creativity

“Making.” “Seeing.” “Being.” Boldly.

| Betsy

When I was in 10th grade in 1990, one of our assignments was to do a report on an artist, someone we admired. I remember that everyone else chose people like John Lennon or Jerry Garcia, and I chose Keith Haring, who I had read about in Sassy magazine. That was the moment when I truly realized that people are emboldened and intrigued and excited about pushing the envelope, speaking up for what you believe in, for following what makes your heart skip a beat and question the big picture all at the same time.

In 1996, Keith Haring: Journals was published by Penguin Putnam in a building I would work in 5 years later. Reading his journals, while in one sense voyeuristic, gave me the permission and planted the seed to create without fear or worry. I think lately I’ve been caught up in so many things that I forgot that fierceness and joy that comes with not being afraid or worried. Somehow I got wrapped up in external chaos that had me doubting and unsure and therefore, idle. I stopped listening to me and got caught up in the thoughts of everyone else leaving me apprehensive and afraid. So, in case you might need this reminder, too, I thought I’d share the bit from one of his entries from October 1, 1979, I have circled, with a star:

THINKING ABOUT BOXES
WHAT DOES IT MEAN
TO MAKE “GOOD” ART?
MEANING IS A
PRESUPPOSITION OF FUNCTION.
WITTGENSTEIN.
WHO CARES IF YOU DO
OR DON’T. SOMEONE
IS IN THE SUBWAY
TALKING TO THEMSELF.
TALKING ABOUT
TALKING. TALKING
ABOUT NOBODY
LISTENING. WHO CARES
IF YOU “MAKE” ART.
WHAT IS “MAKING”?
SEEING IS MAKING
ONLY IF SOMEONE
IS SEEING. THE PERSON
IN THE SUBWAY
IS SCREAMING, “NOBODY
IS LISTENING,” BUT
EVERYONE IS LISTENING
AND SEEING AND
MAKING AND BEING.

Thirteen years later after making that star and circling those words, I come back to them as my cat always picks his Journals to knock off the bookshelf when she’s hungry. Morning after morning, I pick up Keith Haring’s Journals and put it back on the shelf, even though I haven’t opened the book itself in over a decade.

Yesterday I decided to not put it back on the bookshelf, and this morning I decided to have a look at the passages that had moved me back when I was 21. This passage jumped out because it speaks to how everyone “makes” and “sees.” Elementary? Yes. But I think sometimes we forget the importance of “making” even if we think no one is “seeing” it. Because just like the person screaming on the subway, we all have deep currents of thought running underneath that are, from the outside, invisible.

Therefore, we never know who truly “sees” our work and how it resonates. We only see the person screaming on the subway or hear “Nobody is listening” in our own heads. We forget that our creations have nothing to do with either of those things. They have to do with the “making,” which leads to our “seeing” the deepest and most loveliest truths of “being.” We “make” because we “see” through the cracks and perceptions of “being.” We “see” because we “make.” So we step can forward fearlessly and safely into that place and create, knowing that it allows us to truly feel the depth and weight and joy of “being.”

Twyla Tharp’s ‘The Creative Habit.’

| Betsy

This past week I read Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use it For Life. It was one of those books that I came across on a site or a blog or in a conversation and scribbled it down as something to read at some point. I can’t believe it took me so long to pick it up and read it! As a choreographer and dancer who has constantly pushed herself and strived for new challenges, Tharp shows us the reward that creativity can bring if you’re willing to meet it halfway.

Whether you need a kick in the ass, a reminder, a mantra or a primer on how to live your life creatively every single second, this book is a wonderfully quick read on how to do it. Tharp’s dedication to the “creative habit,” is unparalleled, as she believes (and seeing her body of work shows it works) that it is a habit, not a luxury or a birthright. Through stories using her decades of experience and exercises that help you uncover your “creative DNA,” she reminds us that taking what you love and combining it with a lot of elbow grease can bring more joy and energy than you ever thought possible. Her willingness to always push herself further and to experiment with new techniques, was a gorgeous reminder of why creativity is worth cultivating, revering and enjoying.

Repetition is a problem if it forces us to cling to our past successes. Constant reminders of the things that worked inhibit us from trying something bold and new. We lose sight of the fact that we weren’t searching for a formula when we first did something great; we were in unexplored territory, following our instincts and passions wherever they might lead us. It’s only when we look back that we see a path, and it’s only there because we blazed it. (p. 217)

Example, Chernobyl, and All Things Nuclear.

| Betsy

A lesson from this evening on nuclear things and why creativity paired with activism is powerful:

Today I was listening to a song by Example, and was curious about the rapper himself, so as one does, I Googled him. I was fascinated to learn that while filming the video for his song “What We Made” in Chernobyl, he made a short documentary on what Chernobyl is like today.

