In a 35-minute video, John Cleese – who, as part of Monty Python, has been one of the 20th century’s most innovative, creative people – spoke about minutes about creativity.
Unfortunately, the video vanished, online. Looking for it again in late 2020, all I could find were “removed for copyright infringement” notices.
Meh. (I’m tempted to rant about copyright hoarding at the expense of creatives, but I’ll skip that… for now.)
This may be a clip from it:
I’m glad I’d taken notes. Cleese made some very good points. Sure, he’s been a little silly, excessively political, and downright pompous at times. However, I like it when he says things like:
Creativity is not a talent. It is not a talent. It is a way of operating.
…It’s not an ability that you either have or you do not have… it’s an ability to play.”
“To be creative we need five conditions,” Cleese says. “Space, Time, Time, Confidence and Humour.” Yep, “Time” comes twice.
In other words, Cleese stressed the importance of time… not just productive time, but time that’s necessary to get that open space in your mind.
To someone else, it might look like you’re doing nothing, or nothing of importance.
However, it’s one of the most essential parts of being creative, and allows you to cast off the limiting and distracting thoughts that stand between you and that necessary, open space.
If you find that 35-minute video online, let me know. It was a gem.
I’m about to swing wildly off-topic here. Blame it on my addiction to old newspapers and magazines. I cruise through them for cool images for collage, and — the next thing I know — I’m suddenly learning about handmade lace, pea soup recipes, or raising chickens.
When I was a kid, I was convinced I’d grow up, buy a farm, have six wonderful children, and live a very domestic life.
That’s not quite the way things worked out.
However, I find myself saving newspaper clippings. Lately, they’ve been about gardening and self-sufficient living. We’re going to need a house for this, of course. The hens wouldn’t be happy in my apartment, and the balcony is a little small for birds too large for a birdcage.
Still, I read the article at right, and it makes sense to me. We’re throwing food down the disposal (or into the trash or the compost heap) that could feed hens that would produce eggs… nice healthy eggs that could be a major part of our daily diet.
In my opinion, there’s a lot of logic missing in daily life. What began as convenience in the early 1950s (or earlier) has wandered down a weird path. Food my grandmother grew in her backyard, and tasted fresh and delicious, is now shipped to us over thousands of miles. It costs a ridiculous amount to buy, it’s not as fresh or delicious, and it comes packaged in plastic that contributes to the landfill, big time.
Worse, the cost of shipping food cross-country is climbing due to soaring gas prices, and those plastic containers – which originate as petroleum products – are going to be more expensive, too.
*blink*
Yes, eat your veggies, but – more importantly – grow your own veggies.
And, as I re-read this 1917 newspaper clipping, maybe hens are worth considering.
Journaling is included in this TED talk about the “happy secret” approach to living a more fun, productive, rewarding life.
It starts with how you feel, and how positive you are. Your emotional level — how happy you are — determines how happy your life events are.
Click the Play arrow to watch it. The video is about 12 minutes long, and very worthwhile.
If you’re in a hurry (though I hope you’re not), the screenshot below shows you the point to fast-forward to. Start at about the 11 minute marker. (The graphic, below, is a screenshot… click on the video above, to watch it.)
All of those suggestions can help.
Of course, “meditation” will mean different things to different people.
They may include things like:
Prayer
Conscious meditation
Admiring art in a museum, gallery or studio, or even
The simple act of “being there”… being in the moment.
I believe the more of these elements you can include in your life, the happier you’ll feel.
Journaling each day — making notes (words, images, a recording, etc.) about one happy event of that day — can make a big difference in your happiness.
The studies were based on a 21-day practice of… well, whichever of those choices seem most appealing to you.
Sometimes, people will become happier the first day. Others will need to develop the habit, and — somewhere around day 21 — the person will pause and realize that she (or he) is feeling happier.
Colors seem brighter.
There seem to be more opportunities, more fun, and more whimsy in daily life.
Serendipity is in your favor, and life is better.
Maybe you can journal your way to happiness. It’s worth trying.
Last year, I began making sock dolls. I was inspired by the book Stray Sock Sewing.
Here’s how I made my sock dolls for the Wild Art Dolls swap in July 2010.
