accessible to myself, and anyone who wishes to connect with their own creative spirit.

What if we entertain the notion that each day brings countless opportunities to express our creativity? What if we consider that we have the potential to create every single day of our lives?

What could we create today? 

The Project: I will participate in one creative act. Each. And. Every. Day. For 365 days.

The Plan:

I imagine I’ll have to get really, well- creative! Some days I may spend just five minutes on a creative exercise, or working on an ongoing piece. Other days (I hope), I will spend more time, practicing one of my many favorite art forms or crafts. Maybe some days will bring more than one creative act. I’m sure many days I will have to think long and hard about what I manifested that day, but I will give myself credit for it. By the end of each day, I will post a short description of my creative act on this static page. I’ll just keep adding them to the top of the list, so they’ll appear in reverse chronological order, most recent at the top. I may also post details of each act (along with photos, tutorials, resources and recipes) on my blog feed (“Musings”) as I reflect on the process. By the end of the year, I will have given myself 365 opportunities to connect with my creative spirit and find my creative calling. Maybe I will also help others recognize that we are all already creative, every day of our lives. We are enough just the way we are and we have everything we need inside us to create what makes us happy. 

To calm my little inner rebel warrior who's battle cry is "You are not the boss of me!!" I have decided to place no other rules on this project. There are just intentions. I must remember that life gets in the way of best intentions (sometimes for the better), so there is no guilt here. If I miss a day, I let go and move on. No beating myself up over what should have been, just being gentle with myself and being in the moment, paying attention, observing what’s working and what’s not, reflecting and revising when necessary- just what I teach my little writers to do. The creative act need not be grand or precious. The art need not be “pretty” or even fit the traditional description of art. It can take any form of creative expression, as long as it pleases me in the moment. It just needs to be a small step towards my creative endeavors or towards living a more artful life. I just have to make one mark on the world, or on myself, each day and see where it takes me. This project will challenge me, for sure, but I know I can find five minutes a day to do what I was put on this earth to do: CREATE.

The Purpose:

I am sharing my intention with the world (or whatever little part of it I reach) so that I can be held accountable for taking actions to make it happen.  I’m hoping you will check in on me often. I’m calling on everyone I know to be my art partner, to hold me to it- gently please ;) While I'm doing this to empower myself, if there is a {{ripple effect}} of creativity among my friends, family and in my community, even better. I believe our communities will be stronger and our lives richer if we step into our own creative power, even in a small way. That’s what inspires and encourages me. I would be even more delighted if you joined me on the journey with your own 365 days of creative! Perhaps you'll put your own spin on the idea. Make your mark. Make your day.

The Invitation:

I would love for you to help me celebrate the culmination of this project. On the one-year anniversary of my undertaking, I will host a creative gathering, an art party, an all-ages event. You’re invited! The place and time of day will be announced as it gets closer. (I don’t have that part figured out yet.) See, we don’t have to have everything figured out when we first decide to step into our courage. Stepping into your courage is just that- a step. One little step. The rest of the path will reveal itself. So friends, save the date. Gather with me on Saturday, June 15, 2013 and help me create the 366^th thing…..

How’s that for a commitment?

With gratitude:

*Thank you to Tish McAllise Sjoberg at Expressive Arts, San Diego, for encouraging my daily art practice and for helping me find one of the pieces that was missing from my courage to be an artist. Each day is a tiny piece of the bigger puzzle, right Tish?

www.expressiveartssandiego.com

And to Amy Krouse Rosenthal for her 17 things and her inspiring work on The Beckoning of Lovely project.  

www.whoisamy.com

*Please visit the blog archives for a complete list of creative acts, beginning on June 15, 2012. The links on this page became a bit much to keep up with, but all of this year's projects are tagged "365 Days of Creative" in the I Ramble On About sidebar.

Today I made:

Day 120- October 12, 2012: a travel art kit
Day 119- October 11, 2012: a study of the raindrops
Day 118- October 10, 2012: a photo journal for my better half
Day 117- October 9, 2012: a delicious mess...
Day 116- October 8, 2012: plans for a handmade anniversary gift
Day 115- October 7, 2012: the living room rug into a dance floor
Day 114- October 6, 2012: an illustration for a special quote
Day 113- October 5, 2012: wet ink on the page
Day 112- October 4, 2012: early art...
Day 111- October 3, 2012: spaghetti squash
Day 110- October 2, 2012: Moody Mac & Cheese
Day 109- October 1, 2012: a breakthrough...
Day 108- September 30, 2012: peace with the lost feeling...
Day 107- September 29, 2012: a five senses poem
Day 106- September 28, 2012: a remembrance
Day 105- September 27, 2012: a tiny dent in my to-do list
Day 104- September 26, 2012: a timely reminder, complete
Day 103- September 25, 2012: some truth in the moment
Day 102- September 24, 2012: baby steps towards my creative business
Day 101- September 23, 2012: art in the sunshine
Day 100- September 22, 2012: Top 10 Greatest Things About Living the Creative Life
Day 99- September 21, 2012: a list of creative acts (in no particular order)
Day 98- September 20, 2012: yet another mess
Day 97- September 19, 2012: an effort...
Day 96- September 18, 2012: a happy discovery in a stash of old photos & a new blog banner
Day 95- September 17, 2012: bacon wrapped figs stuffed with goat cheese
Day 94- September 16, 2012: framed word art for the birthday girl
Day 93- September 15, 2012: the last letter for the birthday girl's gift
Day 92- September 14, 2012: 'G' is for...
Day 91- September 13, 2012: 'U' is for...
Day 90- September 12, 2012: 'A' is for...
Day 89- September 11, 2012: the beginning of a word art piece for the birthday girl
Day 88- September 10, 2012: hopscotch wisdom
Day 87- September 9, 2012: a clean art studio
Day 86- September 8, 2012: a note to self...
Day 85- September 7, 2012: a blind painting
Day 84- September 6, 2012: a design line
Day 83- September 5, 2012: my scanner work for me...
Day 82- September 4, 2012: digital photos to help with composition
Day 81- September 3, 2012: progress in the wood shop
Day 80- September 2, 2012: a plan to infiltrate the Man Cave
Day 79- September 1, 2012: the beginning of a manifesto...
Day 78- August 31, 2012: peace with my to-do list
Day 77- August 30, 2012: background effects for my calendar pages
Day 76- August 29, 2012: good conversation
Day 75- August 28, 2012: momentum
Day 74- August 27, 2012: a connection with the source
Day 73- August 26, 2012: good use of my mess
Day 72- August 25, 2012: plans for a big project
Day 71- August 24, 2012: no excuses
Day 70- August 23, 2012: use of my water soluble oil pastels
Day 69- August 22, 2012: an inquiry...
Day 68- August 21, 2012: The Harrowing Tale of Gull and Girl
Day 67- August 20, 2012: a collection of art community photos
Day 66- August 19, 2012: a community of artists...
Day 65- August 18, 2012: a place for everything...
Day 64- August 17, 2012: "She Answered the Call of the Creative"
Day 63- August 16, 2012: my mission more complete...
Day 62- August 15, 2012: reflections at low tide
Day 61- August 14, 2012: a mixed media mess
Day 60- August 13, 2012: August journal pages
Day 59- August 12, 2012: a new friend...
Day 58- August 11, 2012: earth capsules
Day 57- August 10, 2012: a memory capsule
Day 56- August 9, 2012: my very first art workshop!
Day 55- August 8, 2012: logo draft #1
Day 54- August 7, 2012: this poem...
Day 53- August 6, 2012: a blurry nighttime train picture
Day 52- August 5, 2012: altered book art...
Day 51- August 4, 2012: some art for my music man...
Day 50- August 3, 2012: an art journal page to celebrate 50 Days of Creative!!!
Day 49- August 2, 2012: a new set of photos on Flickr...
Day 48- August 1, 2012: an affirmation...
Day 47- July 31, 2012: a few false starts
Day 46- July 30, 2012: an entry in my Gratitude Journal
Day 45- July 29, 2012: my kind of manicure
Day 44- July 28, 2012: time to journal during my travels
Day 43- July 27, 2012: a promise to return...
Day 42- July 26, 2012: my way to the Atlantic Ocean
Day 41- July 25, 2012: pictures of Boston
Day 40- July 24, 2012: a travel art kit
Day 39- July 23, 2012: a spinach mushroom quiche with a crescent roll crust...YUM!
Day 38- July 22, 2012: this photo and a connection to a favorite quote
Day 37- July 21, 2012: a "found bead" necklace
Day 36- July 20, 2012: a new Meetup Group
Day 35- July 19, 2012: these lesson plans...
Day 34- July 18, 2012: an expedition to a new land
Day 33- July 17, 2012: a little noise & some new friends
Day 32- July 16, 2012: time to reflect
Day 31- July 15, 2012: an e-card for my dearest friend
Day 30- July 14, 2012: my way down this old dirt road...
Day 29- July 13, 2012: the sunset last
Day 28- July 12, 2012: a quick stop...
Day 27- July 11, 2012: time for the flowers
Day 26- July 10, 2012: a collection
Day 25- July 9, 2012: a connection
Day 24- July 8, 2012: a free verse poem
Day 23- July 7, 2012: more time and space for my creative mind to play
Day 22- July 6, 2012: a finished painting
Day 21- July 5, 2012: a night of it...
Day 20- July 4, 2012: the colors brighter...
Day 19- July 3, 2012: the earth, the sea and the sky
Day 18- July 2, 2012: a decorative flower pot
Day 17- July 1, 2012: pictures of the fair at night...
Day 16- June 30, 2012: a succulent garden
Day 15- June 29, 2012: the workings of a painting
Day 14- June 28, 2012: this smile...
Day 13- June 27, 2012: a timely reminder (Part 1)
Day 12- June 26, 2012:an art card for a friend
Day 11- June 25, 2012: a friend's day

Day 10- June 24, 2012: every second count
Day 9- June 23, 2012: a picture of a lay of the land
Day 8- June 22, 2012: a reward system
Day 7- June 21, 2012: this happy sign to remind myself...
Day 6- June 20, 2012: this mess (and a letter of apology)
Day 5- June 19, 2012: a midnight idea journal
Day 4- June 18, 2012: my summer reading list
Day 3- June 17, 2012: fresh squeezed orange juice and a still life
Day 2- June 16, 2012: a discovery
Day 1- June 15, 2012:  a commitment