After watching both of the videos (posted below), I was glad to see an artist take something real, like Chernobyl, learn about it, and then educate others. He wasn’t making up a fake feud or talking about making tons of money, he just wrote a song about the damage we can do to our planet and documented his visit to one of the most toxic places on earth. Taking something you care about and using your creativity to get your feelings across is where craftivism lies. Voicing your opinions and frustrations and anger, in a non-traditional way is what gets people thinking and processing and then, hopefully, understanding and learning.




How does talking about something that happened 23 years ago help us now? What is the relationship between nuclear power and nuclear weapons? What does this have to do with craftivism?

From the BeyondNuclear.org website: “The continued insistence on supplying the technology, materials and know-how for civilian nuclear programs perpetuates the danger that nuclear weapons may also be developed – with speculation over Iran a case in point.” … “It makes no sense to demand, on the one hand, that nuclear weapons states eliminate their arsenals while, on the other hand, offering nuclear energy as a reward to countries that promise not to develop nuclear weapons.”

Craftivism exists and evolves in the space between what happened and what is happening. It’s about keeping on eye on the media and conversations and your thoughts and then weaving them into your creative output. It’s about how our past has shaped our present and how our present can shape our future. Keep questioning, keep learning, keep making.


Random things I learned today about nuclear-related things:
*The countries that have nuclear weapons are “sometimes called the nuclear club.”
*Nuclear winter is not as cool as it sounds.
*A nuclear winter is different from a volcanic winter, also not a lot of fun.
*The battle of the correct pronunciation of nuclear still wages on.
*The list of states that have nuclear weapons is here.
*There is an amazing documentary from 2003 called Chernobyl Heart, by Maryann De Leo. In 4 parts online, the documentary shows what’s happening to children born now and recently in the areas surrounding Chernobyl. You can watch the documentary here. Interestingly enough, after filming the documentary, De Leo herself tested positive for radiation poisoning.

Creativity, Robots and Seals! Oh My!

| Betsy

When you get right down to it, I love lots of things. For starters, I love the seaside, coffee, exploring new cities, 80s nostalgia, people who challenge me and Lionel Richie.

I also love animals. While my love for marsupials has been well documented here, there is one other group of animals I overlooked when listing animals I adore. The “sea” animals. Seals. Seal lions. Sea otters. Creativity and its power are tops on my list, too, which is not surprising seeing how often I write about it. Loving creativity also means loving creative people of all sorts, like people who make robots.

While checking out some amazing robot photos today, I was floored by all the helpful things new robots are doing. Helping people eat! (It’s actually called “My Spoon!”) Catching burglars with a crazy-looking web! (Kind of like a tiny metal Spiderman!) Moving the dead post-apocalyptic disaster! (Creepy, yet fantastically awesome!)

I also found something combining three loved things, creativity, robots and seals!

I was especially endeared by the invention of a robotic seal named Paro, who was invented as a companion for the elderly and/or lonely. It turns out this little guy also helps children with autism and individuals with Alzheimer’s! While my cat ran away during the playing of the below video, I found it fascinating, especially around 3.24 when it shows how Paro is providing companionship for an older woman living by herself.

Want more? There is a sweet video over here showing Paro’s effect on residents in a Japanese nursing home that made me cry. The accompanying news story is here, which may also make you tear up when an elderly woman mentions someone stole her cat. (The video link above also answers my burning question of why they made a seal instead of, say, a kitten.)

Some other nice things you might like:
*Bad Banana Blog
*Ranch dressing recipe from CRAFT
*Life size blue whale (link from Tiny Choices)
*Lovely interview with the amazing Diane Gilleland.
*Discovering where the time goes when you’re on line with Rescue Time

Creativity Wins Again.

| Betsy

Some girls may have had Auntie Mame to look up to if they found themselves worried about being single later in life, I had Miss Eglantine Price from 1971’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Played by everyone’s favorite amateur sleuth from Maine, the always wonderful Angela Lansbury.

She lived in an old house in the countryside in England, were she was taking lessons to become a witch via correspondence school. Thanks to WWII and the bombing of London, she ends up with 3 children taken away from the city for safety’s sake. This clip is the beginning, which is just the start of the loveliness.

Perhaps one of the most endearing things about Eglantine Price’s character is the way she so earnestly wanted to become a witch to help the war effort. How did she wish to exactly? Well, you’ll just have to watch the movie. But, I will say it’s a quite sweet example of how with a little extra thought you can use your creativity to help further any cause or effort you wish.

And in case you missed it, there was a lovely bit about craftivism and Knitting for Good! in the Times Online the other week, which you can read here. Also, online is the Craft Cartel Podcast I did with Rayna, which you can listen to here! Thanks so much!