Sock Doll Supplies
You will need one sock, some batting or stuffing, Fray-Check, and your basic sewing supplies. (Needle, thread, scissors, and a thimble if you use one.) You’ll also want something for eyes, nose, and other embellishments. At the very least, that will be embroidery thread, yarn, or a contrasting color of regular thread.
Sock Doll Directions
This is the sock I started with.
First, I started with a large, children’s sock. I’d already washed it in the laundry so, if it was going to shrink, it had already done so. (If the sock dolly needs a bath later, we don’t have to worry about him or her shrinking, puckering, or losing color.)
You should do the same.
Then, stretch it out so the heel is exactly centered, horizontally. Then, the finished doll won’t look too off-center.
Arrange the sock so the heel is centered.
Next, you’ll cut off the toe part of the sock. You’ll be removing somewhere between 1/2 and 1/3 of the sock above the heel. That will vary with the size of the sock and your plans for the doll.
Remove the toe part of the sock, and a little extra.
If you remove a smaller amount, the doll will have longer ears and shorter arms. If you remove more, there will be shorter ears and longer arms.
Remember: If something goes terribly wrong, you still have another sock. You can use that to supplement the pieces you cut from this sock, or you can start all over again.
The next step is to cut the cuff of the sock, perpendicular to the cuff. What you’re doing is cutting the seam area for the legs. For shorter legs, leave more uncut. For long legs, cut closer to the heel.
Above all — unless you have an octopus kind of doll in mind — don’t cut all the way up to the heel.
Starting at the cuff of the sock, cut both layers up the middle.
The next step is to cut a notch where the ears will extend. Once again, the deeper the cut, the longer the ears. Avoid cutting all the way down to the heel, unless you want a really deranged-looking doll with a strange, short face.
Cut a rectangle or square out of the remaining area where the toe was.
Finally, you’re going to use the toe part that you cut off at the beginning. Lay it flat and snip in into two equal parts. These will be the arms.
Cut the toe part in half – just one snip – to make the arms.
Now, it’s time to seal the edges of the sock so they don’t unravel as you’re working. You’ll use a product called Fray-Check for that. You can find it in many sewing supply stores, crafts stores like Michael’s, or order it from Amazon.com.
If you’re making a lot of sock dolls (like for holiday gifts), pick up a couple of bottles of Fray-Check. You will go through it pretty quickly. (Plus that, it can dry out in the bottle, after a few months.)
You’ll need Fray-Check, a product by Dritz.
Apply a moderate amount of Fray Check to every raw edge on the doll. Be especially generous where there are angles, indicated by the blue arrows. Those points will get the most stress as the doll is being finished.
Apply Fray-Check to all raw edges. (Remember the arm pieces, too.)
Let the Fray-Check dry completely. This can take an hour or two. Don’t sew while the fabric is damp, or it can stretch and bubble.
Next, sew the top of the head. That’s where you cut the rectangle out, and it’s on the right side of the sock in the photo above.
Sew the ears and the top of the head.
Sometimes I sew along the wrong side of the fabric, and then turn the doll right-side out. At other times, I sew the whole thing from the outside, using an overcast-type stitch.
Then, turn the doll right-side out, so you can start stuffing it.
Next, Add Stuffing to Your Sock Dolls
When adding stuffing to your cloth doll, it should be packed firm.
Don’t over-stretch the sewn edges as you do this, but make sure your cloth doll won’t look all saggy after its been hugged a lot.
For sock dolls, you’ll probably start from the bottom, or wherever the open seams are.
Stuff the doll from the bottom.
When you’re stuffing the ears, it’s a good idea to make them fairly solid. I use a chopstick or a stuffing tool for this purpose.
If the ears are really long, you may want to insert a wire after the ears are stuffed. You can use a pipe cleaner or any firm but flexible wire for this. Then, you can bend the ears in zany angles.
Sewing the Legs
Now, you’re ready to sew the legs, stuff them, and then sew the edges of the feet.
When your doll looks like this, you’re ready to work on the legs.
Sew the leg seams, but not the feet. Stuff the legs. (A chopstick, smooth end of a pencil, or stuffing tool is ideal.)
Finally, when the doll is how you want it to look, stitch along the bottom edges of the feet.
Add Embellishments to Your Sock Doll
At this point, I like to add the beads or buttons for eyes, and a nose. I usually use embroidery floss for the nose.
The doll is beginning to have character. I think that’s important, before attaching the arms. Arms can make a remarkable difference in the attitude of the doll.
