| When you’re starting off as a young writer, you look at all the stuff that’s gone before and the stuff that’s influenced you, and you reach the ladle of your imagination into this bubbling stew pot of all of this stuff, and you pour it out. And that’s where you start from.As time goes on, you realise that it’s actually kind of fun to put stuff back in the stew pot. You can throw in a turnip that nobody’s ever seen before. So I loved doing that… I’m throwing in carrots and things that other people can use if they want to. But I’m not just taking from this thing, I’m going to leave more behind. ~ Neil Gaiman |
I’ve heard it called a stew, a gumbo, a well, the muse, and more. That place where ideas come from. Maybe it’s inside of us, or out, or some combination of the two. We gather concepts, ideas, visualizations, and more going about our lives. Those are blended together and mixed with our personal experiences and viewpoints, then come out as artworks.
- This week’s artist is – Jenny Saville – (who will be 52 on Saturday.) Check out this page about her and her instagram for even more!
- Paper Engineering sounds like a fun class to take. Here are some student projects.
- As a reminder, here are a few thoughts about why paper is a wonderful technology.
- I love this visualization – how many humans have ever lived (and how many are currently alive.)
- Here’s an easy art project – trees in 5 easy steps.
- Interesting conversation based around painting alone or with others.
- It would be amazing to look through a copy of the Sistine Chapel Book.
- You can tell that spring has sprung. Durango’s event calendar has really filled up.
- Tonight, from 6-7:30, The Hive is offering a free poetry workshop. Swing by to write, read, share, or just listen and enjoy.
- 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!”).
- Narrow Gauge Day is Friday and the railroad will be hosting their annual Free Picnic and community celebration at the Durango Depot from 11-2. Enjoy lunch and listen to the Bar D Wranglers who will be performing on the lawn in front of the depot.
- Also on Friday Buck’s Parlor is hosting a First Friday Popup from 12-5. Swing in any first Friday of the month to see local artist and buy some cool vintage!.
- Create Art and Tea’s event calendar for this month is filling up quite nicely (Like their First Friday Art Show from 5-7).
- 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.
- Thank you so much to everyone who donated art supplies and materials that you haven’t been using! If you haven’t dropped off materials that you aren’t using any longer, we will take them until Saturday! We’re still sorting and will soon be distributing them to organizations who support people through creative pursuits, and will share more info once we do.
- Have you ever tried watercolor graphite pencils? The Graphite Aquarelle Pencils are certainly fun to play with and offer a whole new range of effects you can create. Here is an overview if you aren’t familiar with them. I think they pair wonderfully with the Graphitints.
There’s also a larger, world stew pot. As Neil Gaiman mentions in the opening quote of this email, we dip in and borrow a carrot, a turnip, a rutabaga, and blend it all together with our own personal worldview (in cooking terms, perhaps that is our roux) and create something unique. That finished project, the sketches that lead up to it, are things that we add back into the world stew pot for other artists to access. The world needs ingredients from you – the world needs your art!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew