REFRESH WITH DAWN HERRING: WHERE IT'S TIME TO PLAY!
Picture
  • A TIME TO PLAY!
  • About Me
  • ART
    • Dawn's Art Demo Videos
  • MUSIC
    • Dawn's Spiritual Music Videos
  • JOURNAL KEEPING
    • The Art of Journaling Videos
    • The Art of Journaling Toolbox
    • The Art of Journaling Prompt Play Book
  • FUN WITH FASHION
  • Blog Hub
    • A TIME TO PLAY
    • Going Gentle
    • Beginnings
    • THE WAY I SEE IT
    • The Sweet Spot
    • Refresh Daily Blog >
      • Your Authentic Refreshment Blog
  • The CAT's Meow!
  • Inspiring Resources
    • Walk & Chat with Dawn
    • The Way I See It Podcast
    • My Favorite Sweet Spots
    • Keepin' It Sweet Show

5/21/2015

Refresh Daily: A Creative Experiment

0 Comments

Read Now
 
Picture
This is a Creative Doodle, an example of what I do each evening when I summarize my day. I used a black Uniball Vision Pen with Winsor Newton Watercolor Markers.
I think Experiment is one of my favorite Art-Related words. Experimentation implies trying something new, or perhaps adding a fresh approach to something you've already done. 

My art lends to experimentation, whether I'm Playing in my Art Journal, starting a new watercolor painting or trying my hand at mixed media on canvas, all of which I am doing now! Yikes. 

You might wonder why I say Yikes in regards to my venues. 

Let me explain. 

Back in 2014, when I was in the midst of a residential move, I decided that once I settled into my new home, I was going to make space for another venue in addition to my art journal and my watercolor painting. 

I know. Like I'm not busy creating enough already, right? Well, I've kept an art journal for 4 1/2 years now, and am still loving it. Wouldn't change a thing on that end. But I was still intrigued with the idea of applying the same principles I've learned in my play time with my art journal to a canvas. 

I  had already worked with canvas with watercolor, so I wanted to see what it would be like to add more than one medium to that substrate. And I had several ideas to work with already. (I always have more ideas than I know what to do with.) 

So I determined that I  would make extra space in my new art studio space for mixed media work. I was going to have FUN with this! 

First I had to determine what kind of desk or table I would use and eventually settled on my previously used computer cart (which I was no longer using for my computer since I now had a separate desk for that), which has wheels on it, so I could move it if necessary...I like the idea of portability when you need it. 

So once I settled on that, I knew I would need to make the additional space for it. And there was another piece of furniture that needed to be moved. So for a while, once I put it in there, I felt very cramped. 

And cramped is not a good feeling. (Once that piece of furniture was removed, it felt better.)

Then I decided to get myself an additional french easel for my studio space so I could paint either in the bedroom (where my other one resides) or I could paint in my larger studio. (Hubby actually suggested that!) So I got another one. 

Now I have three separate spaces in my studio to create with: one for my art journal, one for my mixed media work and one for fine art watercolor painting. 

So you'd think I would just jump right in with them all and get to playing, right? 

Um. Well, not right away. 

I was currently working on "Forge," which is now posted on my art gallery, I had an art journal spread started and waiting for my return. I started that mixed media canvas and kept running into blocks with it since I wanted to be sure to use only high quality products for my work and some stuff I wanted I had yet to acquire, yadda, yadda, yadda. 

With all that said, I let my art journal languish for about three weeks. Yes. Three Weeks. Oh, I would piddle with it once in a while but found I didn't have the energy to pursue it since I was so focused on "Forge." 

So here I was, I had met my goal of having all three projects going at once. You know, so I could work on whatever I felt like working on when I wanted to. 

But, honestly, I felt blocked. Even burdened. Burdened?? 
Yes. Like I was carrying too much. And I was losing the playful, intuitive energy that I so loved and wanted as a creative person. 

You see, I really wanted to know what it felt like to be so productive as an artist; not that I didn't really want to try all these things, because I did and still do. 

But I needed to pace myself more so than ever; there are only so many hours and minutes in my day. 
So I must learn to be more gentle with myself and truly only do as much as I want to and not try to set expectations for myself that aren't necessary. (And we all have that tendency at one point or another, don't we?)

I don't want my art to start to feel too much like WORK in all caps. Oh, I know creating takes energy and time and sometimes it is work, especially when you want it to look just right and you make a perceived error or something doesn't work out the way you want it to, etc. 

But I want my ART to always be a place where I can feel free to listen, to play, to intuit and to Honor Myself as artist as much as possible. And Not Allow Resistance to Have Sway over my Creative Life. 

And So It IS. And I AM Blessed. 

