Browsing Tag: community

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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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Melanie Sklarz, January 2010

What is the role of creativity? We all know the function that creativity plays in art and innovation, but what is the purpose of using creativity to build and enhance our communities? In my first column here, I’d like to look at using creativity as an agent of change and encourage you to think more creatively about your community.

I first encountered the idea of creativity for change while an undergraduate studying art history. This is where I first learned about art movements, primarily in the late 20th Century, using creativity for social change. Years later while working in museums in Washington, DC, I encountered another way that the arts affect change through my personal interactions with inner city school children. For them art was a way to escape, but not change their social situation.
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5-Things-IconI hope you all have had a wonderful week/weekend celebrating the Christmas holiday. After a twenty-two-hour road trip, driving on an interstate/ice rink, a car tow, and too much fast food, I am finally enjoying the break at my in-laws in Colorado. The weather is beautiful here, and I am soaking in every minute. We’re going skiing Tuesday – the perfect way to cap off a proper Colorado vacation.

I can hardly believe 2010 is just around the corner. The New Year is full of good things for me personally and for Creative Perch. Just the first month is already packed! My full-time work will resume January 1, classes begin January 4, and Chris and I are moving to Nashville January 23. With the New Year just a few days away and so many good things on the horizon, I’ve decided to focus this week on the amazing changes that will be happening here at Creative Perch.
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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:  Maximize Resources

As we near the holidays, I think we’re all cognizant of the fact that the recession isn’t quite over yet. In many ways it feels like now is the time to be frugal and conserve, rather than spend. Personally, while there are many resources out there that I would love to purchase, many of them have found there way on to my wishlist rather than my shopping cart.

However, that doesn’t mean that my well of creative resources has to dry up. Far from it! Instead, now is the perfect time to maximize the incredible arsenal of resources I have at my finger tips.
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One of my main goals for Creative Perch is to help foster creative community. I love that the Internet allows us to transcend barriers like time zones and continents and create genuine community with individuals we might not otherwise have the opportunity to meet. I have been dreaming of a place that allows us to … Continue Reading

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