creativity + art + design articles

your 5 creative things for the year

I’d love to paint this year, on large canvasses. I’d also like to build a tree house. And re-pierce my nose. And design a line of post cards. And throw a summer party with a local Mexican trio playing. And paint big wooden signs to attach on the stop sign at each end of my street that say, “Go slow, kids we love at play.”

But I probably won’t -- because, I’ve filled my life with other things that I want to do equally, or more.

What 5 creative things would you be thrilled to accomplish this year? Define “creative” in any way you like ... from quilting to money-management. “Just five” seems to make everything easy, doable, bite size and freeing.

My 5 creative to-do’s for the year:
1. Write my next book: White Hot Truth. {Okay, that’s a colossal one. If I accomplish that and nothing else, I'd be feeling pretty spiff.}
2. Reupholster my Danish couch. Easy breezy. It’s a square box.
3. Get my next tattoo {the I Ching symbol for Inner Truth.} Can’t wait.
4. Send birthday cards to everyone, on time.
5. Do a planter of Chicks 'n Hens for the porch. Water it this time.

Declare your creative desires. Here. Now. Just five.

love lockdown: genius art direction

Kanye West's Love Lockdown video is brilliant -- on-the edge video artistry, good to watch when you want to clear your brain of dusty old ideas.

Click here to watch the Love Lockdown video. Yum.

clutter free and feeling fine

I've got a guest post on Unclutterer.com. In a sea of 'get organized' sites, Unclutterer is really smart and practical.

"Clutter is the result of choices...Do a quick visual scan in your head right now ... room by room. How did what’s in there get there? Because it was on sale? Because it came with your ex-boyfriend but didn’t leave when he did? Because you positively love the design. Because it makes your heart sing?..."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON UNCLUTTERER.

jamie ridler’s book blogging group

Cool concept: 12 weeks. One book. Unlimited bloggers posting and cross-linking their weekly insights. This winter's book: 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women. (more...)

fontstruct: design your own type

FontStruct is a free font-building tool. Be still my heart! One of my creative goals this year is to design my very own typeface. This is my idea of a killer app. Typography freaks unite.

READ MORE