Today: I’m back!! It’s been a rich and full week away but I am glad to be back in the studio and here with you!
Find More Creative Living TV at the Studio
This podcast is 25:22.
Tara Mohr is an expert on women’s leadership and well-being. She helps women play bigger in sharing their voices and bringing forward their ideas in work and in life. A Coaches Training Institute-certified coach with an MBA from Stanford University and an undergraduate degree in English literature from Yale, Tara takes a unique approach that blends inner work and practical skills training. She is the creator of the Playing Big leadership program for women, which now has more than 1000 graduates from around the world. Her book, Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message, named a best book of 2014 by Apple’s iBooks, shares her pioneering model from the acclaimed leadership program for making the journey from playing small—being held back by fear and self-doubt—to playing big, taking bold action to pursue what you see as your callings. Her work has been featured on national media from The New York Times to Today Show to Harvard Business Review, and has captivated women from all walks of life including Maria Shriver, Jillian Michaels and Elizabeth Gilbert.
I started my vacation on Friday with a trip to the spring One of a Kind Show and Sale at Exhibition Place here in Toronto. I grabbed my camera and my journal and headed out to fill my well and perhaps have some inspiring creative conversations!
Hannelore’s Story Works – Handbound Books
Within minutes of arriving at the show, I had a great chat with Hannelore Sotzek. She shared how perfectionism can be paralyzing and how years ago getting this tidbit of wisdom from a pediatrician made all the difference. I bet that will make a difference to you too!
This tip from Angela Filbert, the creator of Whipped Cosmetics, was rooted in her own creative approach. I loved hearing her inspirations for her Hula sugar scrub – tikki huts, a few too many blue Hawaiians and a woman with sass! She even shared with me her notebook full of drawings, gatherings and inspirations. Here’s another brilliant tip she threw in the mix:
I was totally caught by th modern and fun design at “said the king”. When I asked, “How did you get started with creating?” I loved Karen’s answer: “I saw my boyfriend producing stuff and I thought, I can do that!” What might you get started with the simple words, “I can do that”?
When I saw the name Ugly Pots, I simply had to ask about it. Pam explained that if beauty is slick, perfect and mass-produced, then these non-symmetrical, one-of-a-kind, “imperfect” creations must be ugly. It is powerful to hear an artist share her point-of-view and to see it so clearly reflected in her work.
With all of this glass, mirror, transparency and trees, With All My Art had me spellbound. Luckily I was able to come down to earth long enough to ask for a creative tip from Katherine Omally Greer, who without hesitation exclaimed, “Stop postponing life!” There will never be the perfect time so make now your time.
As well as great creative conversations, I had a delightful time immersing myself in creative inspiration. It was fascinating to notice trends for this season and in my own heart. I was surprised by how often I was drawn to ceramics, especially at Atelier Tréma. Their colour story drew me in completely and I had to go back several times to settle on what I was going to bring home.
This gorgeous bowl, the colour of earth and sky, spoke to my heart. I was delighted to find that it is food safe and even dishwasher friendly. I have a feeling that little by little I’ll be adding to my collection. I have my eye on les poires as well!
It was an inspiring day at the show and the perfect way to start out my holiday! I’ll be back in the studio next Monday.
Today: Dialing it down is helping me get through all of my major to-dos so that I can take some time off, starting tomorrow! Plus a shout-out to Kelly Barton!
Find More Creative Living TV at the Studio
Today: Changing my habit of moving me-time for must-dos! Will you do the same?
Find More Creative Living TV at the Studio
Today: Remembering my childhood and the power of sharing our stories.
by Bronwen Wallace
Find More Creative Living TV at the Studio
Every Sunday is Art Day at our house. This week we decided to be unstructured and grab whatever project or idea called our name. Shannon explored drawing a Christmas cactus and I bopped around from project to project, starting with taking the next step with my found flowers.
One of the things I am thrilled to be noticing is that as I create more and more work I find that I need less and less to like each piece. Last week I liked what I made. This week, I found myself trying to figure out what I didn’t like and why. It wasn’t heartbreaking. Instead it was (and is) a conundrum I’m working on and that feels like good ground to grow on.
Even so, after a while I was ready to take shift gears and play with animals and wire! I had such a fun and fascinating experience creating Zeb that I was excited to go on another adventure. Which creature-in-waiting wanted to play?
I have no idea what this little beauty will turn into. I just know that she wanted to stand and have a big fin/wing that I’m imagining wrapping with string in some way. One thing I’ve learned with these creatures is to stand back and let them emerge!
I wrapped up with the simple pleasure of starting another art journal page background. This is how I started all of my found flower pieces. I wonder what I will find in here!