Ready for the arms!
Add the Arms
For the arms, you’ll sew the seams on the toe pieces you cut at the beginning.
Sew just the longest side of each one and stuff it. Depending on how hard it is to hold the shoulder part together, you may want to baste it closed after the arms are fully stuffed.
If they’re only loosely stuffed, you can skip the basting step and attach the arms directly to the doll.
Add More Embellishments, Maybe
After that, you can add wings, hair, a pom-pom tail, or any other embellishments you like.
The completed doll!
More Examples
Here are a couple of other sock dolls I’ve made. They were propped up in Rubbermaid sandwich containers, so you can see them better. That also gives you an idea of the scale of them.
Here’s the same doll in profile. He has a yarn pom-pom tail.
Another doll, shown below, is made from an adult’s pink sock. The top of the head looks like the doll is wearing a cap. I made the cap from a second, different pink sock. I let the lower edges roll up, like the brim of a knit cap.
I also embroidered a heart on her, and gave her faerie wings.
Doll in profile.
Once you get used to making these dolls, you’ll find ways to mix n’ match pieces from different socks for different effects.
I can usually make one doll in an evening (about three or four hours), while I’m watching TV or talking with my family.
Sock Doll Tips
Sock dolly helps in the kitchen!
Use children’s socks for the best colors and patterns. For larger, colorful socks, I find good patterns & prices at places like TJ Maxx, especially in their sale sections. Want tiny socks for the dolls or for ears, arms, or a tail? Check the discount section of Michael’s Arts & Crafts. Some of their Mary Engelbreit-type socks can be wonderful for sock dolls!
Use Fray-Checkby Dritz. Amazon carries it, or find it at Michael’s, JoAnn Fabric, etc. I seal all edges before I sew them. (Usually, it takes a couple of hours for the Fray-Check to dry thoroughly. If you sew the edges while the Fray-Check is damp, the fabric can stretch too much.)
If your doll might get soiled easily, use any waterproofing spray on stain-resisting spray, after you complete the sewing but before you add any beads or buttons.
If you’re making a doll that you’ll turn inside-out, after sewing, always try to make the final seam (the one you’ll sew on the outside) where the doll sits down. That way, the seam isn’t so noticeable.
If your doll should sit and not fall over easily, make a small bean bag that will fit inside the “rear end” of the doll. Fill that bean bag with something heavy. I use anything like poly-pellets, or well-rinsed gravel intended for fish tanks, or even unscented kitty litter. (The latter, being clay, can deteriorate and turn to messy dust if handled too often.)
If your dolls are small enough, check the dollhouse furnishings aisle (at Michael’s, etc.) for accessories you can use with (or glue to) your sock dolls.
Today, I was browsing some sites where people have posted their art journals (or artist’s journals… same thing… it’s a term always in transition).
I quickly found a wonderful series of pages, and the artist (Zom) muses if they’re part of an ugly art journal.
I want to say, “No! Those pages are lovely!” but I hold back.
It’s sort of like when I was pregnant. Each time, I’d refer to myself as “the fat lady.” At the time, it amused me. Obviously, I was pregnant, not fat, but the size of my stomach… well, my humor runs to sarcasm. Telling me I wasn’t “fat” made me question the vision of the observer.
Hello. 60 inch stomach…? Fat! *chuckle*
But, of course, I understood the point. They just didn’t understand mine… which was also okay. Often, people don’t get my humor.
So anyway…
I look at these pages in all their loveliness. I absolutely love the juicy colors and the choice of images.
However, if Zom wants to call them ugly… well, it’s her journal. My opinions are different, but that’s my experience, not necessarily hers.
Moving past that semantic moment…
I love it where she says, “I don’t know how much of a connection I am feeling with this art journal. Is the form no longer relevant?”
That resonated with me. For a long time, I didn’t connect with my artists journals. I looked at them, tried to add to them, and generally felt a sense of ennui before completing even one page.
I became a different person over the past several years. The reasons I’d kept an art journal, years ago… they weren’t there any more. It was a different context altogether. For starters, I’d been driven to keep my journal… it was a manic, almost “outsider” thing, for years. It was how I kept my sanity during challenging years.
