In the wake of the Charlottesville protests, I was encouraged to see some anti-fascist art popping up in my Instagram feed. It’s so easy to feel powerless when confronted with such powerful expressions of hate, but one easy thing we can all do is share images and messages that express what we believe in. I went digging for some art being made in response to hate, racism, and heart-breaking current events. Here’s what I found
Curiosity is a beautiful thing, but only when it isn’t an obstacle to doing your creative work.
It’s all too easy to keep putting off getting started because you just need a little more information. It can create a powerful mental block that tells you that you’re not ready, you don’t have everything figured out, and you won’t succeed without having it all mapped out ahead of time. I’ve learned that there is no such thing as ‘having everything figured out.’
I talk about fear a lot on this blog. Earlier this year I did a whole series on how I deal with social anxiety. Last year I wrote about what it was like to give a speech in front of hundreds of people. The reason I try to be so open about it is because the only thing worse than feeling afraid is feeling like you’re the only one feeling afraid.
“How do you take a big idea and break it down so you know what to do for 15 minutes or an hour, in the time that you have? Anything I could do today seems too small to make a difference.”
This all-or-nothing thinking trap is a particularly sticky one. It can be so hard to start a project that you’ve been thinking about for a long time because it tends to build up in your mind to the point where getting started feels hopeless. And things get especially tough when you have tried to work on it but haven’t seen the results you want. The answer? Put a stop to the mind games and sit down and do the work - no matter how much or little time, money, or energy you have.
How much do you know about printmaking? If you’re like most people who didn’t study art, the answer is probably not much. It’s a family of art-making techniques that are quite unique and beautiful but that aren’t well understood outside the art world, despite having been around for thousands of years - since the invention of paper.Since I love working in printmaking, and keep running into confusion when I talk about it, I thought I would share a little of what it’s all about and my experience with it.
Sometimes I feel like a cross between a three year old and an old lady. Routines are veeeeeery important to me. I have a strict bedtime and I have been eating the same things for breakfast every single week for the last four years. I do not fit the model of the free-wheeling creative who stays up all night painting (or binge-drinking) and forgets to eat. A few weeks ago I got excited because I got lost in a drawing and forgot about breakfast for 30 whole minutes. Woohoo! Getting crazy in this art studio!The thing is, my desire for (you might even say obsession with) routine is what helps me thrive as a creative.
I first heard of Andrea when a friend told me she gave the BEST social media advice and since then I've run into her in a few places online AND we took at least one of Andrea Yacyshyn's belly dance classes together. I'm inspired by her flair for storytelling and her passion for local, female-run business - if you're in Edmonton you have to listen to the That's So Maven Podcast.
The idea of wasted time has always created a lot of internal struggle for me. When I was 12 I already felt like I was running out of time, wasting my childhood away. It’s sad really, how much of my life I have spent feeling like I should be doing something else, and I’m determined to change that thought pattern.
Since April 5th I have read poems by over 50 poets, and made a post on Instagram for each one. I started it as part of #the100dayproject, a challenge started by Elle Luna where people make something for 100 days and post it on Instagram. It has been challenging, inspiring, and eye-opening. Since I’m halfway through, I thought I would share some of what I’ve learned and my favourite posts so far.
