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Artspiration

Everything and nothing

Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.”~ from Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises.

All at once, it seems. Isn’t it funny how my days seem to go? My todo list feels empty of time-sensitive items, until they suddenly appear all at once. I’m busy all day long, yet when I think back later I couldn’t tell you what I did. Nothing of note seems to be happing until, upon later reflection, I realize that it was really a busy season, full of notable events.

  • This week’s artist is – Eric Carle – whose work I’ve been exposed to quite frequently over the last couple of years. I continue to be surprised and inspired by the quality of the artwork in children’s books. It was fun to poke through his website and discover more of his art, behind the scenes of tissue paper painting, and more.

  • There’s also a museum dedicated to celebrating picture-book illustration, as an art form.
  • Looking for an artist grant? The City of Durango’s Lodger’s Tax: Arts and Culture (LTAC) Funding Request Application is available. There will be two funding cycles this year, with June 30 and then August 31 deadlines. More info about the LTAC and the application is available in both English and Spanish on the City’s websites.
  • Jim Dine will be 87 tomorrow.
  • If you want to sell your art, here are 10 tips.
  • Here are the top 100 photos taken by the Hubble space telescope.
  • I recently had a conversation about the fast/cheap/good choice triad (you can only choose two of those three). It made me think of this
  • article about work/family/friends balance.
  • Here’s a list of comic books that explain things that matter. I think that comics are an under-appreciated artistic and communication medium.
  • Enjoy wordplay? This article asks if the great lakes are really inland seas? Resoundingly maybe. Perhaps it’s just semantics.
  • Movies in the Park is at the Rec Center lawn on Friday at 7. This week features the live version of Mulan.
  • Mancos’ 3rd annual BurroFest is this weekend.
  • The Silverton Creative District’s Arts Festival is this weekend.
  • Create Art and Tea’s event calendar for this month is filling up quite nicely.
  • There are quite a few events/classes/workshops available for everyone at the Durango Arts Center.
  • The Scrapbook Nook has a week full of classes and projects, if you’re looking for something creative to do. Call them to reserve your spot.
  • At least some of the artists at The ArtRoom in the Smiley Building offer classes (like Heather’s brushlettering).
  • There’s live music scattered about town all week. See what’s available here.
  • There are a lot of local events/classes/workshops happening that I don’t include (like most things that require a ticket purchase) – so if you’re ever looking for something to do, start at WhatsHappeningDurango.com
  • We were able to get some clay in! A little bit of air dry and a handful of kiln-fired clays. It’s been a bit of a strange process to order and receive clay. Air Dry has been out of stock for months so when we saw some available we jumped on it. I think our kiln-fired clay order went something along the lines of “send along whatever you’ve got.” Whatever it took, we have some on hand for now. If you might be able to use it, swing by, it’s going quickly!

Maybe your days are similar to mine. Seemingly nothing and everything happening all at once. My creative practices help me stay grounded – to slow down and take a deep breath and pay attention to the world around me. A quick sketch to capture a fleeting moment, noticing the array of subtle colors in the different greens on a mountain side on the way home. Flipping through my photos brings an experience to mind, but flipping through my sketchbook brings me back to that time. Art not only makes the world a better place, but helps us experience the world more fully. You need your art!

Cheers!

Matthew & the Art Supply House crew

P.S. – I’ve had some great responses about a creating daily challenge (1% of the day is only 15 minutes). Next week I’ll be sending out more info about the challenge. Look for it here!