Since then, my world gradually shifted. It wasn’t quite like watching paint dry, but it was very slow-moving. I didn’t want to articulate it because the changes — even the minute ones — were radical, but — at the same time — they were constantly in transition.
What I’d say one moment might be totally different, even an hour later. I suppose they were very subtle ah-HA! moments.
So, I’d put things down on paper and, later that day or sometimes a few days later, I’d shred them. They weren’t me… not a “me” that lingered for more than a few minutes, anyway. And, with such fleeting changes, I didn’t want to keep art around that represented that. It took me back in time, uncomfortably. It wasn’t a real ME-me, if you get my meaning.
I do like to document the process, no matter what the process is. However, there are times when the changes are like trying on a huge stack of clothes in a fitting room: By the time I find what fits me and looks good, I’ve pretty much forgotten the oh-dear-heaven-that’s-not-me stuff, now at the bottom of the pile.
I don’t want to save some of those half-baked journal pages any more than I’d take photos of myself in unattractive clothing in the fitting room.
They’re not me.
They don’t have significance in my life, even as process.
Keeping those pages would be making the moment more than it was.
Perhaps I should journal about those pages.
Anyway, this blog entry (linked below) is wonderfully, deliciously thought-filled. Click to read the pages. They’re very good and some may resonate with you as they did with me.
I don’t write as often about my art journal as I used to. I think my AJ and I have been going through a difficult phase. I knew things needed to change, not because anything was ‘wrong’ but because, for me, the innate nature of …
In an emergency, even with 30 days to come up with $2000, only 25% of Americans are sure they could beg, borrow or steal that much money.
If you’re in business, you need to know your potential audience and customers. In 2011, if your usual fans & collectors are among 75% of Americans, they can’t buy your $1500 painting, wall hanging or assemblage, no matter how gorgeous it is.
Sure, your art may be worth that much or more. Value isn’t the issue here.
The more pertinent questions are:
Do your business practices make your future customers feel better or worse about themselves?
Do they like how they feel around you and (especially) around your art?
Do you have rapport with them?
If they don’t feel that sense of mutual understanding on a personal level — even as artist-to-customer — they won’t be as open to connecting with what your art communicates.
Sure, you can focus on the minority who can afford your art. That may be a smart tactic, for now.
However, that probably shouldn’t be your exclusive focus. Even if you don’t put as much time into laying a foundation with the rest of your audience, they’re still important to your future as a successful artist.
Reaching the 75%
If you’re meeting some of that 75% at art shows, galleries, or even as you’re running errands — and hope to attract them as clients, customers and collectors in the future, when they’re back on their feet — now is the time to establish rapport. They’ll remember it later.
Think about what you can do, so they feel a connection with you right now. What can you give or sell to them that they can own, and — at the same time — help them feel better about themselves?
Even if the person can’t purchase any of your art right now, he or she should walk away thinking, “That art is so great. I’m going to own some of that, some day.”
Contrast that with the sad, “That art is beautiful, and yet another thing I can’t afford. Maybe I never will.”
See the difference?
So, make it possible for the person to connect with your art and feel good about it, right now.
The importance of gifts
Whether it’s a happy conversation, a free art postcard (like VistaPrint’s freebies, which I use), a link to a webpage where they can download something… make sure you connect with your friends and fans, and they remember it as a happy meeting.
This isn’t a reciprocity thing. It’s not, “I’ll give you this now, and you agree to give me something in return, later.”
The gift economy is a little different. It’s about bonding as individuals, and as a community, to establish a personal connection and goodwill for the sake of the group and each other, period.
What do you get out of this? You get to be part of a happier, more connected community in a happier, more connected world.
You get the satisfaction of having done something good. Too often, that’s vastly underrated.
Remain sensitive to what’s really going on, despite appearances.
It’s important to stay current about the world in general. Use other people’s surveys (such as the article linked above) to understand your audience and what’s going on with them.
Right now, the global economy is in transition. This effects artists as much as anyone else, and perhaps more than most.
This is your opportunity to do something nice and helpful… and be remembered for it.
Everyone wins!
Pave the road to your successful future.
It’s fine to focus on people with cash who also like your art. That’s common sense.
However, pave the road for your continuing success — and invest a little happy karma — by making it possible for everyone to own some of your art, right now.
It’s not difficult. It may require a little creativity, but you can do it.
