ART Playbook ART Playbook - Summer 2014 - Premier Issue | Page 11

Premier Issue - Summer 2014 | 11 Creative Explorations Making creativity a part of each day often begins when taking an inspiring workshop and then following the desire to keep a good thing going. to unplug as much as possible and then engage with my own world (my environment, my routine, my family, etc) without screens at least for a portion of the day so I am able to have quiet inspiration We love the diversity in your art - and how organic it is - living by the ocean must be a lovely plus. How can women find inspiration no matter their environments? Being a mom and a busy entrepreneur, exotic travel is pretty much not an option at the moment, but I have found that there are all kinds of places and things within my daily life that still bring provide all kinds of inspiration. I often remind myself of Emily Dickinson, a pretty extreme example, who moved back home to live in Amherst, Massachusetts and spent the bulk of her creative years living with her family in an upstairs bedroom. Not a very romantic idea! What most of us would call a boring or stifled life, she was able to find inspiration amidst the ordinary. But the truth is: no place is ordinary! Wherever we are, in the darkest city street, the most quiet country town, living with our parents in the upstairs bedroom, or in bright and shining Paris itself: we can find a unique way to draw inspiration and seek out our muse. I always tell students in my classes to begin by identifying and taking time to visit places that inspire you- and again these places don't have to be exotic- in fact the easier and more accessible they are in your daily life the better! Over time and my journey as an artist the places that inspire me have evolved and changed- from a dusty construction site to the lush gardens at the zoo to my hometown beaches and mountains, I have learned over time that there is inspiration everywhere it is up to you to open your eyes! What would you say is the biggest benefit of living a creative life? The biggest benefit of living a creative is really being able to embrace who I am. I spent so many years working a day job while juggling my art career on the side and all those years I felt like I was not living a life that fit me. The day that I walked away from my job to pursue self employment and embrace a full time creative life, was the day that I was free and could finally embrace who I was. While you don't have to quit your day job to live a creative life, I do think there is something really profound about making creativity a part of your daily life. For some it might mean walking away from a career for others it might mean finding all kinds of ways to infuse art and creativity into everyday life.