A very Show Your Work! ethos: “If you love a book, talk about it! If you love a story, let other people know!”
The above is 10 on a list of things Austin Kleon wanted to share this week.
Let me follow Austin’s advice and share 10 things I love.
- Doodle on the go is fun! I went to an outdoor museum a while ago and sketched all the flowers I saw in a pocket notebook. I recently started taking my notebook to work. I’ll take out my notebook at lunch break and sketch with markers. At home, I get out my oil pastels and sketch away. Sketching on the go helps me keep my style playful, loose, and free.
- My favorite journal entry this week was an oil pastel bountiful flower vase. I simply drew. What peace. I like the way my flowers take over the page. They are big and bountiful suggesting how I feel. This world is big and bountiful. There is room for all of us.
- One of my favorite books is Just Ask! Just Ask! fully expresses what I mean by big and bountiful!
4. I love the book Learning By Heart. This book teaches art in a fully creative and explorative way. That is the best way to learn art. In a recent Starry Night project I was reminded to go back to the wonderful basics of play.
5. I had the gift of teaching art to children this week. I hope I get to have some Easter art fun this week. Anyway, yet again I am reminded of how not to teach art and more importantly how not to create art. Here’s a link to those posts.
6. Listening to music and dancing is good for the soul. There is a lot of uplifting music. Here are a few: Por El Contrario, Flowers, About Damn Time and Quiero Ser. That last one may be my favorite song. I love my Mexican music. I love every song that makes me move.
7. I am enjoying my Phoenix Watercolor set. This set is pretty close to Winsor’s Cottman Palette.
This palette has helped me get through dark thoughts. In case you’re curious here’s one of the artists who has done some research on this palette. I love my palette but it is identical to Winsor but about half the price.
8. I have been listening to podcasts too. I have been praying and meditating too. The calmness of Curly Nikki’s voice keeps me focused. This week redirected my thoughts.
9. Faith Ringgold’s laying on Tar Beach gazing up at the moon and stars feeling like I own all that I see. That is a must-read for every artist and dreamer. All we have to do is believe and imagine.
10. The mouth ninja is a powerful example of never giving up. It is important to always believe. I have read and watched movies on life’s struggles and how people have immense power that says no matter what happens I am still me. I have a gift. I have a purpose. Watching Henry draw with a pen in his mouth is magical. He became paralyzed from the neck down and still that did not deter him from creating his art. Oh my, that reminds me of Troy’s Pottery. As Just Ask! shows us, we are different and what would the world be without all that beauty. The world needs us all! I do write about this on my about page.
Oh wow at first I was like, will I be able to come up with 10 things I love? Of course, I can! I can go around all day and take photos of what grabs my attention.
What has caught your eye or your heart this past week? Comment below. Which of these ten is your favorite to learn about?
Siempre,
Mireya