(Note: If you liked my graphic at the top of this article, it’s a free download. You can click on the image or here to download it as a 5″ x 7″ poster. If you collect ATCs, click here for that free download.)
To understand more about
our economy and the importance of gifts
be sure to read Linchpin by Seth Godin
Well, my recents posts on the topic of copyright — especially related to Flickr and Google Images — seem to have opened a can of worms. (Hence the gummy worms image, at left.)
I did a little more research so I could refer people to the best resources & opinions I could find.
Here they are:
Sites like Buffer list LOTS of sites that offer free images for commercial use.
Personally, I use Pexels.com more than any other site. However, some of their topics have become stale.
But, if you’re searching at “old school” image sites, remember that not all of those pictures, etc., are legal to reuse.
Google aggregates (or “scrapes” or collects) images from all over the Internet, the same as they post the titles of webpages, and summaries or excerpts of them.
Nobody’s webpage is automatically in the public domain because Google indexed it.
Nobody’s photos are automatically in the public domain because they’re among the visual indices at Google Images.
Correctly attributing ownership is not enough to meet copyright laws.
That’d be like someone copying a recent movie and thinking it’s okay because all the credits are intact in the copy they added to a torrent site. (Oh. Wait. People do that.)
Google explains the rights pretty clearly. In a nutshell, you have permission to view the images in Google Images. You don’t automatically have permission to copy and use them.
Highlighted in yellow on the page linked above, Google reminds people to verify the exact terms of using images that appear at Google Images, even when the images bear Creative Commons licensing.
Here’s what Google says:
Before reusing content that you’ve found, you should verify that its license is legitimate and check the exact terms of reuse stated in the license. For example, most licenses require that you give credit to the image creator when reusing an image. Google has no way of knowing whether the license is legitimate, so we aren’t making any representation that the content is actually or lawfully licensed. [Link]
I hope that helps explain what people can & can’t do with your images, and what’s okay (and not) if you’d like to use someone else’s images in your art or other products.
Personally, I’m enthusiastic about Creative Commons licensing… but I’m also ferocious about copyright protections, too.
(As of mid-2024, I had to discontinue my own Freebies pages… over 50 pages of free digital downloads. The reason…? Someone inadvertently alerted me that people were using my free art, commercially.)
Photographers and illustrators are artists, too. Support them by respecting their copyrights.
Never underestimate the value of the U.S. government when it comes to surreal and absurd images, many of which are in the public domain.
I mean it. And, if you’re easily offended, or if the subject of VD bothers you, avert your eyes.
Seriously, this poster (at right) appears to be in the public domain. (See notes at the U.S. National Library of Medicine.) You can download a 4MB copy of it at the gov’t website.
I can see so many very wrong uses for that image. I’d like to put it on a tee shirt, except that I want to replace the VD words with… something else. I’m not sure what, yet.
I look at her and think, “Really? I mean really? Is that what men found alluring in the 1940s?”
However, that’s not the only image of its kind. A search at the gov’t website using the phrase “venereal disease” turns up all kinds of strange posters of apparently dangerous women.
Check out the sweet girl in the poster on the left. (Click on the image for the full, print-quality image at the NLM.)
Wasn’t she a famous movie star? She looks really familiar… like someone I’ve seen in old movies. Well, now we know about her history!
I’m amused by the phrase “‘good time’ girls.” It makes me wonder, were there “bad time” girls?
That poster is in the public domain.
The next poster for your consideration (or amusement) is about clean water. Gosh, it looks like our boys were dealing with all kinds of dangers in the 1940s… wasn’t war enough?
Because that was produced specifically for government use, I’m pretty sure it’s in the public domain.
Click the image to see a really large copy of it. There may be even bigger versions in the NLM files.
(Of course, if you’re going to use it for a product, it’s smart to research the provenance at the NLM website.)
And, so it’s not all one-step-away-from-zombies, at left is an early poster that has a lot of possibilities if you’d like to alter it for a political statement.
This one is from 1917, so it’s almost certainly in the public domain. (Most – but not all – American works from before 1923 are now in the public domain.)
Yesterday morning, I went out to take some photos of the sunrise. They’re intended as reference photos for future artwork, but some of these may become art prints.
Once I get started on an adventure like this, it can turn into a mini road trip… and that’s exactly what happened.
About three hours later, I was on a hilltop gazing across Lake Winnipesaukee, savoring the view.
