This is Day 7 of the 7 Day BlogChallenge with Dr. Jeanette Cates.  I am Ellene Breedlove Davis.

Creativity is the ability to go beyond the traditional ideas and create new ways to express yourself.

Find new ideas or methods to accomplish your expression of creativity freely.

At the top of your priority list should be to learn new ways of interpretation, to try something original and use your imagination in a new way.

This exercise will help to free your mind, and aid in your creative thinking.

You will be alone, in your comfortable chair, have all the materials needed to bring your project to life. Start to focus your mind and create a solution to the problems you are facing.

In my studio, I have a small blue chair that just calls me to create.  Most of the time, I get my sketch book or journal, a favorite pen and just put the pen to paper.  The ideas start to flow as soon as I relax, as my creative imagination starts to write or sketch.

While you’re in this mode, brainstorm, write down all ideas, leave no uncensored thoughts out.

This is not a time for self-criticism.  Write for a short while then break, go out of the room if it helps and clear your mind.

This is an important activity that is beneficial each day. During this activity, ask yourself – what if, why and how.

Keep your creative mind in motion at all times.  In fact, there are some people that  are so creative that they can’t sleep, I suggest keeping a pen and paper nearby and jotting down ideas that come at this time.

If you are feeling that you are inadequate in some part of your creative spirit, write down all the knowledge you’re learned in the last six months. You will learn from this that you are a creative person. We all experience these emotions from time to time.

Ellene

Before I go, I invite you to go to the top right corner of this blog, and enter your name and e-mail to receive a brand new MP3, and listen as I give you more information that will help with the flow of your creativity.  Read it through to the end, take action and download the e book there. Learn how to meet your artist goals with information from the author “Tara Reed”, also an artist.  This book is in my library and a much used reference.  I am an affiliate for this book, “The Artists Goal Wheel”, will receive compensation when you buy. I only recommend information that I have used and I give this book my highest recommendation.

This is Day 6 of the 7 Day Blog Challenge with Dr. Jeanette Cates.  I am Ellene Breedlove Davis

Learning to honor your creative spirit is a prerequisite to being an artist.

As a child did you doodle, draw or make objects from sticks, pipe cleaners or clay?

Or, you may have been like I was.  I was the oldest of 7 children, we lived on a farm and there just wasn’t much time to do these things.  Our school was a very small country school so there wasn’t much mention of art.  If we got it, we got it from some other student that could draw, etc.

When I was 39, my 8 year old son, wanted to learn to draw race cars. Since there was a new art store in our hometown we went down and enrolled him.  We still lived in the country and I waited until his class was over. During this waiting period, I watched his cute as a button art teacher make her brush sing.  I had always been a craft type person and I wanted what she had.

Long story short, I enrolled in an oil painting class with her.  The first class, she encouraged me to learn to doodle and to wear jeans to class.

That class was 30+ years ago, and I still see her, making her brush sing with that left hand. From my first teacher, I learned that I was creative, and  could paint original oil paintings.

My teacher was passionate about all things art and passed that on to her students.  She instilled in me the love of art and I have never left it.  The passion is still with me, even tho it has been many years since I learned to paint.

I want to encourage to honor your creative spirit by following your passion. You may have chosen another skill, other than painting, but whatever your choice of creativity, practice it, experiment and use it to the best of your ability to bring joy to others.

Remember that great things are done when the creative instinct of an artist is recognized and, the artist takes the action to bring that art into being.

“Honor Your Creative Spirit!”

Ellene

PS To the right at the top of the page there is a picture that tells you that there is an MP3 there.  I invite you to listen all the way through, implement the suggestions included and learn to be all that you can be as an artist.

This is day 5 of the 7Day Blog Challenge with Dr. Jeanette Cates. I’m Ellene Breedlove Davis

What does your social persona say about you? Do you have the reputation that you are a nice person to work with? Or, is your reputation one that says you are a difficult artist to work with? The way you present your self in every situation can mean the difference in being successful or unsuccessful.

You don’t have to have everyone fall totally in love with you or your creations, but it is important to have your viewers and other artists respect you.

Here are some suggestions to remind you that manners are important!

1. You need to be friendly, speak to and introduce yourself to others. Such as at an exhibit or art festival, be friendly to those participating with you. You never know when you begin a conversation how you may be able to help someone. You may have more art festival experience than this person and can pass along important suggestions. This artist won’t forget you!
2. When another artist or promoter asks for help, be willing to pitch in. If you are unable to lend a hand, say so in a polite way, telling them why you won’t be able to assist them.
3. Always be honest, if someone asks you what medium you used to paint this picture, tell them. All artists are interested in where you buy your frames, where do you buy your paint? How is that art supply company to work with, are they helpful on the phone? Is your order shipped in a timely manner? Is it in good shape when it arrives at your studio?
4. Remember that others may not have a great social persona, maybe they left a bad situation at home, or some of their product was broken when they arrived at the festival. You just never know why someone is behaving the way they are. So, be careful that your conversation doesn’t offend.
5. Look everyone in the eye! To me this states that I am friendly, confident and ready to have a good show.

Honor Your Creative Spirit!

Ellene
http://ElleneBreedloveDavis.com
http://ElleneBreedloveDavisRadio.com (10am on Wednesday Morning on Blog Talk Radio, listen as the Landscape Artist Speaks.