Art is Everywhere. This Week: Unhappy Hipsters

Unhappy Hipsters has been making the rounds for the last couple of weeks, but it makes me happy every time my RSS feed reader updates with a new post, so I just had to share.

Such a great reminder that we, in all our modern sophistication, need to sometimes take ourselves just a little less seriously.

Every Monday is Tip Day! This Week: Changing Vision

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch.

This Week: Changing Vision

Lately, some important life changes and transitions have me rethinking a few things, specifically the trajectory my life is following. Heart checks like these are important. They help keep us on track with our vision, and they help us re-think the vision when necessary.

As I worked on my vision board tonight (still not finished – it’s always evolving), I thought about how some of the creatives I know create a new vision for every quarter, and some change it out every month. A vision, by its nature, is a constantly changing, evolving thing. Life brings new challenges and opportunities, so we adapt our course.
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Everyday Creative: The First Month

Melanie Sklarz, February 2010

Last month I wrote about why I was starting this challenge and this month I want to give you a status update on how I am doing. Going into this, I realized I wouldn’t be perfect, because humans like creativity can be messy and inspiration can often follow a non-linear route. Nonetheless, I am proud to say that I stuck with it (ok, most of it anyway) this first month.

The first week began by making creativity my religion. It doesn’t matter if you already have a religion because this is an addition to your current religion. Like religion, creativity is a way of life that also has rituals and ceremonies. Actually, one of the first exercises is to craft your own rituals for creating. I settled on starting my creative work with a positive invocation and affirmation statement and also working on small sketchbook collages to rev up my creative energy before tackling a big project.
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In Between

It’s been nearly a week since I last posted here, and I am so sorry about that. I know it’s bad blogging manners to apologize for late posting, but I owe you for hanging in there with me.

It’s been a long couple of weeks. My days have been up and down, and I’m still unpacking. I finally finished unpacking our guest bedroom tonight, just in time for my brother to visit tomorrow.

I’ll be honest and let you know that throughout this transition, I haven’t had much time (or made much time) for purely creative work outside of my day job. Most of my art supplies and three quarters of my office are still packed, so I honestly haven’t known where to begin.

However, I have made time here in there to get my self back in a creative groove. Life is busy, and when it is at its craziest, it is incredibly easy to put creative work on the back burner. Here’s what I am (trying to) do to avoid that pitfall.
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Art is Everywhere. This Week: “Foster” by Claire Keegan

This morning Elena, whom I know through Twitter (@TickledPinkKnit), shared a link to a short story in the latest issue of The New Yorker. I’ve been hooked on short stories lately, so I clicked over and decided to read it.

Claire Keegan has written a beautiful story titled “Foster,” and you can read the full version here on The New Yorker’s website. The story is set in Ireland and is written from the perspective of a girl whose parents have sent her to stay with distant family members.

This story is the perfect way to spend a quiet weekend morning, or to wind down a long day. It took me about an hour to read it, maybe a bit longer, so I recommend blocking out some time when you don’t have something else you need to get to. I hope you enjoy it.

I haven’t been able to learn much about the author. Are any of you familiar with any of Claire Keegan’s other work? Or do you have another favorite short story to share? Please feel free to post in the comments.

Every Monday is Tip Day! This Week: Instant Inspiration

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch.

This Week: Instant Inspiration

One of my favorite creative outlets is instant film. I have a Polaroid 600 that I bought when I was 16 and a Fuji Mini Instax from my husband that I use regularly, as well as a Diana Instant Back that I have yet to try out. (One day, soon, when I figure out which box it’s packed in).

Sometimes the best way to break through what we call creative block is to find a way to get over ourselves. We pursue perfection in our craft – of course, right, because we want to produce quality work. Graphic artists have digital tools at their disposal that take away the pain of making mistakes. Photographers can modify their images to negate poor lighting effects. Even recording artists can digitally correct pitch, re-record instruments, and add vocals as needed.
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