This was an amazingly gorgeous start to my day, and it was incredibly inspiring. Every day should start like this!
It also reminded me of the beauty of Nature, even during the start of a “mud season” kind of Spring.
I’d only planned to take few photos at the edge of Lake Winnesquam, shown in the photo above. It was the first lake I paused at, during my morning adventure. However, I was soon caught up in the beauty of the sunrise and the fresh breezes predicting more snow.
There’s always a sense of anticipation when the winds shift like that. For me, it has that same subtle thrill as standing near the top of a magnificent cliff, and the same eagerness of waiting for the next bolt of lightning in a spectacular storm.
So, I continued my morning’s adventures.
A little further up the road, I discovered a private-ish beach. It was behind a funky looking seasonal store (closed when I was there, probably for the winter) called Mountain View Manna. It looks like they sell homemade bread and maybe some crafts.
Since most of the nearby summer cottages were closed up, I felt only a little guilty for trudging up the private (?) dirt road behind the store.
That’s the beach, in the photo on the right. I may turn this picture into an art print; I think summer visitors might enjoy it.
(If I were a more realistic painter, I’d probably paint this. For me, it’s a very wistful image showing the lakeside when snow is still on the ground.)
From there, I drove around the lake and soon found Mohawk Island. (That’s the island in the photo at lower left. It’s a small, very wooded island.)
I had no idea it was there. It’s only accessible by water, and it looks very private… and charming. A couple of buildings suggest that people live there, but I’m not sure if it’s seasonal or year ’round. There’s something wonderful about the idea of island living.
(This summer, I hope to get out to Monhegan Island in Maine, and the Isles of Shoals, off the coast of Portsmouth, NH. Both are legendary as art-inspiring destinations.)
Then, I decided to head northeast, back toward Lake Winnepesaukee.
On the way, I stopped at Gunstock Ski Area, where my children had learned to ski. The area is far more developed now, and I almost decided to take the Panorama lift to the top of the mountain, just to see the view.
Instead, I joked with a few skiers who were there for what may be some of the last great skiing of the season. (As I’m writing this, another foot of snow is predicted… and falling in peaceful drifts outside my window.)
My next stop — before heading home — was on a hilltop overlooking Lake Winnepesaukee.
In the photo on the right, the lake is barely visible between the tops of the trees and the White Mountains in the distance.
The wind was shifting and there was a crisp “bite” to the air, alerting me to the approaching snowstorm.
I wrapped my scarf more closely around my face, and stood there for several more minutes, taking in the landscape.
The colors and the view were breathtaking. I love how the colors of the sky are reflected in the lilac-tinged snow. It’s a reminder that subtle colors can sometimes have the most impact.
For me, these photos are partly landscape references. Some of the images will certainly be featured in my paintings.
By the time Spring is here, leaves on the trees will obscure some important details that I’ll want to include in my work. So, I’m printing several of my best photos from yesterday, and putting them into my art journal… the one I keep as a reference for upcoming sketches and paintings.
However, Nature is also one of the best teachers, revealing how different colors can create different moods. She’s also showing how contrast and edges can add emotion and interest, depending on whether they’re crisp or soft.
It was a good day, and a reminder that every season is beautiful!
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They may include things like:
Today, I was browsing some sites where people have posted their art journals (or artist’s journals… same thing… it’s a term always in transition).
Well, my recents posts on the topic of copyright — especially related to Flickr and Google Images — seem to have opened a can of worms. (Hence the gummy worms image, at left.)
Here’s one of the clearest explanations of what’s what at Flickr: 
A copyright thread at Digitalpoint 
Check out the sweet girl in the poster on the left. (Click on the image for the full, print-quality image at the NLM.)
Yesterday morning, I went out to take some photos of the sunrise. They’re intended as reference photos for future artwork, but some of these may become art prints.
A little further up the road, I discovered a private-ish beach. It was behind a funky looking seasonal store (closed when I was there, probably for the winter) called Mountain View Manna. It looks like they sell homemade bread and maybe some crafts.
(This summer, I hope to get out to Monhegan Island in Maine, and the Isles of Shoals, off the coast of Portsmouth, NH. Both are legendary as art-inspiring destinations.)
My next stop — before heading home — was on a hilltop overlooking Lake Winnepesaukee.