Living a creative life means so many things, from the way we approach our means of earning a living, to the way we interact with our spouse and children, to the way we furnish and decorate our home. For some, especially here in the lush natural beauty of the Appalachian foothills, creativity means growing your own food, canning it, and sharing or selling it. For others, creativity is found in the way a business is conceived and built: like Google, Amazon, eBay, Apple, or a few close to my heart, Lucky Press, LLC and Snipi.com.
Creativity is a close friendship between one's heart and brain. Sometimes the results hit the mark. Sometimes they miss. Creativity needs to be nurtured, but failure needs to be accepted. Being comfortable with risk and drowning out the voices that would caution unusual choices, is an important part of creative success.
What percentage of hits in the MBA, baskets in the NBA, shots at the PGA, goal attempts at MLS are successful?
Today, approach one thing with an attitude of "What if?"
Dare to think outside the box. To hope. To imagine the most wonderful scenario.
Give yourself permission to try something new; even if no one else is interested. Even if it is something that scares you a bit to try. Just take that small first step and see where it leads. If you do, you may find it leads to a more creative approach to all the various aspects of your life. And that's what creativity really does. It helps us to live our best life.
Art & Photography ~ Writing & Books… All settled within a heart that loves creativity, trees, animals, hills, and the changing seasons.
July 19, 2009
July 13, 2009
On writers, and those who listen to them
In 2000, I self-published a small book entitled What Saved Me: A Dozen Ways to Embrace Life under the pen name, Claire Starr. Only 500 copies were printed; all but a dozen have been sold or given away... and now, ten years older and wiser and many new experiences since, I'm musing on updating the book, expanding it to be about double the size, and incorporating links to sources of inspiration found online. I could then offer the book in Kindle format and through venues unheard of a decade ago.
What Saved Me told, within the confines of a dozen theme words, my individual story. Everyone has one and most of us think ours is unique and worthy of being heard. It very likely is. Certainly there is nothing groundbreaking in my little book; nor would there be in an expanded version. I suppose one could argue that I could, I should, forego the memoir, the "inspirational self-help" book, and stick to writing about pets, to finishing that contemporary womens fiction manuscript languishing in my drawer, to something, anything else. But, those wouldn't be people who know me.
Working with a lot (200 +) of small publishers and self-publishing authors, I can attest that the desire to "share what we've learned" is very high. More people write books, have written books, want to write a book, have been told they should write a book, or have a close relative who's written a book, than you might guess. I edit/design books, and I also publish books by others (see luckypress.com); this brings queries my way. Writers, myself included, often have this balancing of opposites going on within them: "I have something important to say," on one scale and "Will anyone listen to me?" on the other. Perhaps these two utterings are within every human being at the time of birth. Every child's innermost longing: the confidence to have something important to say. The hope someone listens.
Unfortunately, life can take away the confidence and hope. Parents, teachers, mentors, lovers can restore it. It seems to me that in a marriage one of the most wonderful things is feeling assured that when we have something important to say our spouse will listen to us. And, likewise, that is one of the most vital gifts we can impart to those we love.
So, sharing what we have to say--whether as memoir, essay, or nonfiction. Or as a fictional story... is not only an act of confidence and love, but a selfless act of giving and a selfish act of attention-seeking. As writers, we have to be comfortable with both sides of the modern writer's penny. You know, the penny you get for your thoughts...
Side one: Writing is a selfless act of giving...
Writing usually happens when one is alone. Even if you write in a coffee shop. Even if you write with children playing under your desk. Each word that goes from brain to paper or laptop exists, if only for a brief second (in this age of instant blogging and pretty-darn-instant publishing) alone.
Yes, the alone time has changed. Today, it might only be seconds. The seconds it takes to think a thought, then type it. And the seconds it takes for someone to read it on their cell phone, iPhone, or laptop. Or running as a banner at the bottom of Larry King's show on CNN.
But I'm thinking, back to "side one," of those writing a book. Typically, even in 2009, book writing is a solitary endeavor. Apply rear end to chair. Stay there. Stay there a long, long, long time. (See one of the latest issues of Publishers Weekly, where several authors share their process. I noticed one spent 12 years on his novel, the other 6.) It takes some confidence (or perhaps desperation) to do this.
Years ago, before I started in this business of publishing; before I found my voice at all (a whole 'nother story)... I read (to paraphrase) the only difference between Michaelangelo and anyone else who wanted to paint was that he could "see." Also, that the difference between those who succeeded in reaching their dreams and those who did not, was that those who did worked while their peers slept.
Those two ideas: learning to see, and choosing to work, even when there was no sign of an audience, let alone a financial payoff, took root in me and grew, bearing fruit in my life I didn't think possible.
