Create a Visioning Collage to Inspire You

September 4, 2008 by 2 Comments

vision collageMaterials:
Large piece of sturdy white paper / poster board
Magazines to cut up
Scissors
Glue
Colored Markers
Pens
Paints
A Creative Dream

Begin by going through the magazines and randomly cutting out images and words that appeal to you. Once you have about 10-15 images start imagining your dream and how what you’ve chosen represents this. You may want to choose an image or word that represents the essence of the dream and place this in the center of your paper gluing it securely in place.

Next, working with the other images, begin gluing them down in whatever way makes sense to you and your dream. You can also add color with markers, pens or paints.

After the collage is complete it should represent your achieved dream. Place the collage in a place where you will see it every day and spend some time each day visualizing yourself in your dream collage achieving your goals.

Filed Under: Imagination, Inspiration, Problem Solving

Time to Play

August 4, 2008 by Leave a Comment

When was the last time you played? If you can’t remember, then it’s probably been too long. August is the perfect month to let your inner creative out to get some exercise.

Did you know?

Giving children the time, space, and tools to play can aid them in developing important coping and problem-solving skills in stressful situations, according to CWRU psychologists who are following children in a study on play and creativity in children. Results from the second of three longitudinal studies shows that creative children in the first and second grades continue to use their imaginations and emotions in their play in the fifth and sixth grades.

“Good early play skills predicted the ability to be creative and generate alternative solutions to everyday problems and a higher quality of solutions,” says Sandra Russ, professor and chair of CWRU’s Department of Psychology.

If play is that beneficial for children, imagine how it could enhance the adult brain.

Filed Under: Creativity, Imagination

Creative Materials for Art

May 13, 2008 by 2 Comments

Have you ever thought about what you could use around the house for your art? I’m not talking about traditional materials, but something, well creative. Creativity involves taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary.

Artist Jennifer Maestre uses pencils, which she cuts into small sections and threads like beads to create beautiful sculptures based on sea urchins. She started her work using nails but couldn’t get them to create the effect she was looking for. She started looking at other pointy objects to use and found pencils worked best.

Another interesting use for a household object inspired an entire festival. The Fifth Annual Heritage Duct Tape Festival runs June 13-15 in Avon, Ohio. Besides the practical uses of this versatile tape, you can see sculptures and parade floats created using duct tape.

  • Can you come up with a new use for a common household product?

Images by Jennifer Maestre and Avon Heritage Duct Festival

Filed Under: Artists, Creativity, Imagination

Bean Mosaic

March 20, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Spring is finally here, or so the calendar says. After a long winter, this time of the year is a good time to refresh our creativity and maybe explore some of the ideas that have been germinating during those long cold months.

Here is a fun project I did while volunteering at an elementary school’s Cultural Arts Day. It’s a flower mosaic created with, well beans and other assorted dried foods, including rice and pasta glued onto cardboard.

 

  • Unleash your inner artist and play like a child using finger paints, chalk, or beans!
Filed Under: Art Education, Creativity, Imagination

Self-Taught Artists

February 18, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Some call it outsider art, folk art, art brut or even self-taught art like the latest exhibition at the Cleveland Artist’s Foundation: Recollections and Revelations: Self Taught Artists from Northeast and Central Ohio, 1850-2007.

The exhibition features almost thirty artists, including the Reverend Albert Wagner, whose image above depicts a brightly colored cotton field scene. Challenging us and our thoughts about what art should look like, these self-taught artists explore their personal creativity in paintings and sculptures, often using non traditional methods and materials.

  • If you are in the Cleveland area,  learn more about ARTneo: the museum of Northeast Ohio art and architecture.
Filed Under: Artists, Exhibitions, Imagination

Graffiti Knitting

January 24, 2008 by Leave a Comment

I love the creative spirit of Houston based Knitta. Inspired by graffiti art, Knitta was formed in 2005 when a group of knitters were looking for other uses for their unfinished projects and unused balls of yarn.

They came up with the idea to take their knitting to the public sphere, wrapping everything from light posts to fire hydrants.

Unlike graffiti art, Knitta’s work is made from colorful yarn that does not damage property and is not permanent.

 

 

  • How can you transform something by changing its context?

Image Knitta

Filed Under: Fashion, Imagination, Public Art

Creative Visualization

December 11, 2007 by 2 Comments

“I shut my eyes in order to see.” – – – Paul Gauguin

  • Try a creativity inducing visualization here.
Filed Under: Artists, Imagination, Quotes

More New Collage

November 21, 2007 by 1 Comment

Here are more collages from my recent series. This one is my favorite, so far. The background turned out really well. And the rooster juxtaposed on the chair creates a dreamy quality.

This one has an interesting linear background and the best quote I think so far, “the future has arrived.”

  • If you created an art series, what would be the theme?
Filed Under: Collage, Imagination

New Collage

October 26, 2007 by 1 Comment

I realize it has been awhile since I’ve posted images of my work. But now that I am in creative mode this morning, I thought I’d share some recent pieces.

Here is one I completed as part of a series of small works (postcard size) using fashion and design imagery. I’ve juxtaposed this with themes of time and memory on a colorful and textured background.

  • More to come.
Filed Under: Collage, Imagination

Creative Problem Solving

October 17, 2007 by 2 Comments

After reading Jack’s Notebook, I’ve become more interested in creative problem solving (CPS). It’s definitely a tool worth checking out for solving problems in both life and work with many applications.

Filed Under: Creativity, Imagination, Problem Solving
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