"Hey Diddle, diddle."
I just finished writing an extra fun article about the importance of nursery rhymes for the young child for Tumbleweeds parenting newspaper. Before I knew I had art and writing talents, I studied the art form of nursery rhymes, singing and chanting them often with my youngest siblings, my own children, and the children in my preschool. Before that, as a young girl, I played my piano for comfort and "art." This week I've had to make a hard decision to sell my piano as I may soon downsize and can't take the huge upright, with the tone of a Steinway, with me. So, until it sells I'll play it as often as I can, singing and humming along (privately of course as I haven't a musical gift like my art & writing gifts). I will buy a keyboard as I can use earphones so as not to disturb neighbors. I like to play to segue myself into the studio or my manuscript. My art teacher Fred Reichman told us that it is helpful to use other art forms to inform our own art. Music is one of these to me.
As a side-note, did you know that nursery rhymes and music enhance a child's spatial, math, and science learning? Smile ~ spatiality is so important in art!!! Try singing your old favorite nursery rhymes while easing yourself into your creativity!
My House, Judith, 2001My question is, "How do we maintain our creativity in the midst of a hard knock in life?" I had to go to the courthouse today to begin evicting a tenant who broke a major agreement plus hasn't paid the rent. I had the foresight to take the recent issue of "Poets & Writers." The article by John Dufresne (he presents at the Taos Writer's Conference each year!)helped me to keep my calm & focus while waiting for the paperwork. To be honest I have only done a modicum of art & writing in the past week and a half because of this issue and the broader question of possibly downsizing in order to free up more time from troublesome tenants & too many outside jobs. I no doubt will downsize; so does this time of taking care of a lifestyle problem count toward one's greater creativity? I'm not sure, just as I'm not sure if cleaning one's studio or writing files count. In the meantime if you hear of anyone who wants to buy a lovely house in Taos, let me know? Happy Creativity in the midst of your life!
Author A.S. Byatt
I did an unusual thing for me ~ I took a week-and-a-half off day jobs & some creativity. The only things I did were to take some photos, do a few sketches, and read A.S. Byatt's Possession, which is 200% better than the movie. Am also reading her newest book The Children's Book! Oh, yes, last Sunday I put on an A.S. Byatt high tea replete with a huge teapot on my wood stove, home-made curry pasties, & of course scones with clotted cream. We listened to Byatt talk on the City Arts & Lecture on KQED, San Francisco, streamed on my laptop! My friend/mentor Elizabeth Stark was in the audience & asked a great question about the writing process. I'll let you know when you can go to the archives and download the lecture. I did see Byatt once in a lecture at Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA. She is warm, witty, and cozy. I also used to see her sister Margaret Drabble, another good writer, on the high street & near the secret garden in Hampstead, London when I lived there. It was wonderful to have time off to re-group & to set my goals for 2010 & for this next decade. I didn't lose my momentum as I'm now back in my studio & working on my ms. Do you give yourself time out to re-group, rest, and let your creativity percolate?!
"Taos Winter Medley," ink on wood
2.5 x 3," Nov. 09, Judith Nasse
I was reminded this morning in Alyson Stanfield's newsletter [www.artbiz.com] to make my list of all my accomplishments in 2009!
We somehow always think of what we haven't done or how we could be better; but in truth we do get things done & forget to remind ourselves! O.K., here's part of my list: I got my art into two places and have steadily done deep revision on my novel as well as work on another person's book. What will you pat yourself on the back about?
I do hope you have a jolly holiday and that 2010 will be your most creative year ever!!
Christmas Cactus with
Snow Storm outside
Dec 09 by Judith
Every year my Christmas Cactus blooms well, and every year it grows bigger. I wonder if it will ever grow as large as the one in a neighbor's window in London. Hers was the size of a small bush and it made the winter doldrums glow. Sometimes too we have to wait the proverbial "year" (a long time) for our creative ideas to grow and blossom. And, if you're like me I have much more patience with my cacti than my paintings or my novel. I guess it's due to the concept, that is I conceive of an idea, but then to execute it can take grueling weeks, days, months, years even. And that's o.k. because in the end one has a finished project that is as perfect as it can be. The huge cactus in London must have taken her years to grow with a lot of tender loving care. Have a great creative week!
My Blue Spruce in snow
photo by Judith
I'm glad we're having a snowfall today! I was going to go out & do errands & meet a friend for coffee. The coffee was canceled and now I get to stay in and slow down. We all know that life gets extra busy at the holidays, yet things like chores, bills, work, our creativity, and those myriad small and large problems that show up at our doorsteps don't step aside to make room for the extra holiday things we want and need to do. Perhaps we should calendar in a slow-down day or hours. I will do that for next week, and hope I don't forget. Today I will play catch-up especially with my art. I've had to do so much outside work that my art has consisted in doodling in the margins of my notepad while taking notes for a book I'm typing and editing for someone else! I'm also making headway with the "problem-to-solve" in my novel! I hope you can take some breathing space for yourself and your creativity in this holiday whirl.
Leonids Meteor
stock photo
I happened to wake up at 4 a.m. & looked out the window & saw the meteors. How inspiring! Unless we are star gazers, we don't usually see the awe-inspiring spectacle of the stars and planets in the clear night sky. They are a hidden gem of nature to us. How wonderful to be able to open one's eyes and see the hidden things all around us: the sparkle of the sun on a patch of snow that we usually walk right by, our minds on our errands or a problem, the raven strutting across the yard, or the laugh of a friend. I'm glad I looked out the window. I could have jumped right back under the duvet as it was quite chilly, but I would have missed the sight that will be an inspiration for a painting! We must remember to put the looking for hidden gems in our daily planner next to the errands & appointments!
"Hey Diddle, diddle."