Writing is a selfless act of giving because words are put to paper, the work is done, without (usually) assurance of income. Without assurance of positive reception. Without confidence, even, of an audience. It is selfless in the aspect that giving of one's thoughts, or history, or dreams is a way that we reach out to others and say: you are not alone. I want to connect with you on some level. Let's spend time together. Especially with today's technology, where writers and readers can, and from a marketing standpoint must, engage in dialogue.
Side two: Writing is a selfish act of attention seeking...
If a writer is not seeking attention, by the time they've learned what it takes to write a book proposal, submit it to agents and editors, bring a book to publication, and then, pleaseGodyes, sell that damn book... they will be. They will learn all about seeking attention, gaining publicity, and draining every marketing opportunity, every contact, every lead, and every possible reviewer. Like literary vampires, only a shadow of their former solitary selves, they will drain the lifeblood out of any marketing opportunity, in order to "get the word out" about their book. It can be difficult to watch; especially if you're the one encouraging it.
Fortunately, ?, since most of us want attention, whether we admit it or not, and since any writer who is published now wants to please those who've brought their book to print, it is not a leap to take a writer who writes in solitude and turn him or her into an attention-seeking, blogging, podcasting, Kindling, TV appearing, magazine article seeking, book-signing, seminar-giving Author.
Guilty as charged.
Somewhere between writing the concept for What Saved Me on a length of toilet paper taken from a roll on my nightstand one winter night when I was suffering from a cold and now 200 + books and all their authors later... I too turned from the selfless act of writing, the solitary act of writing, to the modern myth of the Benefit of Garnering Attention.
Attention, dear Reader, can be a two-edged sword.
I learned this in my own, small part of the world, when I was raking leaves on a cool autumn day. A car pulled up with a handyman who had painted my porch the previous summer (and not very well either). He rolled down the passenger window. "Here," he said. "My son likes to write. Wouldja mind readin' this and let me know what you think?" His son, was in elementary school. Not middle school, not high school, not college. Elementary school. Apparently without a teacher to guide him.
I took the papers, procrastinated, marked some thoughts and encouragements on it and mailed it to my best guess as to father's known address. Never heard back.
But, I resolved that should I ever publish a bestseller, I will not rake leaves without wearing undereye concealer and lipstick and having a big dog with me in the front yard.
What Saved Me was not a best seller. It was barely even a seller. Because that's not what I cared about? Maybe. I wrote it as a thank you to those who had encouraged me, and as an encouragement to readers I would never meet but who might need some hope. But, I would be dishonest if I did not admit that some of the motivation stemmed from "I have something important to say. Please listen to me." I mean, really, isn't there a child inside most of us who just wants to be heard?
Somewhere, in my metal file cabinet (the one I'm going to get rid of when my office goes paperless), is a folder containing letters written to me from a prison in Ohio. From a reading group where my little book was read. Women at the local women's shelter were given the book at a "take back the night/antiviolence" gathering. A few parents of challenging children have read it. For those 500 copies, my goal was met.
So, in this day when everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame, and where notice seems so easy to garner and regret for not getting it seems so bitter... embrace the selfless act of writing. Have hope that if you do the work, and work the process, that the attention will come.
What else can a writer do?
Here are related links:
http://janicephelps.com
Life is an Act of Literary Creation
What Saved Me told, within the confines of a dozen theme words, my individual story. Everyone has one and most of us think ours is unique and worthy of being heard. It very likely is. Certainly there is nothing groundbreaking in my little book; nor would there be in an expanded version. I suppose one could argue that I could, I should, forego the memoir, the "inspirational self-help" book, and stick to writing about pets, to finishing that contemporary womens fiction manuscript languishing in my drawer, to something, anything else. But, those wouldn't be people who know me.
Working with a lot (200 +) of small publishers and self-publishing authors, I can attest that the desire to "share what we've learned" is very high. More people write books, have written books, want to write a book, have been told they should write a book, or have a close relative who's written a book, than you might guess. I edit/design books, and I also publish books by others (see luckypress.com); this brings queries my way. Writers, myself included, often have this balancing of opposites going on within them: "I have something important to say," on one scale and "Will anyone listen to me?" on the other. Perhaps these two utterings are within every human being at the time of birth. Every child's innermost longing: the confidence to have something important to say. The hope someone listens.
Unfortunately, life can take away the confidence and hope. Parents, teachers, mentors, lovers can restore it. It seems to me that in a marriage one of the most wonderful things is feeling assured that when we have something important to say our spouse will listen to us. And, likewise, that is one of the most vital gifts we can impart to those we love.
So, sharing what we have to say--whether as memoir, essay, or nonfiction. Or as a fictional story... is not only an act of confidence and love, but a selfless act of giving and a selfish act of attention-seeking. As writers, we have to be comfortable with both sides of the modern writer's penny. You know, the penny you get for your thoughts...
Side one: Writing is a selfless act of giving...
