Simply..a date....

12/11/2018

..with your creative self.

I'm reviving a habit I picked up many years ago from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, and that is the Artist's Date. Essentially time out, once a week,on your own, doing things that spark joy.

It says a lot about my current habits that I am having to think quite hard about what they might be, and I have to be careful not to let it become just another thing on my to-do list! Not that I don't have fun (this blog is fun) but I need and like something different now and then. It's purpose is to delight and enchant you'says Cameron and to take you out of your comfort zone.

(Gulp. I can get very fond of my comfort zone., especially in winter.)

If you Google Artist's Date and/or Julia Cameron, check out YouTube, or click on See Inside on the book on Amazon you will get lots more detail if this concept is new to you.

This will be part of my Winter Plan, and I'll be checking in once a week with my friend M.

Will you join us? We are going for the widest possible interpretation of Artist and of Date by the way...

12 Comments

Lotta link

13/11/2018 01:38:15 am

Yes! It's been quite a while since I've done that and I need it...
The trouble I've had with it in the past is that I go out thinking I'm meant to be 'doing' something and keep wondering if I'm getting it right! I think I've moved on from there now though... we'll see!

Freda

13/11/2018 01:19:13 pm

I'm glad you've moved on!

cath

13/11/2018 08:39:16 am

I will join you, although for me most of the time it will not mean going out. I'm not well enough to do so weekly.

I have already started noting my ideas for artist dates at home. So far have come up with (mostly half an hour activities): making a ten by ten drawing, colouring a page or part of it, doing a virtual museum tour, look at an illustration in Woman Who Write are Dangerous and write a poem about it, choose a museum, look what exhibition is on at the moment that I would have liked to visit and find information about the artist(s) if any, in my home library, make my own exhibition, listening to one piece of the daily playlist of Ancient FM and/or Year of Wonder.

I don't know yet whether or not I'll plan a specific day in the week for this.

Susan

13/11/2018 09:32:07 am

I'm sorry that you're not well, Cath, and applaud your creative solutions to Artists's Dates that can be enjoyed at home.
Thank you for your reminder about virtual tours: I've found some super ones online... of exhibitions. museums, stately homes, studios and gardens.

Freda

13/11/2018 01:21:51 pm

I don't think I've ever looked at virtual tours - must investigate..

Freda

13/11/2018 01:20:46 pm

Coming up with all those ideas just shows how creative you are Cath.

Julia

14/11/2018 03:29:15 am

Cath, i am not sure if this site would be accessible to europeans, but it is an endless source of information about art!! Hope it works..:-)
http://www.pbs.org/art21/episodes/

Linda

14/11/2018 02:33:42 pm

I don't know if you know about the Khan Academy and their online videos (free). Here's a link for one - it's easy, then, to find lots of others. Enjoy!
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/renaissance-art-europe-ap/v/michelangelo-ceiling-of-the-sistine-chapel-1508-12

Damsonlily

13/11/2018 09:28:50 am

Yes, I would like to join you on this. I have tried it before as well but, rather like Lotta, felt I was somehow doing it “wrong”.
I did have an unexpected Artist’s Date last week en route to a meeting. Both the route and the destination were new to me and I found myself driving through the most glorious scenery with unbelievably vivid autumn colours. I just kept saying “Oh gosh” and “Wow” even though I was alone in the car.
It was a gift and I came home fired up with colour and shapes of trees and thinking about recording what I had seen.
So maybe the “unplanned date” is also valid occasionally?

Freda

13/11/2018 01:23:10 pm

Absolutely! It clearly enchanted you. (Isn't that a lovely word?)

Susan

13/11/2018 09:36:09 am

Thank you, Freda. Although, I enjoy my work, and running my small home, your reminder of Artist's Dates, made me realise that I've been allowing little unscheduled time for creative play. I will address!

Freda

13/11/2018 01:24:10 pm

Hurrah! We look forward to hearing what you do....

Simply..a date....

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