This is a picture of my inner artist, about to go on a play date.
Julia Cameron introduced the concept of an artist’s date in The Artist’s Way. The idea is simple. It just means taking time each week to do something for fun all by yourself. It’s what I call slipping into sacred space. It means getting completely absorbed doing something for its own sake, because it feeds your soul instead of for some utilitarian purpose. Why do it? I do it because it makes me feel fully alive, and it also makes me more flexible and creative. Not bad traits to have in this rapidly changing world.
What sorts of things can you do on an artist’s date? Anything that appeals to you. It can be taking a walk in nature, visiting an art gallery, playing with crayons or bubbles… anything that suits your fancy. The main thing is to do it alone, otherwise part of you will be reacting to the other person instead of getting better acquainted with the deepest parts of yourself.
One of my artist’s dates was creating the picture of my “inner artist” at the beginning of this post. Another was making the picture on the left. I can happily spend hours taking or modifying photos, and one week I even spent hours just looking at pictures of Seabiscuit. As long as it feeds our souls it counts.
What About You?
Even if you’ve never heard the term “artist’s date” before, have you ever gone on one? What effect did it have on you?
Taking time each week to do something for fun all by yourself?
Of course… blogging!
and all of the things I do associated with it, which includes my photography and learning all kinds of neat stuff.
Mike Goads last blog post..On Climate – a new blog
Hi Jean,
What works for me – playing the piano. Nothing fancy (in fact, I can hardly read music) – I just make up something as I go along. And it always connects with me. And especially when I do this when no one else is around. I’m thinking I probably don’t do this enough. It seems to go in streaks – I’ll play a couple of times a week for a while, and then – it’s several weeks and no playing….That’s my take away here – to do this regularly.
I love how you’ve created these pictures Jean – very nice – thanks for sharing them here!
Lances last blog post..Sunday Thought For The Day
Mike,
Yes! Amen to that.
Lance,
Please let us know how it turns out. It’s so easy to forget even when something brings us so much joy. I’m wondering if our culture is so extroverted that we have to give ourselves permission to do something by ourselves. What do you think?
I’m glad you liked the pictures.
I think my artist’s date is with my journal.
My latest artist’s date is with my photoshop software. I love to experiment and try out the different effects on photos. I agree that time spent each week with the artist in me is a very nurturing act.
Evelyn Lims last blog post..Raising Kids, Removing Fear
Mostly blogging, but then, I’m not really alone, but with various disembodied ether friends, some known, some not. I paint as well, but almost always with an audience of some kind in mind, viewers, buyers, that is. Is that really alone? This makes me wonder when, if ever, we are really alone.
Calling Cathy in NZ. I miss you! I’d like a date reading about your world on the other side of the world.
About getting permission to do what you want.
I asked my bicycler friends if I should buy the expensive bike I wanted. They said OF COURSE but don’t ask us!
No Jean, I have never been to one but would like to. I would however imagine that I should be more comfortable writing and if I am, then i suppose that my blogging and visiting other blogs and commenting on them should qualify, don’t you think?
rummusers last blog post..FPRI – A Tale Of Two Crises
Hi Jean!
I paint, write, garden, read and take walks in nature.
I have Julia Cameron’s book a Vein of Gold and I love her insights.
I love your artist play picture….at the top! Too cute!
I agree that we need more play in our lives. I love to go running with my Ipod. It’s so liberating. I also like to write if I’m in “The Zone.” If not, it feels like work. I’m trying to find ways to get in “The Zone” more frequently. Perhaps I’m not having the right kind of artist dates with myself.
B. Wildes last blog post..My Trip to the Philippines – And a Fun Time Was Had by All
well the reason bikehikebabe, Jean and others that I’ve not replied is because Cheerful Monk is only in my inbox this morning……sorry, I was in dreamland 🙂
however, the day is Monday and the time is just after 8am and my breakfast is cooling on the bench, my hot chocolate is beside me also cooling (NZ is a day ahead of most places in the world!)
I go bus hopping (lately weekly) but after this week it will be in tune with Uni. My 3rd year begins March 3 @ 10am. What I do in bus hopping is I set off in the morning from home….and with a ‘pass’ – I sometimes make a decision on the 1st bus out of the terminus but usually whatever is there is the choice.
