Tag: writing

Posted on in art, ideas, Inspiration, Life, studios

the raven

  

If you’ve read many of my posts or been to my place, you’ll see that my garden is an extension of my studio, and a huge source of inspiration and reprieve for me.  The studio structure is a converted two-car garage, and when we moved in, there was no garden to speak of. So when we designed the interior space and added a window, the view wasn’t as big of a concern as it should have been.  (Hindsight). Fortunately, the garage also had a screened-in porch attached, and that has become one of my favorite places to think.  

  

 

This weekend, my hubby helped me out by making a little writing desk out of an old wooden palette.  It works perfectly in the space, allowing me to overlook the garden and stay mosquito-free at the same time (a huge task around here).  He lovingly named it “The Raven” a testament to his sense of humor, and a nod to his inner Mad Hatter.  

flashback to Halloween 2010

For some, rainy days and Mondays are big downers, but I happen to love both (However, I currently don’t report to “work” on most Mondays, so that most likely determines my affection). This morning brought spring rains, and I was able to clear my head while enjoying the vibrant beauty of the garden. The birds sang happily.  I even made a quirky little poem to memorialize the moment:

 

   

 

 

   And as I’m wrapping up this post, guess who perched outside my back door?   

The raven’s unglamorous Texas cousin, the grackle (as seen through the screen, from my new desk).

“Forevermore.” 

Posted on in ideas, Inspiration, Life, Process

awesome april (day 17) – journaling

A big part of my creative process is journaling — both the longhand-written text kind of journaling, and also visual journaling.  I’ll share about the writing part today, and visual journals in tomorrow’s post.

to my future self...
My audience?  my future self…

I started keeping a diary as a kid, but didn’t really get into daily journaling until my Junior year in high school.  Our teacher made us write journal entries (you know, for a grade), and it soon became my top creative outlet.  I not only wrote in my journal, but also cut out magazine articles and newspaper clippings, and made collages and illustrations.  I have tons of poems I wrote — a few good ones, and many really sad, desperate teenage girl kind of poems —  as well as long, descriptive narratives of my summer days working, dating, getting into trouble and being completely bored.

proof of my teenage obsession with GWTW
proof of my teenage obsession with GWTW

I kept writing in that journal through my Senior year, and it’s a priceless artifact now, in all it’s 2″ three-ring binder glory.   I pulled it out to take photos for this blog post, and have now stayed up most of the night reading it.  Fascinating stuff.

So many things to do...
So many things to do…

It has been interesting to see the world through my own teenage eyes.  Some things are much different from an adult’s point of view (Note to past self:  “He’s just not that into you”).  And then, some things never change.  Even then, I had so much I wanted “to accomplish, so many things to do, places to go, people to see…”  And I still have a hard time being patient, because I “want to go out and do it all.”

Important: finding a career that I like!
Important: finding a career that I like!

Probably my favorite find was in an entry written at the end of the summer between Junior and Senior year.  I had worked all summer at Braum’s Ice Cream Store, and was desperately wishing for school to start back.   I’d had enough of sticky sweet customer service, and was convinced that when I grew up “I’m gonna get myself a career that I like.”   Amen!

Even now I practice journaling on a regular basis.  After reading Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way,” I became re-convinced of the value of writing a few pages of prose every morning, to clear my mind and help me to focus when I’m ready to work.    I use it to write goals, hopes, prayers, meditations, frustrations, ideas and grocery lists.  It’s also a great way of documenting my life at the moment – you forget so much of the everyday details.

And I find it interesting to see what changes over time and what stays the same.