Commentary

I am home sick this week and have been unable to muster energy enough to get into my art room to make art. That's pretty sad if you ask me. However, this does give me a chance to comment on a couple of things I've recently come across on the internet that I want to share with you.

First, you may have noticed the lovely turquoise badge I've added to my blog on the right. It comes from Donna Downey's website, and she has launched a Campaign for Creativity. There is nothing more to being a part of the campaign than believing in her simple message: "Live a life inspired and dream with possibility!", being creative yourself, and encouraging creativity. It is such a simple idea, yet so many (myself included), despite how nice her message sounds, fail or have failed in the past to live it. We allow ourselves to be distracted by our busy lives and responsibilities, "don't have time" to make art or be creative in our own ways, and worst of all, we let our inner-voices critcize us much too often. In fact, my dad recently stated to me that the reason he has not spent more time with his art and probably will not again in his life is due to his own self-criticism of his work. I feel that this is a great shame, for he is quite an artistically talented man, but who of us artists hasn't been there??? It has been thoughts like that which have kept me from believing in myself up until now. I would very much like to encourage anyone who reads this to reflect on how this campain could affect you. How can you be more inspired to create? How can you encourage creativity? What have you not allowed yourself to dream of? And, thank you to everyone who has already participated in this campaign without even knowing it, by encouraging me and my creativity!

Another thing I came across today is something you MUST see. I am so touched. A woman named Amy Krause Rosenthal made a short video about 17 things she has made. It is quite simple, but whimsical and endearing. Click here to see it on YouTube. It's worth the 2-3 minutes it takes to watch. Even more worth it, however, is the follow up video about making an 18th thing with others. Talk about community-building and love for fellow man and faith in humanity! And, it is very creative. Click here to see the wonderfully named "Beckoning of Lovely" (about 7 minutes long). It has inspired Amy and her colleagues to make yet another film of lovely things by any random person in the world. Sadly, I missed the submission deadline (January 20). But is it wonderful to read more about the project at its website: thebeckoningoflovely.wordpress.com, and I can't wait to see the final film!!

Please, even if you don't consider yourself "creative," know that you are but in your own way, and do something with it today. Find your inspiration and let yourself dream.