Autumn Art Plans

Autumn begins next week, and then we will be trapped  on a train for 8 days... I need some ideas that will span the trip and flow into an autumn art practice.

So what are my goals for art this autumn?

Agenda Today:

1. Read "The Creativity Book"

2. Evaluate my creativity habits

3. Discern Autumn art themes and goals

4. Preschool plans

5. Do the smallest thing

1. Read "the Creativity Book":  

A few years ago I started but didn't finish this book by Eric Maisel (one of my favorite writers). The subtitle is "A Year's Worth of Inspiration and Guidance." Who doesn't want that? 

I'm on part 7, Connect, and Week 28: Picture Your Audience, about figuring out who you are trying to create for, write for, paint for. I need to picture my audience and take their needs and desires seriously. Who am I writing this book for? Who am I aiming my craftivism towards?

The process he suggests is to put up pictures of my audience on the wall - a young family, an apartment dweller, an old couple, my conservative neighbor... it might feel daunting, but it might also inspire language and art that is better and more inspirational.

2. Evaluate my creativity habits:

Once a week I try to take stock of my creative habits: 

Have I launched into a large creative project, one worth exhausting myself on, and if not, why? 

Have I constructed a schedule for my creative work and am I keeping to it? 

Do I set goals at the beginning of each week? 

Do I have a daily routine that supports my creative efforts?

 

Journal: Yes, I have launched into a large creative project - in writing, not art. But I am doing small art projects that feed me, and making art with grandson A-2. That's good enough for now.

3. Autumn themes and goals:

The next weeks are going to be pretty chaotic and disjointed, with travel. My goal is to finish a couple of projects this week, and prepare and pack some small projects for the train: some sewing, and craftivism to spread here and there on the road.

Themes: Air, birds, fall leaves, butterflies, peace, balance, harvest... 

4. Preschool plans:

We had a great couple of days focus on birds, with coloring pages and clay birds on sticks. 

Next week is one day only, and it's the equinox, so we might make a straw doll and a nature tray.

 

5. Do the smallest thing:

Eric Maisel has many suggestions for managing creative anxiety. Doing the smallest thing is a great way to make courageous creative work less frightening. In "The Sweet Spot", Christine Carter suggests finding the "minimum effective dose", the amount of work that keeps me challenged and joyful, and if I keep at it will get me to the finish line on time. The key is to create a pace and schedule that keeps me excited to get up in the morning, and feels ridiculously easy (so I will do it): It's effective but not stressful.

Today I will list specific goals for this week's creative projects and what to complete each day, and also itemize the preparation steps on a check list. My creative projects plan this week:

• Thursday: Prepare rocks- clean and paint
• Friday: Paint butterflies in bathroom
• Saturday: Paint peace rocks to give away
• Sunday: Design and pack a sewing project
• Monday: Design a new butterfly to color on the train
• Tuesday: Make a straw doll
• Wednesday: Butterfly + Sewing