NEWS FROM THE STUDIO

MAR. 2007 Volume 2 Number 3
(34 subscribers)

Spring Cleanse

Hello,

Well after a serious winter, hopefully a more light-hearted spring is on its way.  Now, as the ground is opening up to sprout tender green shoots, we may too notice some strange stirrings inside.  Maybe we feel some sort of unsettlement about our lives or just a plain yearning for the welcome change of some warm weather.  Keep reading if you are interested in a collage exercise that might help stir up your own ground to give some room for inner growth.

Quote:  “If you do not change, you will not grow” (from the painting “Origins”)

Art Classes – Seeking Input

My art classes are currently on hold while I use my time and energy to take care of my, now one year old, son.  However, I have been toying around with some ideas for the future and I think now might be a good time to get some input from you.  If you have a few minutes, I would be grateful if you would please fill out the following questionnaire.  If you do, I’ll put your name in a draw for a $20 gift certificate towards a future class.

In Previous News:  Drawing 10 Minutes a Day

I received an enthusiastic response from those who read my last newsletter.   Some of you have attempted to draw (or write) 10 minutes a day, or simply made a fresh attempt at working more often.  One person I know of completed the challenge of drawing for 10 minutes a day everyday for a month (it wasn’t me…ha.) – not an easy task!

Here are some comments that I am quoting with permission from you readers:

     “All the way over here in India, it makes a difference to me to read your newsletter! I will try to write for a minimum of 10 minutes per day....just for the sheer commitment to the everyday!”  Anonymous

     “I owe you big time! P. directed me to your "How to get on with it and get productive."  I tried it and, man, finally got a start on my next 'big' story!
     So what strategy worked for me?  I decided that I wasted a lot of time every morning dithering about balancing the check book, looking through mail, putting dishes away, reading the Record etc., and might have, if I was lucky, started on something worthwhile circa 9:30.
     Now I get up and make a concerted effort to start the big stuff first, and leave most of the little nonsensical stuff to later.  To ensure I moved on this, the first couple of times I loaded the laptop in the car at 8:00 and headed off to Serious Coffee (no household distractions there)  and just did it. Now?   I'm well into a story.  Hopefully, it might make this year's Raincoast Chronicles.”   Thanks! Rick James

     “Thank you for the idea.  It turned out to be just perfect for me right now.  Some days, I begin with a drawing to get me loosened up for painting; other days, I completely forget about it until after dinner when I suddenly realize that, oh gosh, I haven't yet done my drawing.  So I simply settle in and do it.  At that point, I haven't a lot of choice of subject, so by now I have a lot of sketches of Larry reading and the cat goofing off. 
     I find that this endeavor is a lot like running or any other kind of regular "exercise";  the thought of it is a lot worse than the doing, and once you're into it, it's quite pleasurable in its own right.”   Gretchen Markle

Collage Exercise:  Spring Cleanse

Sometimes we can get stuck in an “old way of seeing” which unknowingly prevents us from moving forward in our lives. Here is a “Spring Cleanse” Collage exercise that might help you to reflect on old patterns of thought you may be carrying around for no reason. If you do this collage exercise, please feel free to let me know if you learned anything from it or have any other input to give.

For those who aren’t familiar with the word Collage; it is simply means gluing something onto another surface.  If you are a writer, you may also really like this exercise.

SUPPLIES (can use whatever you have available):

-2 pieces of construction paper or cardboard (5” x 7”or bigger).  May also use whatever paper you have handy.
-magazine, newspaper, junk mail (something with interesting text or images)
-scissors (or can rip pieces)
-glue stick or white glue mixed with some warm water

Time needed: 1 hour

STEP 1:  GET SET UP: Find yourself a spot and time where you can be relatively uninterrupted for an hour (eg. turn phone off, have a snack before, forget chores – or if some chore is really nagging you, get it out of the way first) Gather all materials you will need around you.

STEP 2:  FIND WORDS AND IMAGES:  From your magazine (or whatever you have found), cut out any positive or negative words and/or images that you believe describe how you or others may see you.   These words could also include what you think you want to be more like, places you would like to go or things you want to own.  Some examples of words or images might be, “nice, patient, hurt, energetic, travel, marriage, black car, scented…??? Don’t be too picky (…or picky might be a word).  Don’t start gluing yet.

STEP 3:  ASK QUESTIONS:  Reflect individually on all the words and images you have found.  With each word, stare at it and see if you can feel what your gut response is to it.  Does thinking about this word make you feel good or uneasy?  Ask the questions, where has this descriptive word come from?  Did you grow up believing you are this? Is it something you are trying to be?  Did you read it in a horoscope?  Is it who you really are, REALLY?  Or if it is something you want to own or do; does this really ring true with your innermost self?
An example might be the word “nice”.  Does this word bother you in any way?  Does “nice” really mean you aren’t able to say no to others, or you are compromising your true self in someway?

STEP 4:  MAKE TWO PILES:  Separate into one pile, (COLLAGE A) any words or images (negative or positive) which don’t feel quite right – even if you don’t know why. You may also put words that don’t strike any chord in you, in this pile.  In another pile (COLLAGE B) put only the words that evoke a positive feeling in you.  At this point, you may go and find more words or images that excite you, no matter how nonsensical they may seem at the moment.  They might be words like “tiger, window, contented, purple or new iron.”  HINT: Don’t choose things because you think you should like them, or because you’ve just always liked this – try to connect more with what your (maybe unexpected) gut response is.

STEP 5: ARRANGE AND GLUE:  Arrange each pile of words onto its own piece of paper so you end up with two collages (COLLAGE A & B).  If you have too many words to fit, try to include only the most essential ones.  If you have only a few words it’s ok to leave spaces in between. Arrange in such a way that pleases you and then glue down (background or large pieces first). 

STEP 6:  REFLECT:  Reflect on your 2 collages.  Are there any surprises at all?  Even if they don’t speak to you right away, keep them around you for a few days or weeks in case something might reveal itself later (you don’t have to show anyone!)  Is there much of a difference between COLLAGE A & B?  Can you focus on letting go of anything in COLLAGE A?  Can you imagine or visualize your life being described more by COLLAGE B?  Is there anything stopping you?

Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
Tracy Kobus