(Pic #1) Detail, Eucalyptus carving. Photograph. Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve. Shooting urban decay is my happy place.
Artists, Writers, Musicians: Just Start!
When The Creative Bug Bites — Let Him
(Pic #1) Left: Living room wall yesterday. (Pic #2) Right: Living room wall today. Amazon box series.
It’s called answering the “artistic need.”
It came through like a brain-bending tornado. And I don’t know why it hit exactly when it did. I had been immersed launching a new small business this week, and felt a bit choked by the complexities of our tech and marketing tasks. I had promised my art partner that I’d stay focused on our business, and try to meet the deadlines in front of us. I felt the pressure and knew that at any minute the dam could break.
Suddenly, I felt sucked into a dizzying vortex. I became defiant, practically childlike in my need to express myself — NOW. It went beyond urge — it felt more like panic. If I didn’t start making art — in some form — I would blow. F**K my promise — I had to make something.
(Pic #3) Detail, Amazon box wall sculpture.
So I ran to the trash and rescued a load of Amazon boxes. I started ripping (therapeutic on its own) and then with absolutely no plan in mind, started squirting and splashing paint all over them. It felt so fantastic, I ripped more and splashed more. Pretty soon I had a multi-level cardboard structure in the house, (Pic #2) and while flimsy, it satisfied me completely. I know it’s not great art. But, as I share in my creativity workshops, that is 100-percent irrelevant. What matters is that I got to answer the call. I soothed a part of my soul and remarkably, came back the next day stronger than ever in my pressing work.
Many studies show that it is critical for human beings to create. The benefits of making art (in any form) are infinite. Art can: 1) Boost our brain function and our immune systems. 2) Improve our mental and emotional health, and 3) Help us process trauma, express difficult feelings, and work through stressful experiences. Case in point: During this year’s pandemic, sales of art and craft supplies jumped by over 200-percent.
It’s a basic human need, and one we should never ignore. Today, I had one of the most productive days I’ve ever had — and I know allowing art back into my routine enriched the hell out of everything else.
Creative Collaboration — Yes, At Age 2
Warhol and Basquiat. Lennon and McCartney. Isabelle and Mackenzie? YES!
Press play.
Meet the most adorable collaborators in modern times. I may be slightly obsessed with this recording of Isabelle and Mackenzie, native New Yorkers, now age 3. With all the research I’ve done on creative collaboration for my executive workshops, I’ve never seen a cohesive partnership emerge from humans who’ve only been on planet Earth for two years.
(Pic #1) Isabelle and Mackenzie in Manhattan, New York
There’s no fighting, no pushing, no conflict. Each girl fearlessly expresses her Twombly-esque improvisational strokes. In their own language, they share chalk sticks, add perfectly-placed scribbles, and hum. And toward the end, you even hear an “excuse me, excuse me” as one tries to politely maneuver into just the right space.
So okay, I may be somewhat biased about this story, since the girls’ father is my cousin, Donal Lardner Ward. But even he told me this may be the first time one twin didn’t try to control the situation. He seemed as excited as I was to watch the pair create together — in this seamless, synergistic way. His hope is to see them “support each other’s ambitions” in the years to come.
Educational experts say collaborative learning has been shown to develop higher-level thinking skills, boost confidence, and foster leadership. But what those studies leave out just might be what matters most: the absolute joy parents feel watching this kind of tenderness between two sisters — just trying to make their marks.
