Creating Again in 2015

Whoa! Where did 2014 and some of 2015 go to?

Hope everyone is doing well! I've been behind the scenes at PPF but never seemed to be able to get my own posts up or much visiting or commenting in. I have been creating, though on a small scale. I (mostly) completed my RAJ (Red Art Journal) last year and have started a new one for 2015. No canvases though   :(   My goal is to get about a dozen canvases done later in the year and to finish my art journal. This is some of what I have created so far.

For 2015, I chose 3 words vs the one word of the year as Chris Brogan and others suggest. This is my image to illustrate the words for myself. They are big rocks (based on the theory that you need to think of the big things first then the smaller things) The words are ECOSYSTEM (to focus more on my surroundings, systems, connections and the interrelationships in my life), BODY (both from a health and fitness perspective and also a "body of work" focus) and COMPASS (to help me check that I am going in the right direction). What is/are your word(s)?

2015 Words of the Year - ECOSYTEM, BODY, COMPASS

Bird on a Wire (Fence)

Joy

Joy - with words

Quirky (almost evil looking) Snowman

Finished 2014 RAJ 

Sample page from 2014 RAJ

Hope 2015 is starting off to be a fabulously creative year for you!

Paint Party Friday - Week 43 - Octopus Connections

Another busy week with little time to create. I'm still thinking of my Word of the Year - "CONNECT" and started to doodle...

This silly little Octopus is VERY eager to CONNECT with you all this year!

Have a great Paint Party Friday! I will visit you when I can (it may take a few days though....), I'm very excited to see what you've painted so far in 2012!

Paint Party Friday - Week 42 - Word of the Year for 2012 = CONNECT

I have been thinking about the New Year, 2012, arriving imminently. I usually like to take time between Christmas and New Years to think and plan - though this year I am WAY behind! 

A few years ago I discovered the idea of the "Word of the Year" through a post by Christine Kane and the idea resonated with me. Instead of resolutions, the idea  is to choose a word to guide your year.

My first try was FLOURISH. Not sure that that one worked well. My second try was CREATE in 2010 and Wow! I created more that year than I ever have in my life. I joined Creative Every Day and I did create every day - filling 4+ blank books with drawing and paintings. 

2011 was PROPEL and I did take actions that helped to propel me, and in some cases other people, forward. In many ways, it was business related but not in all ways. Paint Party Friday arose partly because of this word. We hoped it would propel us forward in our painting efforts and it sure has helped me (and I hope others, too)!

For 2012 I have chosen CONNECT. I want to connect with people, my city*, my work, my passions and myself. As with last year, I wanted to paint an image that in some way reflected my WotY (Word of the Year). This was one of the ideas that came to mind...

CONNECT 2012

It makes me think of how all the circles in my life connect to me and to each other... 

I didn't expect to have anything painted for PPF this week but now I do! 

I will try and visit everyone over the weekend but it is still busy so maybe I will see you "Next Year"! Have a great New Year's celebration and all the best to you in 2012!

* more about this project later...

Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbook

For the next year and a bit, I am participating in the Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbook. It is a sketchbook round robin - our books travel monthly to the next participant and then we get our original book back at the end. Each month the "theme" is that month so it will be easy to remember! But the first spread is about one's self and a colour that has meaning at the moment. 

I thought I would show you my page spread and my sign-in page for this week's Sunday Sketches with Blue Chair Diary before it leaves for Australia to meet Nicola!

Sign in page (inspired by my favourite book!)

My colour page spread - purple inspired

Close-up views:

Page 2 (hat related to Word of the Year)

 Page 3 - A quote I love and favourite friend

Looking forward to seeing everyone's efforts for Sunday Sketches!

2011 Art Journal Page 2 "Flowers of Propulsion"

I have my Word of the Year. PROPEL.  This led me to think about what is it that I can do to propel forward. And how I could use my art journal to play with these thoughts. 

This is what I came up with - my "flowers of propulsion".

All the flowers are collaged images of propellers and my writing encircles them. I'm not sure if this is the right way to do an art journal page. Or even if there is a right way. But I am hoping it will be a good way to visually think through ideas and questions. 

Do you journal? Art journal? What works best for you? Is writing important?

Trying to get the rhythm of this.... so far it's fun and intriguing!

New Year, New Word

2011 - New Year, New Word

A few years ago I came across the concept of the "Word of the Year" instead of doing the usual New Year's Resolutions. I liked that idea. A theme for the year or, for some, an intention. Last year I chose CREATE and had my most creative year ever. If you took the average of all my previous years' efforts as a norm and then took last year, it is as if I lived a millennium in 2010 I did so many creations!

So after such a great word, what next? I really liked EMERGE but while I do need, and want, to overcome my tendency to hibernate, it wasn't quite right. I loved EXPLORE but it was too passive, not action or accomplishment oriented enough. EXPERIMENT enticed me. EXECUTE was good - very results oriented but not quite right. Together I liked them even more - like a motto - the four Es:

EMERGE

EXPLORE

EXPERIMENT and

EXECUTE.

But they weren't the word for this new year. Then I was reading something and the word PROPEL leapt out at me and I knew that was it. PROPEL.  Make arrive at a certain situation or result. Stir to action. Motivate. Move forward.

I haven't stopped CREATing though and I knew the theme for Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesdays was "New Year", so I got out my pencil, paints and new art journal and tried to put an image to my word and motto and it make it come more alive!

It will be a great year!

Full Blue Moon Dreaming and 2010 Word of the Year!

Happy New Year!! Happy Full Blue Moon! Dream on and Dream BIG!

My best wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous and creative 2010 to all of you! Thank you again, Jamie Ridler, for introducing me to the wonderful idea of creating these Full Moon Dreamboards! Thank you too, Christine Kane, for your idea of the Word of the Year! I've chosen to combine them together in my Full Blue Moon Dreamboard.

As I hum along with Dean Martin, I am thinking about the year to come. How very fast they fly by! 2010 promises to be an excellent year and I have much I want to accomplish. The fireworks in my FMDB seed some of my wishes for this year. These include (since the image of that part of my dreamboard isn't as focused as I'd like it to be - note to self "Buy new markers!"):

• Contribution
• Art
• Create my Path
• Research
• Play
• Inspiration
• Invitations
• Travel
• Energy
• Friendships with Remarkable People
• Focus
• Magic
• Prosperity
• Passion
• Write and
• Fitness.

CREATE! is the Word I have chosen for 2010.

CREATE!

I chose "CREATE!" as there is something specific I want to create this year. A document but it may become a book. It will be a minimum of 60 pages and the most I have ever written is 22, so I know this will be a challenge. I still have much research ahead of me but the time has come to start writing. And creating. It has little to do with the type of creativity I see in the dreamboards - Or does it? Does creativity and creating in one arena lead to creativity in another? I am betting that it does. What is your experience?

What kind of mechanisms can I put into place, I wondered, to ensure that I create this year? Participating in the Full Moon Dreamboards is one way. Already in my 2 initial efforts I am astonished by the finished products and by the process. Amateurish they may be, but they are my creations. So I have started to create! Another decision I have made is to participate in the Creative Every Day 2010 Challenge. Some days creating will be the writing I want to do. Other days - who knows?! I feel excited just thinking about it!

I looked at one of the Flickr group slideshow that Leah Piken Kolidas, creator of CED2010, mentioned and immediately started to doubt my ability. Amazing artwork has been created! At the moment of my worst angst, I looked back at the screen and saw this:

Wow!!! What an amazing image to see at that very moment! Thanks so much Annette Q for your great picture! The synchronicity continues!

In 2010, I will Create!