Sometimes I follow a routine but often when I get off a bus I will check to see (either electronic arrival board or timetable attached to pole) when the next bus is going. Doesn’t matter which one as I can easily get off somewhere and get another.
So:
New Lynn —> Pt Chev(alier) for coffee —> Ponsonby Rd, mooch about walk down to K’Rd —> Downtown or somewhere else…..from either of places I can go along the Waterfront to one of the suburbs or go more South to say Royal Oak/Onehunga. I usually at some point take in Sylva Park/Otahuhu.
If I decide on a Discovery Day pass I can actually go further so I can go to the North Shore as far as Orewa (a seaside place though more population living up there) or I can go out to the East to say Botany Downs….I’m hoping to bus hop out there this week as I’ve not been there for Yonks.
I see sights, I talk to fellow passengers, I people watch or just mooch about doing nothing in particular. I rarely buy anything to ‘carry’ other than eatables in different places….
If I want something faster I will do something crafty at home….my previous life and my volunteer life now are interlinked – handweaver, hand dyer and hand spinner. I don’t do much weaving but I a hellva lot of creative spinning and must get caught up on the dyeing!
http://picasaweb.google.com/cedar51
there are all sorts of albums here….showing you things I have created over the years. Along with photos of my life from almost birth to more recent years. The one listed as HOME with only one picture – that’s taken a few years ago I’m on the left and my only sibling currently alive on the right!
Thanks Cathy in NZ for your blog & web-site. Ah-ha that picture isn’t you. It’s your namesake who died in 1917. I was thinking you were a child working in a bakery.
It’s unusual for a lady of your age to know so much about computers–to use one at all.
I love traveling on the bus with you. Funny names of places.
no it’s not me….I can’t get my other fav gravatar to work all that welll on this site – the EXTRAORDINARY CHICKEN.
hey I’m not that old you know! less than 60yrs and I’ve been on the Net since Dec 31st 1998. When I joined I knew very little an a babe of 25yrs got me all set and going….ok that was back in earlier days when things were managed with many more moves! Was it a 286 anyway I can’t remember…..
Now I’ve got XP, a fancy scanner, printer that I don’t have to fiddle with…..
One time, I had to learn how to use a later Publisher programme and then how to make a PDF file as I am editor/publisher all rolled into one for my local Embroiderers Guild. 16pages in landscape format, pdf.file emailed to the copy centre and then I’m done. Many of the contributors to that newsletter do not understand how to make tables/proper emails and the like….sometimes things go ‘strange’ in their newsletter! But they sooooon learn!
Doing my Uni degree also meant much more computer savvy and the computers at Uni vary 🙂
OK there is still many other things to learn about computers and how they function and I guess I will, when I need to.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_City
that’s the region but I live in one of the four cities that make up Auckland out in New Lynn, Waitakere City.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Lynn,_New_Zealand
http://www.nzdcr.co.nz/graphics/map.jpg
I’m not sure how this will load but this a very localised map of the area……I’m in Delta Ave between Reid Rd & Veronica Street on the left hand side 🙂
Evan,
Julia distinguishes between journal writing and artists’ dates. She advocates “morning pages”… three longhand pages of free-association writing the first thing in the morning to clear out whatever is bothering us and make room for new clarity and insights. An artist’s date involves being a little kid again, just exploring and doing things for the sheer joy of it. It’s discarding all the “shoulds” we’ve learned and letting go of inhibitions. Can you write when you’re on an artist’s date? I suppose it depends on your attitude while writing. If your attitude is serious it may feed your soul and be worthwhile, but it’s not playing.
What sorts of things do you write about in your journal?
Evelyn,
That’s my favorite…I can spend hours fiddling and having a great time. I agree, it’s fun to experiment and see what happens.
Anne,
That’s a good point. If we’re writing or painting for an audience then it doesn’t count as an artist’s date. Again, it might be worthwhile but you’re not really doing it all alone.
Do I believe we can ever be really alone? Yes I do. When I get completely absorbed in a project I lose all sense of time and self as well as any thought of other people.
bikehikebabe,
Did you buy the bike?
rummuser,
Writing posts and commenting on other people’s is a soul-satisfying activity, but it doesn’t quite count as an artist’s date. Artist’s dates are supposed to be something you do all by yourself. My answer here is slightly different from what I said to Mike because of his photography and exploring. Writing is a bit tricky because we’re often writing for an audience rather than just exploring.
