Comments on: Some days http://turningturning.com/some-days/ An art therapist on creativity, healing, and the power of making. Sat, 19 May 2012 10:02:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anna R http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-878 Anna R Wed, 20 May 2009 04:20:54 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-878 You articulated exactly how I feel. Each project that I have on the go may not be finished in record time but that is how I want to spend my non working hours. The need to create (plan, design,gather materials) is just as great as my need to breathe. I wouldn"t have it any other way. You articulated exactly how I feel. Each project that I have on the go may not be finished in record time but that is how I want to spend my non working hours. The need to create (plan, design,gather materials) is just as great as my need to breathe. I wouldn”t have it any other way.

]]> By: Dee http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-875 Dee Tue, 19 May 2009 20:20:04 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-875 One of the things that I love about this blog is your willingness, Mal, to put it out there. I adore that guy up top -- he's a mess, he's empty, he's needy, but look at all that energy! Great comments above, too -- a tribute, I believe, to your honesty. I grew up in a house where my mother deemed her activities 'creative' and my father's not (he was an engineer, she was an art teacher). I have striven not to be so linear and confining in what I consider 'creative' -- surely building an organization, planning a birthday party, figuring out how to juggle various responsibilities, are all creative acts. One of my sons specializes in making wallets out of duct tape... what's not to love? Having said that, part of why quilting has worked for me, particularly when my sons were younger, was that I could do it in 10 minute increments... I have heard this over and over from quilters who were also mothers. Dedicating a closet and two square feet to your work (whatever it is) really, really helps, so that if you only have ten minutes, you can work and not get ready to work. But that's all blah, blah advicey -- what I REALLY want to share is that last night I dreamt I was taking a painting class. I had painted a large-ish canvas black and was about to figure out how to 'stamp' a flying, white-haired witch-figure onto the canvas -- it was so exciting and I woke up wondering, Am I going to 'let' myself paint?!!!!!!! I see artistic/craft endeavors having many categories -- super challenging ones that push one's technical capabilities, stuck ones (that need to go to sleep as another reader mentioned) and peaceful ones (perhaps like your hexagons?), where one can sit and relax and build something with enough time and effort. I think it's important to have some of each. One of the things that I love about this blog is your willingness, Mal, to put it out there. I adore that guy up top — he’s a mess, he’s empty, he’s needy, but look at all that energy! Great comments above, too — a tribute, I believe, to your honesty.

I grew up in a house where my mother deemed her activities ‘creative’ and my father’s not (he was an engineer, she was an art teacher). I have striven not to be so linear and confining in what I consider ‘creative’ — surely building an organization, planning a birthday party, figuring out how to juggle various responsibilities, are all creative acts. One of my sons specializes in making wallets out of duct tape… what’s not to love?

Having said that, part of why quilting has worked for me, particularly when my sons were younger, was that I could do it in 10 minute increments… I have heard this over and over from quilters who were also mothers. Dedicating a closet and two square feet to your work (whatever it is) really, really helps, so that if you only have ten minutes, you can work and not get ready to work.

But that’s all blah, blah advicey — what I REALLY want to share is that last night I dreamt I was taking a painting class. I had painted a large-ish canvas black and was about to figure out how to ‘stamp’ a flying, white-haired witch-figure onto the canvas — it was so exciting and I woke up wondering, Am I going to ‘let’ myself paint?!!!!!!!

I see artistic/craft endeavors having many categories — super challenging ones that push one’s technical capabilities, stuck ones (that need to go to sleep as another reader mentioned) and peaceful ones (perhaps like your hexagons?), where one can sit and relax and build something with enough time and effort. I think it’s important to have some of each.

]]> By: Thimbleanna http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-867 Thimbleanna Tue, 19 May 2009 02:44:33 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-867 Oh, those little gfg flowers are so pretty. And thanks for posting that pretty button loop -- I'd forgotten all about those -- sometimes I need a plain loop and that's the perfect solution! Oh, those little gfg flowers are so pretty. And thanks for posting that pretty button loop — I’d forgotten all about those — sometimes I need a plain loop and that’s the perfect solution!

]]> By: julochka http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-858 julochka Sun, 17 May 2009 22:43:16 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-858 "Today piles on top of yesterday and forms the base for tomorrow. It all blurs together into a pattern..." this is a profound thought, worth further pondering. i really loved this post. i'm sure i'll be back to read it again. there's a lot here. and i love your hexagons. :-) /julie “Today piles on top of yesterday and forms the base for tomorrow. It all blurs together into a pattern…” this is a profound thought, worth further pondering.

i really loved this post. i’m sure i’ll be back to read it again. there’s a lot here.

and i love your hexagons.

:-)
/julie

]]> By: debraann http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-857 debraann Sun, 17 May 2009 21:57:52 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-857 I finished and framed a piece! Usually I finish them and then I fold them and put them away for a while but trying to change that! Although if I framed everything waiting to be framed I wouldn't have any time for embroidery. And I revisited your lovely blog been meaning to for weeeeeeeekkkkkkksssssss. I finished and framed a piece! Usually I finish them and then I fold them and put them away for a while but trying to change that! Although if I framed everything waiting to be framed I wouldn’t have any time for embroidery.

And I revisited your lovely blog been meaning to for weeeeeeeekkkkkkksssssss.

]]> By: arlee http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-846 arlee Sun, 17 May 2009 00:18:36 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-846 I forgot to mention in my earlier comment, that one green loop is beautiful, very Miksang. I forgot to mention in my earlier comment, that one green loop is beautiful, very Miksang.

