baCk To BaSicS 'CreAtiVeLy'

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”…Albert Einstein



Creative expression is fulfilling for people of every age. It’s liberating, nourishing, and it’s exciting to think there are so many different ways to go about it. Everything from the materials used and the act itself, to the discoveries made and the end results. The rewards and benefits are truly life enhancing. The need to express ourselves in a creative way is a basic one. It doesn’t require any special equipment and can be enjoyed and exercised in the simplest of ways. It doesn’t even mean you have to physically ‘create’ something. It can be expressed in how you put yourself together each day, or how you talk and play with your kids. Everything you need to express yourself creatively today is right there in front of you and I challenge you to really embrace it and engage yourself in the playfulness and spontaneity of it all. While the following ideas are meant to motivate you to use your hands and your imagination to physically create something, they will also make you appreciate a ‘working with what you have’ mentality in other areas of your life.
Nature is one of our greatest teachers and you will be amazed at all the natural goodness that lies outside your door just waiting to be used in your next creative venture. A simple branch can be turned into a number of different tools. You can keep it blunt and use it to stamp or manipulate your medium. You can sharpen the end to turn it into a drawing or marking tool. You can secure various materials to the end to create interesting brushes. Stones can be used as sanding or burnishing tools or to pound and crush. They are also wonderful stands for hot tools and brushes. Berries can be picked and mashed to create natural inks and colorants. Foliage can be dried and crushed and used as textural additives.
Combine nature with some of life’s leftovers that would otherwise be tossed in the trash and you broaden your options even further. Packaging can be sliced and diced into straight edges, stencils and palettes. You can use your cans and jars as mixing vessels or organizers. Waste papers can be shredded, blended and pressed into fine, handmade papers. Wine, coffee grounds and vegetables make beautiful stains and dyes. Random objects from around the house such as furniture, game boards, and leftover lumber can serve as unexpected canvases.

Your kitchen cupboards may hold all the ingredients you need to cook up your own adhesives, clays, and colorants. Grab onto some of the tried and true recipes or experiment with a few of your own.
It doesn’t matter how or where you live, the wealth of creative possibilities is all around you at all times and they don’t have to cost you a dime. I challenge you to embark on your next creative adventure by working with what you have, making inventive use of the modest materials that lie before you.

Cheers to creative living, my friends!
michele.