My Creativity Blog

What I’ve Been Doing

Terry Holliday — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:20:02 +0000

Hi! Some of you may have been wondering where I have been for the last month and a half since I have not been updating the blog. Well, I have had a few things change in my life.

Back in June as I was finishing my series of articles about the book, The Creative Call, I got a call about a job opportunity. During this study, I had been diligently praying about my art career and what direction I should be headed. So when I got the call, I thought, “Really, Lord? This is what you want me to do?” I couldn’t help but think that the whole thing was the answer to my prayers. But I was not planning on this type of answer.

So what is the job? Art teacher. I am going back to the classroom. I took the position of art teacher at Navasota High School. Exciting!!!! So, my husband and I had a lot to do to get us moved and down to Texas from Oregon in time for teacher in-service. We made the drive from Portland to Plantersville, Texas in three days pulling a trailer with our belongings. It was a long, hard trip. I had one week to get the house in order before starting work.

Now school has started and I am in full swing teaching. We have been in session for two weeks. I have approximately 175 students. It is an adjustment getting back into the classroom. The first week or so I have been trying to get used to being on my feet all the time and talking so much. That seems to be the norm for all teachers at the beginning of the school year.

Teaching full time is going to make it more difficult for me to write for My Creativity Blog. Obviously, I have taken off so I could move and get settled in. My plan is to continue with the blog. I want to continue writing three times a week like I did before, but I do not know if that is possible. I will have to play it by ear. Thanks readers for hanging in there and waiting for me to get back writing. As always, I would love to hear your comment! Leave me a note.

Russell Cushman talks about the Navasota Art Scene

rcushman — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 02:04:32 +0000

After years of relative obscurity, we have looked up recently and acknowledged that Navasota has evolved into a very respectable arts community. Not only have notable musicians and artists emerged here, but art sells in local galleries pretty well. In fact, one local artist has sold many hundreds of paintings during the worst economy in our memory. Thanks to the Texas Legislature, Navasota is known now as the “Blues Capital of Texas” and it has the history to defend that title.

In the midst of these impressive elements, Navasota has joined with Bryan- College Station as a partner in promoting the arts in the region. The City of Navasota has become the poster child for small town arts activity, sponsoring an impressive array of music concerts. With abundant live music venues, rich music history, generous placement of public art, local artists featured in downtown establishments, two popular State Parks nearby, and a highly regarded theatre company, Navasota and its surroundings have become a surprising cultural treasure chest. Therefore it is no surprise that two citizens from Navasota sit on the board of the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley.

Bottom line, if you are an art lover, then you will find plenty to see. If you are an artist, you will find plenty of inspiration. Below are some upcoming opportunities for artists in the Brazos Valley!

Outdoor Painting in College Station! Sept 11. Sponsored by the Forsythe Gallery of Texas A&M, Texas artists are invited to paint at selected locations and attend a critique by Russell Cushman afterwards. It will be hot, but worth the sweat!

HWY 6 ART: Art, Culture and Chocolate! OCT 3, 4 & 5. 25 -30 sites including museums, area artist’s studios and galleries will host a driving tour where travelers will be encouraged to find key clues that earn them doors prizes. All sites will be featured on one map, that will lead art tourists through the Brazos Valley to museums, festivals, sculpture dedications, artists demonstrating and fine candy and chocolate stores…

The Star of the Republic Museum at Washington on the Brazos is planning a GIANT collaborative masterpiece to be done by next spring. The idea is for selected Texas artists to do a massive interpretation of an iconic Texas history painting, each artist doing his own style within his or her portion of the “checkerboard.” This is still in its infant stages and not ready for applicants yet. Those interested can contact me and I will send them an application when our theme is decided.

Is Academic Performance An Indication of Your Child’s Creative Potential?

Amy Chokshi — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:00:18 +0000

Creativity is the ability to create something new using one’s imaginative skill. When it comes to childrens’ creativity, it can include the ability to come up with innovative and novel solutions to problems, designing new inventions and producing innovative works of art. Every child is born with at least one talent and often more. For some children, the talent is readily visible but for most, it is not quite apparent. It is up to grown ups close to the child to really discern the abilities of the child and to cultivate them. These people can be the parents of the child, the teachers at school, the child’s grandparents or close relatives, or even the friends of the child’s parents.

Some children exhibit their talent at a very young age and it is for all to see that the child is gifted in a particular field. Unfortunately, this kind of exposure is quite rare. Most children go through life sometimes without recognizing their talents until much later in life. Sadder is the fact that many people go to the grave without ever discovering the hidden talents lying dormant deep inside them. No one had discovered their talent when they were young and they had not discovered it themselves when they got older. They have lived their entire life possessing a talent that they never knew they had, let alone developing and using it.

