Search Results for: creative check in

Flash Forward

When I first started this blog, one of my goals was to highlight creativity in the international, national, and local spotlight. I realize I have been a little lax in the last area.

I hope this post makes up for that. On Friday, I attended the opening of Flash Forward at SPACES here in Cleveland. Well, me and about several hundred other also people attended. This is the first time I’ve been to an opening here that was so crowded I could barely enjoy the art.

However, I did have a chance to check out works by two up and coming artists, each who use traditional materials in very non-traditional and creative ways.

The first is Jon Nathaniel Cotterman, a local artist working in glass. What is so interesting about his work lies in the way he deconstructs glass goblets. Cotterman reuses the pieces to create box-like sculptures transforming their original decorative and utilitarian purpose into art.


The other artist is Yumiko Goto. She works in ceramics and her work is based on nature. One of her most stunning pieces is an installation of many ceramic containers nestled together to create a new larger piece of art that you can move around and admire.

  • What could you create out of ordinary materials?

Create a Visioning Collage to Inspire You

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.

Cardinals = Creativity

Did you know cardinals represent creativity? They are associated with the guiding forces of expression and intuition. Think about this the next time one crosses your path. It may be time to invest in a creative project.

Creativity Cure 9

  • Take a field trip. It doesn’t have to be an exotic locale. It could be to an ethnic food market or restaurant you’ve never been to. See what insights you discover about yourself and your creative projects. Leaving your comfort zone, even for a short time can induce new ideas and perspectives. For sites out of the ordinary, check out Roadside America.

Competition for Young Inventors

Do you know a creative and innovative student in grades 5 -8? Sealed Air and the National Museum of Education are challenging young inventors to find a new use for Bubble Wrap. Entries are now closed and the grand prize was $10,000.

Lakewood Arts Festival

Art festivals are a staple of summer in Northeastern Ohio. Normally, the endless jewelery and photography booths bore me and don’t even get me started on all the pottery! But Lakewood’s festival usually contains a few creative surprises and even some interesting artists.

Creativity Cure 1

Take small breaks. Whenever I am working on something creative, I only work as long as I am in flow. When I become blocked, I switch tasks, even if it’s to get up and get a glass of water or check a website. This allows my brain to rest and incubate ideas. Then I come back to the project and work some more and the cycle continues till I complete it.

  • Find your own techniques by, well, being creative. How do you finish a creative task?

More on Ten Zen Seconds

How can people learn more about Ten Zen Seconds?

EM: The book is the best resource. You can get it at Amazon. Or you can ask for it at your local bookstore. The Ten Zen Seconds website is also an excellent resource: in addition to the slide show that I mentioned, there is a bulletin board where folks can chat, audio interviews that I’ve done discussing the Ten Zen Second techniques, and more. It’s also quite a gorgeous site, so you may want to visit it just for the aesthetic experience! I would also recommend that folks check out my main site, Eric Maisel especially if they’re interested in creativity coaching or the artist’s life.

What else are you up to?

EM: Plenty! I have a new book out called Creativity for Life, which is roughly my fifteenth book in the creativity field and which people seem to like a lot. I also have a third new book out, in addition to Ten Zen Seconds and Creativity for Life, called Everyday You, which is a beautiful coffee table book about maintaining daily mindfulness. I’m working on two books for 2008, one called A Writer’s Space and a second called Creative Recovery, about using your innate creativity to help in recovering from addiction. And I’m keep up with the many other things I do: my monthly column for ArtCalendar Magazine, my regular segment for Art of the Song Creativity Radio, the trainings that I offer in creativity coaching, and my work with individual clients. I am happily busy! But my main focus for the year is on getting the word out about Ten Zen Seconds, because I really believe that it’s something special.

  • Eric, thanks for taking the time to chat!

Revolution Rock: The Story of the Clash

As pioneers of the British punk movement in the late 70s, the Clash are the ultimate creative artists. Their musical influences range from jazz to hip hop and reggae. Combining these influences they were able to evolve as artists and transform themselves from angry punk rockers all in black to funky ska artists and finally the militant performers of combat rock.

Recently, I had the opportunity to learn more about these versatile performers at an exhibition that covered their ambitious career. Featuring performance clips, handwritten lyrics, stage costumes and guitars displaying their creativity.

Have An Inspired Stay

Looking for a creative place to stay the next time you are in Louisville, KY?

  • Check out this new hotel that features contemporary art and even has a museum shop.