Writing usually happens when one is alone. Even if you write in a coffee shop. Even if you write with children playing under your desk. Each word that goes from brain to paper or laptop exists, if only for a brief second (in this age of instant blogging and pretty-darn-instant publishing) alone.
Yes, the alone time has changed. Today, it might only be seconds. The seconds it takes to think a thought, then type it. And the seconds it takes for someone to read it on their cell phone, iPhone, or laptop. Or running as a banner at the bottom of Larry King's show on CNN.
But I'm thinking, back to "side one," of those writing a book. Typically, even in 2009, book writing is a solitary endeavor. Apply rear end to chair. Stay there. Stay there a long, long, long time. (See one of the latest issues of Publishers Weekly, where several authors share their process. I noticed one spent 12 years on his novel, the other 6.) It takes some confidence (or perhaps desperation) to do this.
Years ago, before I started in this business of publishing; before I found my voice at all (a whole 'nother story)... I read (to paraphrase) the only difference between Michaelangelo and anyone else who wanted to paint was that he could "see." Also, that the difference between those who succeeded in reaching their dreams and those who did not, was that those who did worked while their peers slept.
Those two ideas: learning to see, and choosing to work, even when there was no sign of an audience, let alone a financial payoff, took root in me and grew, bearing fruit in my life I didn't think possible.
Writing is a selfless act of giving because words are put to paper, the work is done, without (usually) assurance of income. Without assurance of positive reception. Without confidence, even, of an audience. It is selfless in the aspect that giving of one's thoughts, or history, or dreams is a way that we reach out to others and say: you are not alone. I want to connect with you on some level. Let's spend time together. Especially with today's technology, where writers and readers can, and from a marketing standpoint must, engage in dialogue.
Side two: Writing is a selfish act of attention seeking...
If a writer is not seeking attention, by the time they've learned what it takes to write a book proposal, submit it to agents and editors, bring a book to publication, and then, pleaseGodyes, sell that damn book... they will be. They will learn all about seeking attention, gaining publicity, and draining every marketing opportunity, every contact, every lead, and every possible reviewer. Like literary vampires, only a shadow of their former solitary selves, they will drain the lifeblood out of any marketing opportunity, in order to "get the word out" about their book. It can be difficult to watch; especially if you're the one encouraging it.
Fortunately, ?, since most of us want attention, whether we admit it or not, and since any writer who is published now wants to please those who've brought their book to print, it is not a leap to take a writer who writes in solitude and turn him or her into an attention-seeking, blogging, podcasting, Kindling, TV appearing, magazine article seeking, book-signing, seminar-giving Author.
Guilty as charged.
Somewhere between writing the concept for What Saved Me on a length of toilet paper taken from a roll on my nightstand one winter night when I was suffering from a cold and now 200 + books and all their authors later... I too turned from the selfless act of writing, the solitary act of writing, to the modern myth of the Benefit of Garnering Attention.
Attention, dear Reader, can be a two-edged sword.
I learned this in my own, small part of the world, when I was raking leaves on a cool autumn day. A car pulled up with a handyman who had painted my porch the previous summer (and not very well either). He rolled down the passenger window. "Here," he said. "My son likes to write. Wouldja mind readin' this and let me know what you think?" His son, was in elementary school. Not middle school, not high school, not college. Elementary school. Apparently without a teacher to guide him.
I took the papers, procrastinated, marked some thoughts and encouragements on it and mailed it to my best guess as to father's known address. Never heard back.
But, I resolved that should I ever publish a bestseller, I will not rake leaves without wearing undereye concealer and lipstick and having a big dog with me in the front yard.
What Saved Me was not a best seller. It was barely even a seller. Because that's not what I cared about? Maybe. I wrote it as a thank you to those who had encouraged me, and as an encouragement to readers I would never meet but who might need some hope. But, I would be dishonest if I did not admit that some of the motivation stemmed from "I have something important to say. Please listen to me." I mean, really, isn't there a child inside most of us who just wants to be heard?
Somewhere, in my metal file cabinet (the one I'm going to get rid of when my office goes paperless), is a folder containing letters written to me from a prison in Ohio. From a reading group where my little book was read. Women at the local women's shelter were given the book at a "take back the night/antiviolence" gathering. A few parents of challenging children have read it. For those 500 copies, my goal was met.
So, in this day when everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame, and where notice seems so easy to garner and regret for not getting it seems so bitter... embrace the selfless act of writing. Have hope that if you do the work, and work the process, that the attention will come.
What else can a writer do?