Academic performance is many times used nowadays as a yardstick for a child’s intelligence and creativity. But unfortunately, most education systems are ill-equipped to truly evaluate the creative potential in a child. They might be able to measure the cognitive skills of a child, but lack the faculty to really estimate the child’s innate creativity. Parents and teachers need to be careful to never let children to have a poor estimation of themselves based on their academic performance. Academic knowledge is only a small fraction of a child’s faculties. That should not be used as a complete measure of a child’s mental worth.

Children should be raised in an atmosphere where they are free to think, ask questions and explore life on their own. Grownups should provide an invisible fence within which they are allowed to wander freely. Only when they are at risk of making costly mistakes should they be diverted away from their present course of action. In such a healthy and safe environment, children can have unlimited growth potential. Without an ‘apparent’ limitation to their freedom, children can really learn to be creative and effective in coming up with novel solutions.

Amy invites you to browse strikingly beautiful collection of cordless fountains and tabletop fountains at the Tabletop Fountain Store. Flowing water is known for its ability to foster creativity and increase focus and concentration.

A New Writer for My Creativity Blog

Terry Holliday — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:56:54 +0000

My Creativity Blog will have a new writer contributing to the blog. Russell Cushman will be writing articles about creativity and more once a month. You will be able to read his articles the third Thursday of each month. Russell will post his first article in September. Since today is the third Thursday of the month, I thought I would give my readers a chance to learn a little more about Russell by including a bio about him. I look forward to hearing what Russell has to say next month!

I hope you enjoy reading about Russell and his creative experience.

Russell Cushman’s public murals and monumental sculptures can be found all over the Brazos Valley, which he calls home. His original works are treasured in prestigious private and corporate collections throughout the Southwest.

Russell and his wife chose to establish themselves in Navasota, Texas which is 75 miles northwest of Houston. Just south of Bryan-College Station, Navasota sits at the junction of the Brazos and Navasota Rivers, just a few miles from historic Washington on the Brazos, the cradle of Texas Independence. Cushman loved the natural beauty and lore of the region, which included being part of the original Austin Colony, the hunting grounds for the Caddo and Coushatta Indians, the Blues Capital of Texas and the last trail of La Salle.

Making a living as an artist was not easy, and Russell has worn many hats over the years. He has worked on farms in the Brazos Valley as a farm worker and cotton scale operator, and a museum director and ranch hand. For years Cushman did construction and remodeling and sign painting. And all along he has taught private art lessons, for over thirty years in many Texas towns, like Katy, Tomball, Houston, Columbus, Brenham, Hempstead, College Station, and of course Navasota.

In 1996, Russell went back to finish his Fine Arts Degree at Sam Houston State University. Today his reputation has grown as a highly qualified historical and nature muralist, sculptor, and landscapist. He works in oils and acrylics. He has murals in Tomball, Caldwell, Bryan/College Station, Houston Baptist University, and every campus in the Navasota School District. His most famous is a 140 foot mural at the Star of the Republic Museum at Washington on the Brazos. Russell was selected from a field of outstanding Texas artists to create the most exciting and authentic epic renderings ever done on the subject.

He has done several fiberglas and epoxy sculptures for Bryan schools, Stelzig’s Ranch western wear in the Houston Bush Airport, and a life-sized bronze of Harvey Mitchell, a Texas Ranger and the first educator in Brazos County which stands in the halls of Harvey Mitchell Elementary. His life-sized bronze of a Depression era mother teaching her children how to fish adorns Heritage Park in Bryan.

Today Cushman stays busy with murals and other commissions, and sells much of his easel work at galleries. He and his wife of thirty-five years live in Navasota, where Cushman is a familiar face, having been elected twice to the Navasota City Council.

Russell Cushman has spoken to scores of art clubs, demonstrating his techniques, and taught art classes and workshops throughout Texas. He has been interviewed by Ray Miller for the Eyes of Texas, written about in Texas Highways magazine, and pictured in US News and World Report. He has been featured in local papers many times. A public servant, church leader, and art show judge, Cushman is also an accomplished writer and is presently working on a book about the history of blues in the Brazos Valley.

A great deal of his art can be viewed at his website, www.russellcushman.com.

If there is something in particular that you would like Russell to write about you can leave him a comment to make a request.

