| The waking have one world in common. Sleepers meanwhile turn aside, each into a darkness of his own.~ Heraclitus |
Some number of emails ago I shared this quote by James Gurney, “We should never forget how lucky we are to be able to conjure dreams out of thin air.” It came back to mind when reading both the Heraclitus quote above and this one, “Even a soul submerged in sleep is hard at work, and helps make something of the world.”
- This week’s artist is – Samantha Yates – a stained glass artist. Admittedly, I’m not amazingly familiar with stained glass, but seeing these long-stemmed botanicals created in colorful stained glass helped me realize that it can be so much more than the stereotypical window-piece that comes to my mind. Be sure to check out her website and instagram for more!
- A few years ago I was able to work behind the scenes with a photographer. It was a lot of fun to work with all of the photographs, not just the ones that were “made public.” These old contact sheets are fascinating.
- Here’s a different kind of collection – Japanese wave and ripple designs form 1903.
- Streaming a photograph collection results in a video – here’s a timelapse of the sun circling the South Pole (since it doesn’t dip below the horizon to “set”).
- While Walk, Nap, Write advice is aimed toward writing a novel, I think it works for creative of all kinds.
- Just a reminder (to myself as much as anyone) – outside lies magic.
- Sealing your work is tricky. Here’s some advice on how to seal it.
- Do you ever wonder what owls might be nearby? See owls and want to share with others? Check out www.OwlsNearMe.com
- Tis the season of the pop-up and bazaar. Here are a few coming up this week:
- Live Creative Studio presents its Annual Zero Waste Holiday Pop Up on Friday and Saturday from 10-6 at the Smiley Building.
- Durango La Plata Senior Center’s food and craft bazaar is Saturday from 9-3.
- St. Columba’s Christmas Bazaar is Saturday from 9-4.
- St. Mark’s Christmas Bazaar is Saturday from 9-4.
- The Union Social House is hosting a Holiday Market from Saturday from 2-7.
- Sklyar Schultheis‘s Gallery will be open Saturday from 4-7 (1690 Florida Rd).
- If you’re interested in being part of the Snowdown cast, the Durango Arts Center is hosting auditions for cast and MC on Wednesday at 6 (that’s tonight!) Here’s more info.
- Noel Nite is Friday from 10-9. Over 80 downtown businesses are participating. Enjoy discounts, treats, and fun festivities all day long in downtown!
- There’s live music scattered around town this week.
- The Durango Arts Center has a lot of things going on – classes and workshops for kids of all ages. Check them out here. Maybe the Art of Painting, Figure Drawing, or Pots & Pints.
- Create Art & Tea has events coming up (like Soul Collage With Barb Horn).
- The ScrapBook Nook has a class or workshop scheduled almost every day of the week.
- We love our dip and fountain pens, inks, etc… And we just got in a few new dip pen sets! In case you share our enthusiasm, swing by and check them out! (There’s also new ink, wax, wax stamps, notebooks, and other such goodies to be shared in upcoming weeks.)
It’s rare for me to have a flash of inspiration provide an entire project – to see a vision of the finished piece. Sometimes I have no idea where my creative ideas, my sparks of inspiration, come from. That can mean they’ll end up going nowhere, or they’ll turn out successful in ways I can’t picture! It’s rare for me to have a flash of inspiration provide an entire project – to see a vision of the finished piece. Sometimes that means I’m reluctant to get started. Once I do start it sometimes means that I explore a technique, combination of materials, or just creatively pass the time and don’t complete a project. That time and material is never wasted, as I learn and grow from the experimentation. When I do get to share a dream conjured out of thin air, it’s one way that I expand the world for myself and others.
Creative time is an investment worth making. In ourselves, our skills and knowledge, and in the world around us. Your art helps make the world a better place!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew