The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.
~ W.B. Yeats
Ever notice how two people can live right next door to each other, work at the same place, even walk the same neighborhood streets—and yet, seem to exist in completely different worlds? It all comes down to a powerful choice: what each one chooses to pay attention to.
Imagine one of them, constantly scrolling through news feeds, absorbing algorithms tailored to his past views. Every article, every suggested video is designed to reinforce what he already believes, giving him back the world he expects to see. The patterns repeat, creating a comfortable but limited echo chamber. Meanwhile, his neighbor approaches each day differently, seeking out things that uplift, inspire, and teach. Art that challenges his assumptions, books that ignite curiosity, stories that remind him of the beauty and resilience around him. His world, though it shares the same sidewalks and grocery aisles, is a world filled with growth and possibility. Each is living in a world of their own making, shaped by what they invite in.
- This week’s artist is – Carlos and Carol Moseley – whose work I must have seen at one of the Autumn Arts Fests. See more on their website and facebook!
- George Segal would have had his 100th birthday on Tuesday!
- November is the last month with 5 Saturdays this year – but it lands when we’re closed for the Thanksgiving weekend. So, we’re having a Customer Appreciation this Friday and Saturday. Is your bag ready?
- The Durango airport has a Call for Artists out. Here’s more info.
- The Durango Library’s also booking art display spaces for 2025. You can display your art for 1-2 months and there is space for three dimensional items too! Whether it’s a handful of pieces or enough to fill the Program Room walls, there are options! Contact Darcy at darcy.poletti@durangoco.gov or 970.375.3384 for more information!
- Don’t steal your own playtime.
- This is a weekly email exploring the world of contemporary collage.
- And here’s a collaged book from the late 1800s.
- A writer whose work I follow shared the work of Tamara de Lempicka. Her life story and art work are one-of-a-kind. Here’s a gem from Britannica: “By her own account, de Lempicka sought to make a living from her art as a result of her husband’s reluctance to work.” I suppose necessity is the mother of invention! If you only have 30 seconds, watch this video. See more of her works here, here, and here.
- On color theory – limitation through the eyes of the Zorn Palette.
- These artists discuss their take on abstract and non-objective art in “driven to abstraction.”
- Free 1 hour lesson – make better paintings in one hour or less.
- If you’re a piler and not a filer, you’ll appreciate the joy of clutter.
- As proof of the theorem that no matter what craft you’re interested in, so is someone else – this is Ian’s Shoelace Site.
- Have you always wondered about the difference between Grey and Gray? Grey is a colour, but Gray is a color.
Fun Fact: Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, is still under construction more than 140 years after it was started, with completion projected around 2026.- Natural Plant Dye Demonstration with Diné Artist Venancio Aragon – Drop-In, no registration necessary, Thursday from 1-5 at the Fort Lewis College, Art & Design Building, Room #156.
- Saturday is Animas Chocolate Company’s Free Truffle Day, from 11-7. It’s their annual customer appreciation event. You get to enjoy one truffle of your choice, completely for free. It’s their way of saying thank you to the community, and to officially kick off the holiday season. Plus, they’ll be releasing their seasonal holiday truffle, Cinnamon Pass Swirl.
- There are lots of live music events, open mics, live jam sessions, etc, scattered about the area throughout the week. There are too many to list here, so if you’re looking for such things, head over to WhatsHappeningDurango.com.
- There are classes/workshops/projects available at the 4 Corners Gem and Mineral Club, the Bayfield Library, Create Art and Tea, the Dancing Spirit Center for the Arts, Durango Sustainable Goods, Let’s Letter Together, the MakerLab, Picasso & Vino, the Scrapbook Nook, Seed Studio, and the Durango Arts Center. There are a lot more things happening that I don’t include – so if you’re ever looking for something to do, start at WhatsHappeningDurango.com.
- We just replenished our stock of grab-n-go art kits. These are basically our answer to the question, “I’d like to try ___ – what do you recommend?” And we’ve added a paint marker kit for this year!
So, here’s the big question: what world have you chosen? Because the incredible thing is, you can choose—and you can change. Sure, it may mean unlearning some familiar habits of thought or resisting the pull of old patterns, but it’s possible. The world you inhabit starts with what you decide to pay attention to, and it unfolds from there. This week, consider what you’re letting in and what it might mean for the world you’re building around yourself. Because the world needs your unique perspective, your creativity, your spark. The world needs your art!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
P.S. – Ready to create every chance you get? After testing hundreds of supplies, we’ve narrowed down what needs to be in our Curiosity Kit. (Sign up here for the chance to preorder.) It’s compact but capable. Need tutorials? We’ll have them for everything in the kit. Only got 10 minutes? You can still make art. We can help!