| Strangely, life gets harder when you try to make it easy. Exercising might be hard, but never moving makes life harder.Uncomfortable conversations are hard, but avoiding every conflict is harder. Mastering your craft is hard, but having no skills is harder. Easy has a cost. ~ James Clear |
There’s a (poor) joke about what it’s like to be an entrepreneur – you basically wake up, get metaphorically punched in the face all day, then get up to do it tomorrow. There are always challenges. Of course, I think that is true of life in general. There are always challenges. We get in a groove at work, and work changes in some way. We learn how to best interact with our family members and they grow and develop and we have to relearn. Those challenges can be hard, but they also help us grow and develop as people.
- This week’s artist is – Jo Nakashima – an origami artist who shares how-to‘s (much less behind the scenes). As not-an-origami-artist I appreciate the work that goes into these creations, and really enjoy seeing behind the scenes. Check out his website and instagram for even more.
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.
Enjoy creating digitally? Here are some tiny tools that might help, no matter what sort of creative style you might undertake.
Want to start selling your art, but don’t think you have a large enough network or just too shy and feel better starting small? A living room show is a great approach.
Diego Velazquez would have been 423 on Monday.
Friday morning is Free Yoga Friday at Lively (A Boutique) from 8:30-9:30. (There is limited space so please sign up at livelyaboutique.com to reserve your spot!”).
In case you like photography, or food, or food photography – here are the some of the best of this year so far.
I love this description about the edge of one’s understanding being at the edge of their map.
If you might be on the search for any new knickknacks, these Hieronymus Bosch figurines are kinda cool-looking in their own obviously weird way.
Dancing Spirit Community Arts Center is building a permanent home and they’re looking for support.
Struggling to remember? Here are some handy mnemonics that are always available.
This might not be a surprise to anyone who creates representative works, but this article about what artists notice is a great read.
Veryl Goodnight‘s new works featuring sled dogs will be publicly viewable for the first time at the Durango Arts Center. The opening reception is tomorrow (Thursday) from 4-6pm. The show will be displayed through the end of June.
The Silverton Creative District is launching First Friday Art Walks. The kick-off is this Friday, from 4-7pm. More info here.
The Silverton CD is also hosting an Arts Festival. It’s coming up soon, if you want to mark your calendar on June 17-19.
Create Art and Tea’s event calendar for this month is filling up quite nicely.
There are quite a few events 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.
There’s live music scattered about town all week. See what’s available here.
We keep hearing rumors (and seeing evidence of) school being out. If that’s the case and you now have small, energetic people around for more of the day – come and grab this whole pile of projects and materials. It will keep them busy for… minutes. Plural! If school doesn’t affect you, maybe it’s time to pick and choose from this pile to try out something new. Either way, we’re here for you with goodies for everyone!
Fortunately, we sometimes get to choose our challenges, they aren’t always thrust upon us externally. This is a quote I’ve seen floating around. “Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Choose your hard. Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard. Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard. Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. But we can choose our hard. Pick wisely.“
As creators, we can’t not make things. Creating is hard. Not creating might feel easy in the short term, but is hard in the long run. Choose your hard. The world needs your art!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
P.S. – I’ve recently had a series of conversations about making art daily. Would you be interested in joining me in a challenge to spend 1% of every day creating? If so, reply to this email and let me know how long (for a week, a month, or some other time frame).