The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity.
~ Brene Brown
So often people think that creative = artsy. But that’s a woefully incomplete understanding of creativity. Everyone is creative. Tim the plumber is. He might not be a poet, but he comes up with ingenious solutions to move a bathroom down the hall in the renovation of an older home. Creativity applies to pipes as much as to poetry. Pediatricians need it (and have it) every bit as much as painters.
- This week’s artist is – Jose Lopez Vergara. For even more, check out his website!
- Joan Miró would have been 131 on Saturday!
- The Sweaty Buddha has a call for artists out. They have space on their artist wall – beginning now for three month rotations. Please reach out to info@thesweatybuddha.com if you are interested. All mediums and styles welcome.
- Paintings revealing details of history.
- A guide to calligraphy on an agate.
- German art museum fires worker for for hanging his own painting in gallery.
- Photos of the solar eclipse.
- 2023’s weather photography award winners.
- 100 of the world’s cutest photos.
- Here are 13 plein air pointers (to go along with the featured product/setup below.)
- And 11 tips for plein air sketching.
- 20 iconic things turning 50 this year.
- You can’t hoard life.
- This woman deconstructs 100-year-old books to restore them (video).
- I suspect this won’t be a surprise, but working with your hands is good for your brain.
- Ever wonder how birds sleep?
- Standard Ebooks is “a volunteer-driven project that produces new editions of public domain ebooks that are lovingly formatted, open source, free of U.S. copyright restrictions, and free of cost.
Fun Fact: In 1841, the American portrait painter John G. Rand patented an invention that reshaped the history of art: a tin paint tube sealed with a screw cap.- Butterfly Artist Collective gathering at Create Art and Tea, this evening from 5:30-7. Featuring Melissa Lundsford of Soapbox Fibers for this month’s Spark Starter Talk – “Let’s get inspired!” This is a monthly networking meeting for all creative minds to come together and share and learn from each other. No charge – tea to share.
- The Durango Bluegrass Meltdown is this weekend (Fri – Sun). You can see the lineup and schedule here.
- The Spring into Summer Arts & Crafts Fair is Saturday at the fairgrounds from 10-3. It’s is a great way to find those Mother’s Day gifts. Handmade gifts, one-of-a-kind art, leather engraved art, jewelry… and more!
- Earth Day events on Saturday, including:
- a parade down Main Street to Buckley Park from 10:30-11. This year’s theme, “Planet vs Plastics,” is a call to action to fight plastic pollution. So get creative and design a costume that embodies the beauty of nature or the dangers of plastic. Whether you’re a majestic hawk, a playful otter, or a swirling vortex of plastic waste, let your imagination run wild!
- Then at Buckley park there will be a number of interactive booths set up from 11-3.
- Live music by the Yoties!
- Great food & drinks + A zero-waste event! Bring your own mug, bowl, and utensils to be part of the solution.
- The Durango Botanic Gardens is joining forces with the local chapter of the Colorado Native Plant Society for a Native Seed Give-away. Stop by, get your hands dirty and learn how to make seed balls – fun for the whole family.
- Sunday from 10-2 at the Durango Tool Library (278 Sawyer Drive, Unit 4A) will be a Repair Café. Don’t despair, repair! Bring your wobbly chairs, torn shirts, shattered phone screens, malfunctioning bicycles, and toasters on-the-blink to the Repair Café. A crew of volunteers will be on-hand to help you diagnose and fix your things.
- Kiddos and doggos: Bring your sick and wounded stuffed animals to the Stuffed Animal Hospital. Volunteers will be ready to give your stuffed animal special care, like replacing missing stuffing and patching any holes, so you can keep playing with your stuffie.
- There is no fee for participating in this event, but there will be local coffee cart and drink vendors onsite offering yummy beverages for purchase. Get a drink for you and, perhaps, for a volunteer? It is a repair “café” after all! Come enjoy a refreshment while repairing and learning.
- To attend and get your things fixed: No sign up required. No fees to participate. Come on Sunday, April 21st and bring one thing to be repaired.
- To volunteer and help fix things: Volunteers are needed to staff repair stations. If you are interested in helping, please check out details and sign up here.
- Sunday from 7-8pm at the Durango Church of Christ you can hear 50 voices in a concert of inspirational, a cappella music! This select group of teenage singers from the greater Denver area is stopping in Durango on their spring tour. Don’t miss this unique opportunity! This event is FREE and appropriate for all ages.
- It’s the time of year when 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, 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.
- The weather’s been decidedly spring-like (complete with snow, flowers blooming, and buds on the trees.). On those nice days, it’s wonderful weather to get outside and create. If you’re looking for a plein air set-up, we can help out with a variety of options. There’s not really a shortage of options, but if you’re looking for a suggestion of where to go, we can help out with that too!
You are unique. There’s never been anyone exactly like you. No one else has your exact perspective, background, experience, personality, or gifts. Taking a class or workshop can present information about making something. But inevitably when you actually make it it will look different than it does when someone else makes the same thing. And that’s okay. The principles are universal; the application of those principles are unique.
No matter how you create – it is uniquely yours because you’re the one creating it! No matter how you create, the world needs your creativity!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
P.S. – Our Spring Clean Art Supply Drive is this month. Almost everyone has a bin of unwanted art supplies gathering dust in their basement. Whether it be from a project you’ve finished, a ridiculous amount of expensive supplies from college or a sewing kit from a loved one, you’re not alone. Free your burden of creativity past and bring them to the store this month and we’ll pass them on to a nonprofit that will put them to good use, changing people’s lives.