How To Spot Creativity In Your Child’s Talent

Amy Chokshi — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:49:20 +0000

Every single child born into this world comes with a set of talents. Some are gifted with more and some with less. Nevertheless, they are all blessed with one talent or the other. There is never an individual born into the world with no talent whatsoever. Every single person has some talent. So the next step is to identify the talent that the child inherently possesses so that it can be brought out, nurtured, cultivated, developed and used for the good of society as well as the individual. Every talent that every individual possesses is for the common good, and not for the individuals themselves to keep and enjoy. The talent needs to be used for the good of everyone, and in the process, the possessor of the talent would also be blessed.

Therefore, parents and elders in close association with the child have the responsibility of identifying the gifts and talent of the child and bring it out into the open. While with some children, it is extremely easy to identify what particular talent they are gifted with, with other children, it may not be readily apparent. But parents need to strive hard to recognize the talents that their child possesses so that they can develop them even further.

There are various ways to spot a child’s talent. The first task is to expose them to as many fields as possible. When they are babies, we may not have a clue to what they are talented in. So we need to expose them to music, to pictures, to toys of various kinds and to a variety of different stimuli. This exposure will tremendously stimulate their minds during the early stages of mental development. It is crucial that the all the senses of the child are stimulated so that the child has uniform development in all spheres.

Once the seeds are sown, the parents can be ready for the harvest. Sooner or later, the child will start displaying specific attributes based on their unique skills. If they musically inclined, they will be singing and playing instruments. If they are artistically inclined, they might be with their pencils and brushes, drawing or painting things they had seen. At first, these might be very rudimentary. But the parents need to recognize that they are still in their early stages of development. Given time and nurturing, these talents will one day take the child to great heights. It is to that end that every parent needs to invest their time and effort in their child’s gifts.

About the Author
Amy C. enjoys expressing her creativity through the creation and design of calming water features. She invites you to browse beautiful collection of indoor fountains at the tabletop fountain store. Amy’s most recent addition features calming cordless fountain collection at the tabletop fountain store.

Taking Off For a While

Terry Holliday — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:34 +0000

Hi! I hope your summer is going well. Mine has been interesting. Not doing exactly what I planned, but that is what keeps things interesting. I want to let you all know that I am going to be taking off from writing for My Creativity Blog for a short while. I am not exactly sure how long. I hope to be back writing in a month. It may be sooner than that.

Some exciting news before I take off is that I will be adding a writer to My Creativity Blog in August. They will write one article a month. I’ll let you know who it is later!!!!

As I was writing this article, I had the sensation that I was writing a letter to an old friend. I hope that you feel the friendship as well. That got me to thinking about how fun it would be to get creative in writing letters to old friends. How often do you get a real hand written letter in the mail? Not often, I bet.

Has letter writing become a thing of the past? I think it has. People do send cards occasionally. But for me getting cards in the mail can be a let down. Why? Because most people just sign their name and don’t write anything personal in the card they send. I have even received Christmas cards with a stamped signature. I usually turn the card up and down looking for some sign that a human has touched it.

So, be a rebel today and write a long newsy creative letter to a friend.

I truly love getting long newsy letters in the mail and I’m sure your friends do too. You can decorate your letter. You can include sketches, pressed flowers, lipstick kisses, and perfume scents in the letter. You can create your own stationary or paper. You can even make your own envelope. Just remember that if you use an odd size or large size envelope you may have to pay more for postage.

I hope this gets you inspired to send a letter to someone today. If you have no one to send a letter to, send one to me. I would love it!!!! My address is P.O. Box 90989, Portland, OR 97290.

Take care. Talk to you in a while. There are plenty of articles on this blog to keep you busy until I get back.

Creating a Pleasing Composition

Terry Holliday — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:42:34 +0000

Designing or creating the composition of your art work is very important in order to end up with a pleasing result. I have been painting for many years, and I find myself doing much of the composing as I take photographs of the subject matter I want to paint. Sometimes I do not consciously think about it. Other times I find myself deliberately taking photos from many different angles hoping that a good composition will result.

The term “composition” is defined by Dictionary.com in the area of fine art as the organization or grouping of the different parts of a work of art so as to achieve a unified whole. The art text book ART TALK by Rosalind Ragans defines composition as the way the principles of design are used to organize the elements of art.

This article could get really complicated. So much to discuss. But, that is not my goal. So, what do I want to accomplish? First, I want to give you some examples of photographs. Then, I want to give you some ideas that might be used in changing the arrangement of the subject matter in the picture to create a more pleasing composition.

Here goes:

Photograph One: You can change the design of your work just by getting a little closer to the subject. In this photograph of fall leaves I give you two examples. One is further away with a lot of empty space at the bottom of the picture. You can crop the empty space to create a different look. Using photo editing software can make creating your composition much easier.

Fall Leaves from a Distance

Fall Leaves a Little Closer

Photograph Two: In the following photographs you can a beautiful Oregon stream I photographed in the fall. When you compose your art work think about why you want to paint the scene. Ask yourself what drew you to the subject. For me, I was drawn to the fall colors and the movement of the stream. The first photo captures everything. It is a nice shot but the area in the left foreground is not of interest to me at all. I want to eliminate that area and also play up the curve in the stream. I don’t like the way the water ends almost at the left corner of the picture.

Oregon Stream

So, I cropped the photo a little. I like this better, but I still want to play up the fall color a little more.

A Little Closer

I cropped some more. I placed the colorful trees in one of the golden areas. Don’t know what a golden area is? Click here. This time the fall color really comes into play. I have completely lost my sky in this photo. So, if you wanted sky you would need to do something else. As I cropped this photo I realized there is a trash can lid or something in the water. So, that would be left out. Something else I might do is play up the boulders in the foreground of the stream. I think when I draw this on my watercolor paper I will draw the ones from the picture above.

Even Closer

Photograph Three: In this photograph the composition is confused by all the extras. We don’t need to have so much of the tractor in the scene. The subject or focus is my grandson, Isaac. Isaac is dead center too. I want to move him over a little one way or the other. Remember, golden areas. I also want to leave enough of the tractor to let the viewer know what he is doing or where he is. There is a metal bar behind Isaac’s head. I would eliminate that in the painting. I probably would eliminate the trees and fence line behind him also. Could make the background out of focus.

Isaac on a Tractor

Better Composition

Well, I hope this article helps. There are so many factors involved in creating a pleasing composition. I will continue to write articles about composition on this blog. I would appreciate it if you would leave me a comment. Have a great week!

Creativity Devotional – The Spirit

Terry Holliday — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:02:38 +0000

The Spirit Flows Through Us.

But God has revealed it to us by his spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

I Corinthians 2:10 NIV

Thought:

I think every person experiences or sees the world in a slightly different manner from the next. Visual artists might be prone to notice color, texture, value, shape, and line. A musician might be more sensitive to the sound of people walking down a hallway, the rhythmic patter of rain on the rooftop, and a blast from a train whistle. A biologist might be drawn to the sound of an animal in distress or the movement of birds in the trees. We all have interests that influence our view or perspective of the world. We all have knowledge of one sort or another.

God provides us with another type of knowledge or wisdom through the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can open up a new world to us whether we are an artist, musician or biologist.

The Holy Spirit lives in us and flows through us. The Holy Spirit helps us understand the deeper things of the world and allows us to be more spiritually connected to God. As artists we can use the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us become better artists and better people. Remember that you have this gift.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank you for always being there for us. Thank you for blessing us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Guide us as we use our gift to do your will. Bless us in our creativity on a daily basis. Give us the ability to inspire and help others. Grant us peace and joy. In Christ’s name. Amen.

My Thoughts on Using Creativity Prompts

Terry Holliday — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:11:00 +0000

: Purple Orchid

Last week I wrote an article about using creativity prompts. If you missed the article you can click here to read it. Yesterday I decided to use the prompts I had written about. The prompts I mentioned were:

orchid

color – purple

texture – rough

emotion – childlike

principle of design – movement

I decided I wanted to do a fast and fun painting. I did not want to spend a lot of time on the drawing. I sketched directly to the watercolor paper which is very unusual for me. The drawing took me about 5 minutes. I looked at some other orchid drawings I had done previously to get a suggestion of the shape of orchid petals.

After I had a very simple sketch (I was thinking child-like), I wet most of the paper with clear water. Then I started adding watercolor in different shades of purple, mauve and pink. I splattered, dabbed and played. I picked up the paper and let the paint run in different directions.

At one point my left brain broke into the creative process and decided the stem of the orchid needed to be green. I did what the left brain suggested and then promptly wiped the green off. There was a slight green residue but it did not bother me. Note to self: Don’t listen to the left brain when painting!

A close up view

Moving on, I started placing darker purples in the background to push the white orchid forward. I had no idea the orchid would be white but as the painting flowed it worked out that way. I wanted a more child-like feel to the painting so I pulled out a watercolor pencil and started outlining the orchid petals. To create interest and variety I blended some lines with water. Other lines were left as drawn.

I added a variety of drybrush strokes in different purples in the background and the orchid leaves. I wanted to give a sense of rough texture. I also made the drybrush strokes turn in different directions to give a feeling of movement. I was not happy with the results, so I got out a jar of medium gloss gel.