Here are related links:
http://janicephelps.com
Life is an Act of Literary Creation
June 26, 2009
Michael Jackson Drawings
Typically, I wouldn't post three articles on the same subject (outsider art) so close together, but the death of Michael Jackson has prompted me to share these drawings. As we think about creativity and what it means, I think of what creativity has meant to myself and to my eldest son, Bryce, who has idolized (at times to the point of obsession) Michael Jackson, since he was 9 or 10 years old. This love for the entertainer, and it is love, an important milestone in a child with pervasive developmental disorder, and those feelings, thoughts and emotions led to drawings, multiple VHS, DVD, CD purchases, a letter to MJ, and sending him a copy of Bryce's first book, "The Boy in the Mirror" (no longer in print).
Bryce's captivation with "all things Michael" led my sister and I to take him to NYC on Sept. 10, 2001 for the 30th anniversary concert; an unforgettable night for us all, especially considering the events the next morning. It's the only time I saw Michael Jackson live, and as I told my husband last night, when he danced it was like an energy field surrounded and embodied him. Like more energy and charisma came forth than one person's body could hold. It was unforgettable to watch.
At the Rock 'n Roll Museum in Cleveland five years ago, Bryce stared at Michael's glove and we have a photo of him standing with a big smile in front of a guitar there decorated with paintings of Jackson.
One staff person, he said, told him "the world is a better place without Michael Jackson." It always amazes me how insensitive some people can be who work daily with those who find life challenging mentally and physically. I reminded Bryce that he has heard those things before, and that many millions of people throughout the world feel sad, just like he does. But that he will feel happy again.
I received the latest copy of Raw Vision (a UK magazine devoted to Outsider Art) this week. And am growing in my understanding of the genre... I want to share with you Bryce's drawings over the years of Michael Jackson. He's never gotten the tattoo he wanted of him (though he has Jesus on one ankle and a cartoon character on the other). Hopefully we won't return to that desire! But, I expect to see a new Sharpie-drawn T-shirt soon (see drawings on red t-shirt at bottom) as well as new drawings based on the many photos of Jackson being released. Bryce will wear MJ's image proudly as his own unique tribute to someone he believed understood how he felt going through life.
Update: Bryce does not watch news 24/7, nor have access to the internet, so he's been shielded from hearing "Michael Jackson's death" over and over again every day. It seems to be sinking in with him though, and I expect there will be more questions, drawings, and even tears as time goes on. But, as his brother said, "Bryce'll always have Michael Jackson's music." And, in this blog on creativity, that's an important point. Creative work allows our voice to continue on, no matter whether we are a world-famous megastar, or a woodworking grandpa, or a crocheting mother. How we treasure the physical manifestations of creativity left by those we love!
June 19, 2009
Learning about Outsider Art
Several years ago, I was browsing in Barnes and Noble's magazine section and came across the magazine Raw Vision. I'd never seen anything like the art inside of it; but it reminded me a bit of the creations done by my eldest son. Projects involving cut up paper, trinkets, glitter and lots and lots of packing tape.
Raw Vision's website states the following:
Raw Vision remains the world's only international journal of the art of the 'unknown geniuses' who are the creators of Outsider Art. Untrained, unschooled and uninfluenced by the art world, the work of these artists continues to stun and amaze. They invent their own forms, techniques and create private worlds.
Raw Vision can give art lovers a unique insight into the power
of 'raw' creativity which contrasts completely with the prosaic world of conceptual and institutional contemporary art so prevalent in our museums and galleries today. It is not for nothing that Outsider Art has been termed 'the hidden face of contemporary art', like the hidden face of the moon.
I went on to buy a few books on outsider art, and visited websites about the subject. Concurrently, my son Bryce was finding his way into adulthood, with the various ups and downs physically and mentally challenged folks do. We were seperated for awhile, and he began writing me letters and stories. Each envelope itself was a work of art, and a testament to the deciphering abilites of the USPS. Today we are only 2 hours apart; I still get notes, cards, and lists from him (including a torn paper three-dimensional nativity scene last Dec.)...and the envelopes are still decorated.
In 2002, the Ohio Arts Council granted Bryce a few hundred dollars to have books printed containing his stories and drawings. The book is called Notes from Ohio. How proud he was of it when it came out! And so was I. With four books of my own out, and with having designed and/or edited over 200 books in the last ten years including a few award winners and books by NY Times bestselling authors, I can honestly say my son's little 64-page book meant the most to me to see printed.
As time has gone on, Bryce's creations have ranged from three-dimensional to flat painted works. He's taken dolls or figures and altered them with fabric, paint, tape, cardboard... (see ongoing project of a wrestling rink made using the base of a birdcage, below). He makes collages on cardboard using photographs or drawings of family members, strings the collage through a length of ribbon and wears it around his neck on the day that person is visiting him. He weaves and strings bracelets, decoupages his hats, paints and glitterizes his shoes, and always seems to have tape stuck to his sweat pants--but then I've spent a good part of my life with paint under my fingernails...