I’m not sure what Julia would say, but I think exploring the internet also counts if it’s done in the right spirit…i.e., the spirit of play.
Diane,
I think Julia’s main contribution is giving people permission to play. Our culture often implies that we’re wasting time if we’re not working towards some goal.
B. Wilde,
That reminds me of my favorite mantra, from Joel Saltzman’s If You Can Talk, You Can Write: “I’m going to have some fun here. I’m going to play around and discover some real neat stuff.” It seems to me when we take that attitude we can’t lose. 🙂
Cathy,
That’s the spirit! Thanks for sharing your pictures.
Cathy,
Your last comment came as I was writing mine. Thanks so much for the map. I love them…and pictures. 🙂
Yes I bought the expensive bike, but I asked for permission first.
Cathy in NZ. I didn’t say you were an OLD lady. (I’m the old lady.) But computer wizards are usually under 40, so I’m told-by my computer.
ok bikehikebabe – point taken…….but in hindsight I do understand what you mean about the younger ones thinking I’m toooooooo old to learn new tricks i.e. the computer!
I used to have these babes’ come to fix my computer and I watched and learnt sooooooooo many things they just ‘did’ like I found out about 6mths after I got the computer what those things at the top right corner of the screen did – minimise, restore, close! (I was scare to touch anything in case, I blew it up!!)
In the early days I even did ‘chat’ thing with IRC or whatever it was called. I used ICQ as well but I have moved on from then…..I learn all the shorthand stuff to a point where my email recipients got annoyed as I would use LOL and YMMV and BTW or BRB :-))))
There are probably oodles of other things I learnt then…..which I don’t use now. I could touch type because I learnt that in the late 60s with a manual typewriter where you moved the lines by a lever!!
This actually caused me a lot of grief once when in the early days I took a business course and the TUTORS thought because I could touch type – I KNEW HOW THE COMPUTER WORKED! I didn’t………and when I had produce a report they finally UNDERSTOOD i didn’t know how to alter the font, make spaces and sooooooo on!!!!
Later, my nephew gave me a very chunky digital camera with absolutely no instructions and it used a floppy disk. I just did point/shoot and if it didn’t look right I fiddled with the object/light……..now I’ve got a better lighter digital camera and it’s plugs into the front of guts!!
Or course, things still go pear shaped and I have to get someone in……or I have to work out how to fix things. Last week my printer refused to print – said I didn’t have one! So I finally decided to uninstall the cabdoodle and reinstall and NOW it says I have one!!!!
sorry tooooooooo much info! 🙂
Hi Jean,
I usually write in my journal to think about something or sort something out.
To have fun I enjoy warm baths, walks, and reading.
Dogs and art have a sort of homely way about them. When I see a piece of art work with a dog in it. It warms me, seeing our constant companions beside us in a form of art.
Jean…I think my blog usually counts as an artist’s date for me! It really is a playful romp. It is after the entry is posted that others come around to visit and share.
It’s just me and my sandbox ’til then.
Conrads last blog post..The Problem With Time
Conrad,
Yes, your posts definitely count. I hope you’re not so busy right now that you can’t take short dates from time to time. 🙂
I’m a programmer by profession, so I don’t have to take a very long trip to get to the blog…or, to yours! 🙂
Now, Ramana’s blog is another story. A trip across the ocean takes a considerable amount of time.
Conrads last blog post..The Problem With Time
Hi Jean,
Since we’re neighbours (thanks Conrad!), thought I’d better stop by for some coffee & conversation.
I agree with Conrad that blogging constitutes an artistic date.
At workshop I created for gr. 4, 5 & 6 students, I asked them to tell me where they would find creativity useful. The answer: “Pretty much everywhere.” They get it.
Love how you played with your pictures. Which programme do you use, Jean?
Marianna Paulsons last blog post..Classified Ads: Brain and Heart Wanted!
Conrad,
I no longer write programs, but I do use the internet everyday. As you say, it’s a very short trip. 🙂
Marianna,
One of my mottoes is, “Find what you love to do and find a way to share it with others.” Blogging lets me do just that.
About programs; I mostly use Photoshop Elements on my Mac now. I also have the full-fledged Photoshop on a PC that I can use if here are some features Elements doesn’t have. Mostly I don’t need to do that.
Thanks for coming by and chatting. 🙂
wedding favors,
I agree, seeing dogs warms my heart too. 🙂