Art Journal/Journaling Prompt:
Do you ever feel blocked as an artist once you have a met a goal you've kept for yourself in order to grow creatively? Detail this experience in your journal, describing where you were at the time you determined this goal and where you were when you met that goal. Did it meet your expectations? Were you surprised by how you felt? How did it affect your creative process? Did it stay the same, feel amazing or burdensome? If it felt heavy to you, what did you do to get yourself to a better place of balance? 

Affirm your place of creativity visually in your art journal. Draw a picture of your space or cut out pics that remind you of your place of creatvity. Write affirmations and use images to show what you love about your creative space and any goals you're met and are happy about. 

Also, dream about what your next step will be; detail in your written journal and create a visual to honor your goal. 

Remember to Honor Your Preferences, Your Personality and Purpose in your Creative Expression and give yourself breathing room when necessary. And also remember, it's all in the experiment! 

Copyright 2015 Dawn Herring

Share

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

Details
    Subscribe to Refresh Daily

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Dawn Herring

    Dawn engages in many roles:  As Writer/Blogger and Artist/Creative and Founder of Refresh with Dawn Herring: Where Art and JOY Align, She enjoys sharing from her vast experience as award-winning, life-long artist and leader in the field of written journaling, offering encouragement and proven tips to other journal keepers. Dawn's focus is on written journal keeping, artistic expression and finding your Creative Voice, and positive change that leads personal empowerment, encouraging you to  leave your authentic and positive mark in the world. Dawn is a Commercial artist, hand letterer/illustrator and writer/blogger and enjoys sharing insights, humor, and encouragement as she shares from her life experiences as a woman, wife, mother of two grown daughters and as a Grandparent to a special needs grandson. She enjoys keeping a journal and reading spiritual texts to help keep the light on.  May JOY Align with Your Creative Heart.

    Archives

    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    2016
    2017
    2018
    2019
    5 Minute Refresh
    Acid Free Card Stock
    Acronym
    Appreciation
    Artists
    Art Journaling
    Art Journal Prompt
    Authenticity
    Autism
    Awareness
    Back To School
    Birds
    Birthday
    Body Language
    Brayer
    Change
    Clothing
    Collage
    Color
    Contentment
    Costume
    Creative Conversations
    Creative Expectation
    Creativity
    Creativity Is A Gift
    Decision Making
    Design
    Doodle Dynamics
    Doodle Prompt
    Emotions
    Fabrics
    Facebook Live Video
    Family
    Fashion
    Filling Your Creative Well
    Food For Thought
    Fresh Perspective
    FUN
    Generosity
    Gift Giving
    Gretchen Rubin
    Halloween
    Handbag
    How Curiosity Can Enhance Our Creativity
    How To Gain Clarity In Challenging Situations
    How To Recognize Illusion When You See It
    How To Recognize New Growth
    Illustrated Birthday Doodle
    Illustration
    Interview
    Intuition
    Jewelry
    Jill Winski
    JournalChat Live
    #JournalChat Live OPEN HOUSE
    Journaling
    Journal Prompt
    Joy
    JOYFest
    Layering
    Layering With Watercolor
    Listen To Your Intuition
    Memoir
    Merry Christmas
    Mindset
    Mix And Match
    Mocking Bird
    Modeling Paste
    Movie Review
    Music
    Nurture
    October
    Oil Pastel
    Patterns
    Periscope Broadcast
    Physical Well Being
    Place
    Refresh Daily Audio
    Refresh Daily Book Review
    Refresh Daily Interview
    Refresh Daily Movie Review
    Refresh Daily Podcast
    Refresh Daily Product Review
    Refresh Daily Rewind
    Refresh Daily Video
    Refresh Intensive
    Refreshment
    Refresh With Dawn Herring
    Self Care
    Sketchbook
    Sleeveless Blouse
    Staying Present
    The Art Of Journaling
    The ART Of JOY
    The Birthday Wall
    Video
    Watercolor
    Why Documenting Your Life Is Important And Beneficial
    Winsor Newton Watercolor Markers
    Work Habits
    Working With Card Decks
    Your Authentic Path
    Your Creative Center
    Your Creative Practice

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • A TIME TO PLAY!
  • About Me
  • ART
    • Dawn's Art Demo Videos
  • MUSIC
    • Dawn's Spiritual Music Videos
  • JOURNAL KEEPING
    • The Art of Journaling Videos
    • The Art of Journaling Toolbox
    • The Art of Journaling Prompt Play Book
  • FUN WITH FASHION
  • Blog Hub
    • A TIME TO PLAY
    • Going Gentle
    • Beginnings
    • THE WAY I SEE IT
    • The Sweet Spot
    • Refresh Daily Blog >
      • Your Authentic Refreshment Blog
  • The CAT's Meow!
  • Inspiring Resources
    • Walk & Chat with Dawn
    • The Way I See It Podcast
    • My Favorite Sweet Spots
    • Keepin' It Sweet Show