Current projects include a desire to paint on the front, back and arms of his 4x T-shirts. To the point where at his 28th b-day party last week, I realized he's a walking work of art; or advertisement for fabric paint and Sponge Bob, the design on the shirt. And then I realized, he's found his medium! and it is paint and fabric. So, I've just purchased canvases and larger bottles of fabric paint; stay tuned. Bryce's artwork and jewelry was recently accepted into Heart to Art Galleria in Marietta, Ohio, and is available for sale at their shop there at 208 Front St. Learn more at an article I wrote on the Galleria, May 2009.
Creativity is a wonderful thing. A healing thing. A soothing, comforting thing. It impresses those who having been raised thinking "what if?" and challenges those raised hearing "you'd better not." Creativity does not discriminate against those who seem to lack in some ability the rest of us couldn't imagine living without. Like that weird plumbing fix-it tube of expandable caulking, creativity expands to fill in the empty places within us. It makes everything in life sweeter--messier, yes, but sweeter. It soothes the savage beast, too.
Creativity gives folks a common language. Because art ignores the idea of a right way to draw and a wrong way to draw, and focuses on an individual's vision, there is a spirit of acceptance that is encouraged when people for whom much of life is a case of their differentness, their perceiving "lack of-ness", their inappropriateness even, being emphasized.
Art is a way to think and dream and muse on what is important to us, what is meaningful to our lives, what makes life beautiful, or ugly. It is a way to tell others what matters to us, to get them to see it too. It is a way to communicate, and to learn. It can even the playing field. It can show us all new things.
On this page, I've placed images of some of Bryce's work. I am also listing links to websites devoted to Outsider art.
One person knowledgable in the subject states that one day Outsider Art will be considered a genre like Impressionism. Perhaps it already is. Then there will be those imitating the style, and just trying to get away with capitalizing on the term. I mean, it might be difficult to tell if something is a work of art, or just a drawing by a well-marketed second grader. But, the more we expose ourselves to the various artists, the better our discernment and appreciation of this subject will be.
One person knowledgable in the subject states that one day Outsider Art will be considered a genre like Impressionism. Perhaps it already is. Then there will be those imitating the style, and just trying to get away with capitalizing on the term. I mean, it might be difficult to tell if something is a work of art, or just a drawing by a well-marketed second grader. But, the more we expose ourselves to the various artists, the better our discernment and appreciation of this subject will be.
Encourage all of the artists around you: no one is too young, too old, too poor, too disabled, too anything, to put pencil to paper and see what happens. This is a wonderful time to be an artist. There are so many tools and venues available to creative people today. To those who are gifted and talented and intelligent and charismatic; and to those who are struggling, and odd, and confused, and challenged. I'm glad that both of my children, two very different young men with very different lives, hopes and dreams, embrace their creativity and listen to their inner artist. Seeing creativity manifested in my children makes me feel such joy, deep inside my heart.
Note: If you are interested in purchasing Bryce's artwork, or prints of his artwork, and do not live near Marietta, Ohio, please contact me by email at "art at janicephelps dot com" and put "Bryce Art" in the subject matter. His book, Notes from Ohio, is available on Amazon.com.Websites:
Very Special Arts: http://www.vsaarts.org/
Very Special Arts of Ohio (National org.): http://www.vsao.org/
Blue Shoe Arts (Fairfield County, OH): http://blueshoearts.org/
Passionworks (Athens County, OH): http://www.passionworks.org/
Various outsider art galleries, as listed on Raw Vision's website: http://www.rawvision.com/exhib/galleries.html
Harry Teague: http://www.harryteague.com/
Interesting collection of outsider art: http://www.outsiderart.info/sent/index.html
The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art: http://www.art.org/
Henry Boxer Gallery: http://www.outsiderart.co.uk/
The Lynch Collection of Outsider Art: http://www.ncwc.edu/Arts/Lynch/
The Anthony Pettulo Collection: http://www.pettuloartcollection.org/
May 18, 2009
Yarn companies offering free patterns
Businesses everywhere are marketing their products and reaching out to customers with electronic newsletters. Some are beautiful, some are basic. Some are "much ado about nothing." Others are packed full of information that is useful and that others might charge for. In which case, one actually considers purchasing the product being pitched.
While looking for yarn online, I came across Lion Brand yarn and signed up for their mailed catalog (beautiful, so well produced from a design and printing standpoint) and for their emailed newsletter. The newsletter is not long; it seems to come about once a week. What I appreciate about it is the free pattern that is highlighted in each issue.
A few months ago, the free pattern was for a crocheted Market Bag (Pattern #: 70221A). With patterns I like, I simply select with my cursor, then copy (CTRL C) and (after opening a new doc in MS Word) paste (CTRL V) the photo and directions into an MS Word document, then save (CTRL S) in a folder on my computer or print out (CTRL P) and put in a 3-ring binder (where I then have a pattern book filled with patterns I like and can actually use).
Lion also sells all the yarn needed for the bag, but as the organic yarn recommended came to ... gulp ... $45, I used another solution.
A few years ago, I bought a basket full of various Sugar 'n Creme cotton yarns at a secondhand sale. I've used them to crochet dishcloths and washcloths. I pulled the basket out and started working Lion's easy-to-follow directions. By the end of the weekend and several DVD-episodes of a favorite BBC series, I had a large market bag (I wanted to use my ergonomic crochet hook and choose a slightly larger size hook than in the directions.)
My results (the first photo here) looked VERY colorful. I wished I'd had more pink/blue to use intead of the weird green/turquoise mix on the handle. Like many a frustrated artist, I was sure that if I put MORE "stuff" on the bag, it would be improved. So I worked up a few crocheted flowers and sewed them onto the front. It is a very busy bag.
Then, I decided the bag was too busy looking to use as a gift (my intention in the first place in starting out), so I trotted to my local store (hey, they deserve my business too) and bought Sugar 'n Creme on a large spool for $11, and it did the trick and was almost the same color as the one in the directions; natural with a few speckles of color strewn about. Bag #2, weekend #2, DVD disk-set #2, worked out much better (see second photo). I skipped the flowers this time, but put a puff-stitch pattern around the bag (3 rows of puff stitch, with a row of the regular bag pattern in between the puff-stitch rows). Voila! a great gift for anyone who wants to reduce use of plastic grocery bags, and, as it turned out with this recipient, likes to frequent farmers markets (we have one of the best ones around here in Athens County, Ohio. Did you know Athens was once voted by Mother Earth News as "one of the 12 best places you've never heard of"?)
Here are some other businesses that offer newsletters and/or free patterns. I haven't read them all, so try them out and see if they are worthwhile. You can always cancel. If you're worried about your email being out there, sign up for a free Gmail address just for this purpose. You can check it, whenever, and see what interesting things you can make using available products or new products. Remember that whether talking about baking, crocheting, or painting--quality of products DOES matter. Try something out with less expensive alternatives, and if you like the results, spring for better quality materials in the next version.
YARN SITES WITH FREE PATTERNS:
lionbrand.com
bernat.com
coatsandclark.com
patonsyarns.com
caron.com
plymouthyarn.com
universalyarn.com
kollageyarns.com
And also, visit the Craft Yarn Council of America.
While looking for yarn online, I came across Lion Brand yarn and signed up for their mailed catalog (beautiful, so well produced from a design and printing standpoint) and for their emailed newsletter. The newsletter is not long; it seems to come about once a week. What I appreciate about it is the free pattern that is highlighted in each issue.
A few months ago, the free pattern was for a crocheted Market Bag (Pattern #: 70221A). With patterns I like, I simply select with my cursor, then copy (CTRL C) and (after opening a new doc in MS Word) paste (CTRL V) the photo and directions into an MS Word document, then save (CTRL S) in a folder on my computer or print out (CTRL P) and put in a 3-ring binder (where I then have a pattern book filled with patterns I like and can actually use).
Lion also sells all the yarn needed for the bag, but as the organic yarn recommended came to ... gulp ... $45, I used another solution.
A few years ago, I bought a basket full of various Sugar 'n Creme cotton yarns at a secondhand sale. I've used them to crochet dishcloths and washcloths. I pulled the basket out and started working Lion's easy-to-follow directions. By the end of the weekend and several DVD-episodes of a favorite BBC series, I had a large market bag (I wanted to use my ergonomic crochet hook and choose a slightly larger size hook than in the directions.) My results (the first photo here) looked VERY colorful. I wished I'd had more pink/blue to use intead of the weird green/turquoise mix on the handle. Like many a frustrated artist, I was sure that if I put MORE "stuff" on the bag, it would be improved. So I worked up a few crocheted flowers and sewed them onto the front. It is a very busy bag.
Then, I decided the bag was too busy looking to use as a gift (my intention in the first place in starting out), so I trotted to my local store (hey, they deserve my business too) and bought Sugar 'n Creme on a large spool for $11, and it did the trick and was almost the same color as the one in the directions; natural with a few speckles of color strewn about. Bag #2, weekend #2, DVD disk-set #2, worked out much better (see second photo). I skipped the flowers this time, but put a puff-stitch pattern around the bag (3 rows of puff stitch, with a row of the regular bag pattern in between the puff-stitch rows). Voila! a great gift for anyone who wants to reduce use of plastic grocery bags, and, as it turned out with this recipient, likes to frequent farmers markets (we have one of the best ones around here in Athens County, Ohio. Did you know Athens was once voted by Mother Earth News as "one of the 12 best places you've never heard of"?)Here are some other businesses that offer newsletters and/or free patterns. I haven't read them all, so try them out and see if they are worthwhile. You can always cancel. If you're worried about your email being out there, sign up for a free Gmail address just for this purpose. You can check it, whenever, and see what interesting things you can make using available products or new products. Remember that whether talking about baking, crocheting, or painting--quality of products DOES matter. Try something out with less expensive alternatives, and if you like the results, spring for better quality materials in the next version.