The gel was placed on the background and leaves with a brush and then scratched through with a fork. I also dabbed gloss on with my fingers and placed some larger areas of texture in the background. Because I used gloss over the watercolor I now had to paint with acrylics. I tried to get a purple that I liked by mixing my acylics, and after much anguish finally got something I could live with. (Mixing acrylics seems more difficult for me since I have painted most of my life with watercolors.)

Another Close Up

I added lines in the background in purples, pinks, and blues to give a sense of movement. Making an orchid painting appear to have movement is difficult. I have another idea for moving orchids I may play with later. I keep seeing an image in my mind. Not sure if I will be able to get the idea on paper though.

At this point I stopped painting because I wasn’t sure what needed to be done next. (When you do not know what to do, taking a break is a good option.) I placed the painting in a spot where I could see it as I did chores around the house. As I glanced at the painting I realized it needed warmer colors. So I glazed the stem and petals with yellow. I used a yellow watercolor paint. Somehow the gel had not covered all the area so the watercolor went on okay. The painting above is the result of this exercise.

I am happy with the results because it is something totally different from what I usually paint. The exercise helped me to draw more on my creative right brain. I enjoyed my painting time and am inspired to do more exercises using a creativity prompt.

Anyone else out there have a story to tell about using creativity prompts? Please share.

Getting Creative with Family History

Terry Holliday — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:00:50 +0000

My Grandmother, Merle Louise Parkman Etter

Sometime in your life you will become interested in your family history. It happened to me when I was in my thirties. I did not know much about my father’s family, so I started doing research.

I found a lot of information through the Clayton Genealogical Library in Houston, talking to family members, going to county courthouses, local libraries, etc. There is so much information now on the internet. You probably can find most of what you need right on your computer. So, if you are interested, there are many places to get genealogy information.

But what do you do with the information once you have it? That is a big issue for people that have boxes of files filled with information. Most people would not be able to understand the information you have collected if you are not there to explain. Arranging the information in a creative way for your family would leave a wonderful legacy for your descendents.

I have an incredible amount of genealogical information. This information fills several file cabinets. I know my children would not be able to understand what I have collected. I started brainstorming how I could put this information together in a better format my family could actually enjoy. Here are a few ideas, some are creative, some not so much:

Make a scrapbook for each of your children with copies of labeled family photos, copies of documents, and a chart of family ancestry. There is nothing more annoying than having family photos that are not labeled. You know they are a family member, but who are they?
Input family data into genealogical computer software. Give family members a disc or printout of the information.
Write a book about your family or about the side of the family that you have the most information. Include photographs. Discuss what was going on in the world, what your family member did as their occupation. Be sure to include facts. In your writing you may want to get creative and think out loud about what you imagine the ancestors’ life was like, etc. If you are embellishing make sure the reader knows. You might want to put your own thoughts in italics or a different font or ink color. Most genealogists would prefer you give only the facts with documentation.
Copy all family information you have collected to the computer. You can scan documents as images, pdfs, tifs, etc. Use movie maker or other video software to create a movie of all the family information. Narrate the video with family stories or explaining where a picture was taken, the occasion, etc.
Write a short story or children’s story of one funny or interesting family happening. Have young children in the family illustrate. Make copies for family members.
Video tape yourself talking about the family history and what you have discovered. This might be easier if you write a script or have someone asking you questions.
Video tape all the older family members reminiscing about the family. Put the videos together using video software.
Write a story of your life. As you write act as if you are talking directly to your children. Include photos of yourself as a child. Talk about where you were born, your parents, where you lived, or anything tramatic or exciting that happened to you. You might want to explain how you felt when your children were born, or when you got married. If you were close to a grandparent, you might want to share a special story.
Create a genealogy journal. This could be an expansion of #8. You could write about what you remember but also include stories from other family members. With the internet and email you might ask family members to send you their favorite family story, adventure, vacation, etc. Include these in your journal. Meander in time from the present to the past and back again. Include favorite family quotes and a list of family surnames you know are in your family line.

These are just a few ideas you might find helpful. I have not decided the avenue I will follow in putting together my family information. I know it will be quite an undertaking. I am leaning towards putting everything in a movie format. I have video clips of my grandmother talking and I would love to include that.

I feel it is very important to share the family information with all family members. Even if someone does not seem interested now they may be later. Interest may skip a generation also. Getting creative with your family history can be beneficial for generations to come.

For those of you that are interested I thought I would make a list of some of my family surnames. The names are: Waldrop, Williams, Etter, Parkman, Alford, Beck, Stewart. Sinclair, Bates, and Halliburton. Any relatives out there?