On vacation for April — let me know what you’d like me to write about!
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The one thing about creativity that you have to be careful about, is seeking perfection. There is too much of a temptation to try to make the perfect hat, the perfect painting, the perfect loaf of bread.
Perfection doesn’t exist.
If we strive for perfection, all we’re going to get in the end is stressed, and that’s counterintuitive to creativity.
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Learn the rules like a pro to break them like an artist (Picasso)
I love to know the rules. Not just in games, but in everything. I like to know what the rules are, so I know where I can stretch them.
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The beauty of working with clay, is that the possibilities are virtually endless. The lump of clay can become anything you want it to be, if you treat it carefully and with respect.
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Everyone has questions. Sometimes we don’t know which questions to ask, because we don’t know what we don’t know yet. Or how to phrase the question to get the answer we’re actually looking for. Have you experienced that, too? We just don’t know what to ask because we’re so new, we’re drinking in all the instructions and trying to see how everything fits together. Learning is an amazing thing, but it can be difficult and frustrating.
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People often wonder if they are too old or too young to start a new hobby. I know I’ve been told on many occasions I was either too young or too old to do something. Neither situation was true.
When are we ever the right age for something?
Right now. It’s the best time to start.
I’ve heard the Chinese proverb “the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time to plant a tree is today.” The same is true with any creative pursuit.
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You may want a piece of art for your wall, a nice abstract swooshy thing, but can’t quite find the one that matches your decor. Pick up a canvas and some paint, and see what happens. It probably won’t look the way you want it to at first, but that’s okay — the beauty of canvas and paint is that you can paint over what you don’t like and start again. (Just wait for the paint to dry first.)
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Have you ever come up with an idea you thought was great, then started working on it and realized it was going to be much bigger than you thought?
That brings me to the story behind the “1,000 Tiles Say a Single Word” piece that was part of the Potters Guild of Hamilton biennial exhibition “Next” in March 2024 at the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas, Ontario.
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If you’re someone who doesn’t think you’re creative and have believed that all your life, how do you know once you’ve “become” creative? Is there some sort of graduation ceremony, where someone bestows a gap and gown on you saying “Now you have earned the title of Creative.”
Nope.
No bells, whistles, gaps, gowns, or flowers.
Being creative is not a distinction that is granted upon you from other people, such as someone who you consider creative saying “yes, now you are creative.”
Being creative is a decision.
It is a mindset.
It is owning the creativity you were born with.
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I became more intentional about my time. That coincided with when I heard about the 15 minutes a day writing habit through the Christian Book Academy that mentioned above. My writing productivity increased dramatically, so I decided to apply it to other things in my life. I carved out little 15 minute sessions in my day where I had extra time I could go longer if I wanted to, and got to work.
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This verse is a reference to sowing seeds for farming; the hardship of whether the seeds will sprout, what the weather will do, whether insects or disease will blight the crop. There is much to stress and worry about and only so much you can do, so you need to have a lot of faith. But come harvest time, there is joy. Few of us farm these days so we may have lost touch with this Psalm, but it still has relevance.
Like I mentioned above, you could apply the same to quilting or other types of creative activity. When you’re quilting there’s all kinds of areas that things can go wrong:
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How do you like to start your day? A quiet cup of coffee in a favourite chair? A cup of tea while listening to the radio? Sitting silently and just giving your mind, body, and soul a few minutes to wake up and enjoy the morning? Or do you drag yourself out of bed at the alarm, rush to check your phone for the latest news, social media posts, emails, and scramble to get ready for work?
I used to rush and scramble every morning, but since I started a new morning routine in December 2022, I’ve been much more productive and pleasant in the morning — at least on the days I don’t miss the alarm clock.
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Think of the joy we have, whether in making something new and sharing it with other people, or sharing how to make something with friends. Wouldn’t you like to learn a skill that you can share with the next generation in your family? Or the next generation growing up in the world? All this while reaping the benefits of better communication, and hand-eye coordination.
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“I’m not creative.”
That phrase always makes me sad.
Everyone is creative; it’s in our DNA. Some of us just haven’t found that outlet that sparks creativity for us yet.
To me, creativity is Passion in Action. It is the expression of something that moves us, whether that is baking a cake, cooking a meal, bricklaying, painting, crochet, farming, gardening, raising orchids, teaching children, building cars, making music or pottery, and so very much more.
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Ever had a moment of doubt or negativity? Like I did when I was nearing the end of my pottery mentorship, had a ton of work, but nothing cohesive enough for our exhibition?
I gathered all the pieces worked on during the time and felt like it was a waste of time
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There is something blissfully peaceful about a cat napping. It's like they've perfected the art of contentment and rest, enjoying the moment, not worrying about the next thing to come. Where do you find moments of peace in your life?
Is it catching a quick nap through a busy day? Or taking a quiet walk in the woods?
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