YARN SITES WITH FREE PATTERNS:
lionbrand.com
bernat.com
coatsandclark.com
patonsyarns.com
caron.com
plymouthyarn.com
universalyarn.com
kollageyarns.com
And also, visit the Craft Yarn Council of America.
Heart to Art Galleria - Marietta, Ohio
Yesterday, Mark and I took a beautiful drive via Rt 550 from Athens over to Marietta, Ohio for the Grand Opening of the Heart to Art Galleria at 208 Front Street. I learned of the Heart to Art Galleria shop, from WASCO, Inc. “WASCO is a public nonprofit agency created by parents in the 1950s to create vocational opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.” The Galleria interested me because I was looking for an outlet for my son, Bryce's, arts and crafts. Bryce works at a sheltered workshop in Ohio, but didn't have a way to sell the jewelry and drawings he's created. Passionworks, the wonderful art program for Athens County residents, is unable to take non-Athens County residents' work into their store at this time, and they suggested I contact WASCO. Long story short, Bryce has made several drawings, bracelets, earrings and bookmarks to sell in the Heart to Art Galleria and this, as you can imagine, makes his mom pretty happy.
Marietta, as you might know, is a wonderful town on the Ohio River. Described on its visitor website as follows:
“…a picturesque river town with European ambience. Located on the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, Marietta was the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory, established in 1788. Its brick streets are lined with lush hardwood trees and opulent Victorian homes. With lots of history, two waterways, and a bustling downtown, it was ranked 79 among Best Smaller Places by Forbes magazine in 2000. The vibrant historic district offers many distinctive stores, antique shops, boutiques, and galleries, as well as several independent restaurants and cozy cafes.”
Nancy Harris, Business Development Manager at WASCO, took the time to answer my questions so folks could learn more about the shop.
JPW: Nancy, I see the
NH: We received a grant from the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council in 2005.
JPW: How was the decision made to go from selling jewelry online to having a brick-and-mortar store in downtown Marietta with a variety of products?NH: WASCO’s mission is to assist adults with developmental disabilities to be a viable part of their community. “There are a variety of ways in which we do this,” states Jan Powell, Director of WASCO. “Exploring employment opportunities is our main mission, but at the same time we want Marietta to see our commitment to be involved in our community”.
JPW: What sort of products are going to be sold in the store and what are the price ranges?
NH: Shoppers will see a unique display of creative art products such as greeting cards, planters, porch and picnic furniture, jewelry, pottery, and sewn products such as quilts and pillows. Heart to Art Galleria also displays many art prints. WASCO’s store is all about uniting people with different abilities, giving them the opportunity to showcase their work.
JPW: Tell us a bit about the individuals who create these products.
NH: All of the products are created by adults with disabilities. The majority of them receive services through County Board Programs located throughout the State of Ohio.
JPW: Are the artists from Washington County (OH) alone, or from other Ohio counties as well?
NH: All of the artists reside in the State of Ohio.
JPW: What are the open hours at Heart to Art Galleria?
NH: Monday – Saturday 9AM – 5PM
After our visit there yesterday, we learned that in addition to the beautiful jewelry sold at Heart to Art Galleria, there is a wide variety of offerings, including: wooden gliders and other lawn furniture; ceiling and backsplash tiles; paintings on canvas; Athens' Passionwork's products and Fairfield County's Blue Shoe Arts' products; Buckeye keychains; decorative stones for the garden (we bought one that said "All Dog's Go to Heaven"--it was under $10!); potpourri; stuffed toys; even fair trade coffee! Many Ohio County Board's of Developmental Disabilities are represented in the store with creations by their clients--and I think folks new to the genre of "outsider art" will be astounded at how beautiful these creations are.
There are a lot of things to do and see in Marietta, and if you’re anything like me, a day away is sometimes more restorative than a longer vacation. Marietta is 120 miles from Columbus, 75 miles from Charleston, WV, 170 miles from Cleveland, and 160 miles from Pittsburgh. From Athens, where Mark and I live, it is not far at all, about a 50-minute drive. Be sure to visit the Heart to Art Galleria and purchase one of their artists’ creations for yourself, your home, or as a gift. You’ll be adding beauty to your life and supporting the creative efforts of some very special people. Note: After visiting the Galleria, we ate lunch at Austyn's Restaurant, (click on link to see their menu) also on Front Street and near to the public parking lot along the waterfront, where the photo above was taken. It was delicious! I had the strawberry walnut salad and Mark had the club sandwich. For desert, creme brulee and coffee. A perfect addition to our morning get-away. Their dinner menu looked very good too; the restaurant and food it offered reminded me of some of the places we ate when we were in NYC earlier this year (namely Benjamin Steakhouse), and also, Sarava, one of my favorite restaurants (Shaker Square, Cleveland). In other words, a real gem of an eatery, right here in SE Ohio.