]]> By: Cynthia H. http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-844 Cynthia H. Sat, 16 May 2009 23:02:21 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-844 It is this precise struggle to keep all the eggs up in the air all day, every day which makes me characterize the phrase "shadow artist" as mean-spirited. Our creativity in our *own* service must, much of the time, be used in the service of others. But does that make it less genuine? If we are engaging with the world in a constructive way and *not* creating our own artistic ivory tower (the perfect atelier, the perfect studio, the perfect 100% artistic life, etc., ad nauseam), who has the moral right to say that we have made the wrong choice, a "shadow" choice? The non-negotiable human need for food, clothing, and shelter must be satisfied, either by us personally or by others on our behalf. Then we fulfill our obligations to others in our circle, however small/large it may be, and *then* we might have--what?--2 seconds to think about creativity before crashing into bed. And what if one has a chronic illness? chronic pain? small children who need tending 24 hours a day, each and every day? sick pet(s)? an ill spouse? If one's "bigger vision" is to improve the future world, the cultivation of the minds of the young has got to be ranked right up there on the list...teaching, helping, parenting, healing, feeding, and so on. It takes a very strong person to persevere with everything Life can throw at us *and* keep the desire to create anew, alive. Developing and nurturing this strength is, itself, an exercise in renewal and (dare I say it?) creativity. It is this precise struggle to keep all the eggs up in the air all day, every day which makes me characterize the phrase “shadow artist” as mean-spirited. Our creativity in our *own* service must, much of the time, be used in the service of others. But does that make it less genuine? If we are engaging with the world in a constructive way and *not* creating our own artistic ivory tower (the perfect atelier, the perfect studio, the perfect 100% artistic life, etc., ad nauseam), who has the moral right to say that we have made the wrong choice, a “shadow” choice?

The non-negotiable human need for food, clothing, and shelter must be satisfied, either by us personally or by others on our behalf. Then we fulfill our obligations to others in our circle, however small/large it may be, and *then* we might have–what?–2 seconds to think about creativity before crashing into bed.

And what if one has a chronic illness? chronic pain? small children who need tending 24 hours a day, each and every day? sick pet(s)? an ill spouse?

If one’s “bigger vision” is to improve the future world, the cultivation of the minds of the young has got to be ranked right up there on the list…teaching, helping, parenting, healing, feeding, and so on.

It takes a very strong person to persevere with everything Life can throw at us *and* keep the desire to create anew, alive. Developing and nurturing this strength is, itself, an exercise in renewal and (dare I say it?) creativity.

]]> By: arlee http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-841 arlee Sat, 16 May 2009 18:55:50 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-841 You asked "What small thing did you accomplish today in the service of your bigger vision?" I'm going to think of mistakes from now on as deliberate subconscious attempts to subvert the norm! You asked “What small thing did you accomplish today in the service of your bigger vision?”

I’m going to think of mistakes from now on as deliberate subconscious attempts to subvert the norm!

]]> By: Sue http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-838 Sue Sat, 16 May 2009 12:14:08 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-838 Mal, thank you for such an honest and thought-provoking post. To be equally honest in reply, I'd have to say that I am having an unwelcome run of these sorts of days... it feels like nothing in my life is going well and creativity is struggling to emerge at all. Like you though I do see small things, a general facing-in-the-right-direction-ness, and hope above hope that warmer, happier, more expansive days will come. Your writing is such a blessing. Be assured that whatever you achieve, you are inspiring and encouraging people much more widely than your immediate physical plane through this blog. And what's more, you're holding down a taxing and important job - huge credit to you for that. Enjoy your weekend :-) Mal, thank you for such an honest and thought-provoking post. To be equally honest in reply, I’d have to say that I am having an unwelcome run of these sorts of days… it feels like nothing in my life is going well and creativity is struggling to emerge at all. Like you though I do see small things, a general facing-in-the-right-direction-ness, and hope above hope that warmer, happier, more expansive days will come. Your writing is such a blessing. Be assured that whatever you achieve, you are inspiring and encouraging people much more widely than your immediate physical plane through this blog. And what’s more, you’re holding down a taxing and important job – huge credit to you for that.

Enjoy your weekend :-)

]]> By: V http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-832 V Sat, 16 May 2009 01:47:00 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-832 Very nice post. Just what i needed to hear. Not a Lot going on creatively although my brain works all the time at it. Sometimes creativity comes out in, how I can creatively get my daughter to sit for a shot at the dr's office, or how I can creatively spruce up the same meal I get in a rut making over and over... How to creatively talk to myself into making my bed each day,( which I usually prefer to skip altogether) but in the scheme of being creative with my daughter and teaching her to make her bed each day, I make my bed... creatively. ;-) and so on and so on.... Very nice post. Just what i needed to hear. Not a Lot going on creatively although my brain works all the time at it. Sometimes creativity comes out in, how I can creatively get my daughter to sit for a shot at the dr’s office, or how I can creatively spruce up the same meal I get in a rut making over and over… How to creatively talk to myself into making my bed each day,( which I usually prefer to skip altogether) but in the scheme of being creative with my daughter and teaching her to make her bed each day, I make my bed… creatively. ;-) and so on and so on….

]]> By: Cele http://turningturning.com/some-days/comment-page-1/#comment-828 Cele Fri, 15 May 2009 23:48:20 +0000 http://turningturning.com/?p=812#comment-828 The hexagons are really pretty. I find just a little piece of tiny patchwork some days is just enough. The little loop is delightful too. The hexagons are really pretty. I find just a little piece of tiny patchwork some days is just enough.
The little loop is delightful too.

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