Superstar by Andrea Zimon

I remember watching the movie, Addam's Family Values. Towards the end, the antagonist rationalizes  her psychotic leanings by stating that her parents got her Malibu Barbie instead of Ballerina Barbie which so she so desperately wanted.

 This line was amusing to me (among others) because I remember a rather profound discussion with my cousin validating the merits of Malibu, Ballerina, and Superstar Barbie. We decided that as she could wear anything Malibu Barbie was a keeper. Ballerina Barbie was worthy of our collection as she could twirl. However, Superstar Barbie had issues, particularly with the arms. We just didn't think the bent arms were realistic (eyes rolling here). Plus, we decided that those bent arms were a hindrance in speedy dress changes. After all, what good is Barbie without her wardrobe? For the record, I was the one with Malibu Barbie and my cousin had Ballerina Barbie so we were definitely biased. To the best of my knowledge,  Barbie was not responsible for any my childhood trauma but my parents did not buy me a pony which probably led to all sort of other problems.

This artwork was supposed to be a meaningful piece interpreting that special bond between woman and horse. Then it went rogue. I liked that horse but not its placement .Then the figure took on the form of the discussed Superstar Barbie and I decide to scrap 'meaningful' and embraced the superstar theme.  

stories by karin sanborn

Mrs. Lavery was a kindergarten teacher extraordinaire.
One of her art lessons is alive and well nearly a 1/2 century later. I use it all the time. It is my favorite exercise.

Receive a scribble,  3D object, or sound 'image' from someone without any prior plan other than to make up something from nothing. What becomes when the artist or viewer is challenged to create a visual story with no rules?

This brings us to this week's exercise of making your own narrative from some unexpected images.
Titles withheld for obvious reasons. Happy imagining.

Seeking Artistic Grace- Sarah K. Feragen

 Hello All,

Well, since my last blog, I've improved upon the "jammin' with myself " theme.

The two paintings on the left took me about two weeks each to attain the haphazard breezy Zen look.
These were both done in watercolor crayons and craft paints, children's media but combined with years of hard won perceptions and painting skills, I think it's a lovely effect.



I love the sweeping gestures so much that I made it into a vase sculpture.
After the news of the day, I really needed to retreat to the calm colors of the olive trees.

I wanted to capture the delight of color and form moving through each other in a abstracted manner.
Think of it as an invitation to move between real space and illusionary realms. I find it pleasing to shift between the two. New connections show me novel visual relationships, this inturn inspires me to express the new dynamics.

  

 



I hope everyone who loves creativity, guards a little space and time in busy demanding lives to discover the beauty that every soul carries within. Shut off the world that dictates it's perceptions to you, develope your own.

   As an act of political defiance, we should do all that we can to express those inner musings, this is the only prescription that I know to shut out the hate.

Love,
Sarah

A Discussion of Creativity by Andrea Zimon

Seth Apter is an author, among other things, who asked ‘Is creativity learned, built in, or both?’.

To me the answer is obvious but rather than answer that, let me lead with a response I frequently hear, when I say to people I am an artist which is some variation of ‘ I am not creative’.

And there is nothing that makes me gnash my teeth more.  

Because it is untrue. Who said artists garnered the market on creativity? Creativity is so much more than taking what is considered an artistic medium and putting it on the intended surface.

There is creativity in communication. I listen to subjects I am not interested in because the presentation is good. I listen to certain sport shows simply because the people who are speaking are interesting. I am not a sports fan. I don’t watch sports but if you are telling a good story I am in.  

I remember certain teachers not because I loved their subjects but they would slip sarcastic remarks or interesting stories into the discussion and that would cause me to pay attention to them. I had a science teacher made a comment about Hooke’s law comparing it similar to what we, as 14 year-olds, did to our parents. I do not use Hooke’s law in my life but I remember it.  Making an adolescent pay attention is truly an act of creativity.

There is creativity is engineering.  An architect is the obvious creative. But the engineer has the creativity to see that the structure keeps its form.  And he has to consider many other variables such as surface, materials, availability – just to name a few.

How about cars?  I love stories about the ‘creatives’ who take rusted hulks and return them to either authentic or altered beauty.  

I look at motorcycles the same as I look at pottery as beautiful and functional pieces of art.

Detectives need creativity to solve crimes because rarely is the answer handed to them.

My mother collected everything under the sun and she could take all this crap, organize it, and make it pretty so that I feel really confident that her house could have easily stood with the best homes in Better Homes and Gardens.

 My final story is about a friend’s husband who built a clock, a guitar, a lathe, a car, and high tech medical device. My friend informed me that he doesn’t call himself an artist. Well, he sure is creative.  

So to answer the question: creativity is built in and the skills are learned to hone that creativity. And practice is what makes you better and gives you passion to push on.  

Self portrait, digitally altered, based on the prompt 'my shadow side' taken from Seth Apter's book the Mixed Media Artist. The question in my discussion is taken from his other book, The Pulse of Mixed Media.