Back Doors

Original painting created a few years ago.

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After having spent a period of many months letting a number of ideas swirl around in my brain, I think I envisioned a day when I would eventually sit down and officially begin whatever specific visions formed in my mind.  As in, "Today is the day I will map out these plans and those plans, and at that moment I will have definitely started." What has happened instead is that without even realizing it, I have begun a number of projects that have thus far only existed in my imagination, and I've managed to make my way to these new paths through some peculiar back doors.  The lesson being that if I allow myself to just play once in a while, and let my attention wander where it wants, I can make important discoveries about myself and the direction my work needs to take.

My original plans for yesterday were to get in my studio early and create all day.  While I got a number of important and gratifying things done in the morning, more than anything they kept me distracted from my goal of being a creative Tasmanian Devil.  By the time I actually had my art apron on and was getting messy with art supplies, it was almost 2:00pm.  I started in my journal, deciding that because it had been so long since I was actually an Artist, I needed time to just create without boundaries or goals.  As I worked, I kept pulling out new bins, binders and boxes of papers, and soon realized I had a lot of beautiful papers that had been sitting on my shelves for many, many months.  I was in one of my purging moods, so I decided I was going to let go of what I wasn't using and fill a bag for the recycling bin.

Then an idea came to me - what if I created packages of fun paper packs and sold them online?  I could pass along some beautiful papers, as well as bits and pieces from my travels, and encourage more people to get creative by offering them some colorful tools.  So I began organizing stacks of papers, dividing them up in fun piles and enjoying seeing different patterns, colors, vintage magazine images and even portions of maps of Buenos Aires all mixed together.  I started packaging them in clear cello sleeves and imagining how much fun they would be for anyone who received them in the mail.

And then another idea came to me - I have been thinking and talking about offering creativity workshops next year, so maybe I should hold on to these and they could be part of an art goodie bag I give to participants.  I stay on this path, and begin to think more about how these workshops might be structured, and how I could encourage participants to continue creating beyond any Art Night they share with me and their friends.

And then I realize - the new year is right around the corner, and I need to get going on this.  So this morning I send an email to a group of women in the area offering two creativity workshops in the next two weeks.  If I'm going to do workshops, I need some trial runs, and now is as good a time as any to get going.

Who knew my strange passion for paper, my love of organizing and my desire to inspire others would all collide on a Monday and propel me into action on Tuesday?  I had no idea I would actually start this whole workshop thing this week.  In fact, I had mindlessly set it aside as Something I Would Start Next Year, but once I started thinking about the nuts and bolts of it, I realized there was no reason to put it off.  The time to begin was now.

I am still giggling at this funny little side benefit of being a workshop organizer who offers packs of paper as a gift to all of my participants - I am actually going to have a reason to scour antique stores, vintage magazines and paper boutiques all the time.  I get to bring all of these treasures home and re-package them for the sole purpose of encouraging creativity in the lives of others.  I get to share this peculiar passion of mine in an inspiring way and savor all the eye candy in the process.

I realized something terribly important these past few months.  I am an artist, yes, but that particular title exists within a larger piece of my identity.  What I want to do more than anything is INSPIRE, and do my part to create a wider pool of light in the world.  My highest priorities in life do not center around getting my work into a museum or becoming a rock star artist; my deepest convictions center around being a positive force in the world.  Quirky as it may sound, I actually tapped into that energy while sitting on my studio floor yesterday dividing up beautiful papers and sliding them into clear envelopes.  Through that very simple act, I was spurred into action, and my first steps as a teacher have been taken.  Wish me luck.

"To begin, begin."  -Peter Niviozarlenga

Comments

[Melba]

How I wish I lived closer!

[christine]

Oh, entries like this and the one after and I realize that we are woven from the same cloth.

In addition to my love for organizing (I recently have enjoyed an afternoon of sliding paper into sheet protectors and binders), I too collected packets of paper and ephemera to give to my collage workshop participants this spring! I felt a little bit grade school doing it, but they all seemed to love it.

Your light already shines so brightly! I can't wait to see the brightness and color you bring to the world. xoxo

[leah]

how delicious! i wish i were closer!

[melissa]

I am still smiling at the vision of you in all your organizing glory! Wish I could join your creative workshop...maybe I'll just have to tackle that on my own. Hmmm...know you've got me thinking :) xoxo

[colorsonmymind]

Oh you are such an inspiration and how I would love to be in one of your classes:)

[boho girl]

goosebumps...totally.

i feel so giddy inside for you. i love how this all unraveled for you today.

mmmm...feeling inspired.
love you.

[Liz]

too cool! i love people's tales of their ideas unfolding, unwrapping, unraveling and forming, becoming... wonderful ideas about creativity workshops... any plans/dreams to bring the show to SF?

[Lin]

you inspire me...I saw a program tonight of a man Kip who was a olympic medal holder who went back to Kenya to inspire the people and children there to make use of the opportunities they get...and the program ended with "if you want to INSPIRE, do something that people will remember"...that is what you are doing...things that we remember...thank you for sitting down and just doing it! :0)

Big hug!

[susannah]

YAY!!!! this sounds fantastic - i can picture you sat on your canvas sheet on the floor, playing with paper and dreams and magic.... you inspire me so much baby (and ps. fancy doing a paper swap with me?) love you xox

[amanda]

i wish so much that i was in the area to be inspired by you and take one of your workshops. i love that the playing and letting yourself go in whatever direction you felt next led you to this. sooner rather than later.
so happy for you and your new projects.

[Frida]

And you do inspire - me and many others. I love this post so much and found myself getting all excited about those workshops as though I was going to be able to just pop down the road and join in! Well - you inspire me from whatever distance and I think it is a noble and courageous path to choose to share and mulitply the creative goodness.

[liz elayne]

bravo to action christine! i love this and can't wait to see how this adventure unfolds for you...

happy tuesday to you my dear.

[Christianne]

I was listening to my pastor talk last night, and he mentioned that the simpler and more focused a directive is, the more it frees you up for creativity and diversity. On the flip side, the more defined and structured a directive is, the more confining it is.

I thought of this in relation to what you shared about wanting to INSPIRE, that this is really the mantra of your life. Just look at all the new ways you can do that now, simply because you've narrowed your focus to one word and in the same breath broadened the possibilities to ENDLESS.

Blessings on you in this journey! And I loved hearing all about your paper story and its trail to the creativity workshops you decided to just make GO.