January News from The President

Happy New Year!
I love the excitement of starting the New Year! To me, it seems like a time to refine, re-focus, and rejuvenate myself. If you are like me, you may find yourself as an artist feeling “stuck” from time to time. So, for my 3 “R’s” in 2019, I want to open up my creative self. I just came across a book titled “ Creative Strength Training” by Jane Dunnewold. Jane says regarding the subject of creativity…”I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say rather wistfully, ‘I’m not creative.’ When I hear a statement like that, I think to myself, No one has ever shown you where to begin. Because the fact is, creativity, like any skill, can be cultivated. It takes a healthy combination of focused commitment and strength training, knowledge and stamina.” I was intrigued by this idea. Many people think that only certain people are blessed with the gift of creativity. Jane dismisses that idea, stating that in all disciplines, whether athletics, music, or art, we achieve by setting a course of learning and practicing. Jane states, “Making begins as play, then gets serious because you start to care. You recognize the need for regular reps or practice and screw up your courage to commit. What happens? You come full circle. Stick with the training. Working at it leads back to play.” My New Years wish for all of you is to take your eyes off producing a piece of art and make your goal be creativity for creativity ‘s sake and for the delight it can bring to your soul. https://www.artistsnetwork.com/store/creative-strength-training - Anne