Update: 6/18/09. My mother is visiting from FL and we drove over to Marietta today, stopping in at the Heart to Art Galleria. Nancy Harris called me beforehand and told me that tomorrow night, 6/19/09, is the Mayor's Jubilee in downtown Marietta--music, art, shopping, food--sounds wonderful.
It was great to learn that some of my son Bryce's artwork had been purchased and to see what it was that captured visitors' attention (his portrait of Aunt Joan and his drawing of an angel). I also had the opportunity today to meet four of the WASCO jewelry artists who, under the direction of Kim and Chuck, were creating absolutely beautiful glass pendants for necklaces (such as are sold on their website and in the store). I saw how carefully the artists choose the colors and shapes that go on the pendants and they explained to me the process for completing the jewelry (firing in the kiln and then the findings attached so that the pendants can be hung on a necklace).
I noticed that many things that I'd seen on my first visit there for the grand opening were now sold. Great! There are still a lot of great products there and more are on the way. Passionworks and Blue Shoe Arts from Athens and Fairfield Counties, respectively, are well represented. Stuffed toys from Allen County are also there.
Mother and I ate at Austyn's and went into a wonderful gift shop, an antique shop, and a secondhand clothing store. It was a wonderful way to spend a day off of work.
May 11, 2009
Paint-by-Numbers, A Relaxing Creative Outlet
Art and craft enthusiasts have long known the calming, meditative, right-brain blissfulness that comes with delving into a project; concentrating on the colors and shapes; finding all the pieces coming together to create something beautiful. Yet often painting is a daunting thing to take up. The materials can be confusing; all the different types of paints and brushes called "flats" and "brights." The smell of oils, not to mention the expense. And the fact that most of us do not believe we really can draw, and who wants to face failure when you just want to relax and have some fun? This is why paint-by-numbers were created, and I -- for one -- do not think anyone should feel hesitant to embrace this hobby. It's a real hobby and a real craft; no different than following the directions on a crocheted afghan (such as I'm doing now) or knitting a beautiful cable sweater or cutting out various images to make a collage.
The beautiful paintings shown here were done by my sister, Joyce Phelps, of Bradenton, FL. I'm not surprised that her efforts look so great, because she has always been a person who paid attention to the details. Her home shows a good sense of color and composition. She is patient and stays with anything she starts until she's "got it." I, gal of many unfinished projects, admire that quality.
Joyce says that paint-by-numbers is relaxing; indeed many would say it is therapeutic in the way that so many hobbbies are.
The paintings Joyce has done here are shown in reverse chronological order. The painting of the cats was her first, the one of the birds and flowers second and the beach scene the most recent.
Some paint-by-numbers designs require more compex color mixing than others, and you can really see the excellent care Joyce has taken in mixing the paints to get the soft background in the bird picture, as well as the very lifelike water in the beach scene.
If you have always wanted to paint but felt intimidated by a blank canvas, consider one of the many paint-by-numbers kits available today. I've listed places where you can buy the kits and articles online about the hobby, below.
BOOKS/KITS ON PAINT-BY-NUMBERS ON AMAZON:
Complete Paint-by-Numbers Set from Readers Digest
Paint By Number Kit: Everything You Need to Re-Create 8 Vintage Masterpieces
Games Magazine Presents Paint by Numbers (The Unique Geometric Logic Puzzles for Ages 14 to Adult)
Paint by Number: The How-To Craze that Swept the Nation
Painting the Great Masters by Number: Create Your Own Masterpiece with this Easy Paint-by-Number Program
3-D Paint by Numbers: Under the Sea
STORES THAT SELL PAINT-BY-NUMBERS KITS:
Michael’s
ARTICLES ONLINE ABOUT PAINT-BY-NUMBERS:
“Paint by numbers: A ‘50s fad achieves status in the new millennium”
“Vintage Paint-by-Numbers Making a Comeback”
"CLASSIC PAINT-BY-NUMBERS FROM THE '40s, '50s, & '60s"
Various articles on the subject.
"The use of paint-by-number art in therapy"
“By the Numbers: An Interview with William L. Bird, Jr."
WEBSITES DEDICATED TO PAINT-BY-NUMBERS:
National Museum of American History
le salon de Paint-by-Numbers: Dedicated to the Art of Creative Relaxation
MISC:
Extreme Home Makeover Paint by Numbers Room
Paint by Numbers Toilet Paper
EXHIBITS:
October 2009: Paint-by-Numbers Exhibit/Benefit in St. Louis, MO.
SOFTWARE:
Paint by Numbers 2005 CD-ROM (note: it does not list VISTA as a platform)
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