It’s interesting just how much creativity surges and wanes, sometimes in relation to what you may be experiencing at the moment. Looking back over the last year, I have experienced lots of surges in my art making, as well as seeing the waning of it. For most of the year I was involved in a lot of challenges, some of them self made and others following prompts or doing mixed media lessons. Often this was a daily practice, which I find reinforces itself and artmaking becomes a habit!

In 2022, my art and my creativity really surged, at least for the first 9 months. Art Journaling, taking photos, making marks on paper, stitch meditations, mail art, 100 days of creativity, fabric books, postcards, creating videos, drawing, cooking, 61 days of ICAD *Index card A Day, quilt making, gardening, working on my website, doodling and collage were all part of it. Then, we experienced one of the strongest hurricanes to hit Florida at the end of September. We were very fortunate and only had one large oak lose a huge tree limb, but the whole experience was rather stressful and took it’s toll on me. Before & during the hurricane I needed to shove my shoulders down repeatedly, to relieve stress.

After the hurricane was over, I focused on taking care of myself and slowing down. I finished up some art projects and I took a lot of photos. I did some gardening & cooking but my mixed media art fell by the wayside a bit. I figured I just needed time to recoup and did not worry about it. Doing less hands-on art was a bit strange though! I’m glad I kept up with my photography because it kept me thinking creatively. Click any photo for a larger view . . .

I worked sporadically on my new quilt instead of every day, I finished up the last pages of my doodle petite book (an online class by Alissa Burke), I took MORE photos, made some videos, did some cooking and a little art journaling. In January, 2023, I am beginning to slip back into mixed media art, while still keeping up with my photography. I joined blipfoto again, an online photo journal I originally joined in 2010. I started adding to it once again on December 29, 2022. I’ve only missed 5 days so far; Blipfoto only allows you to post 1 photo a day. In total, I’ve made a whopping 2,405 journal entries & have had 563,409 views since December 4, 2010! My blipfoto journal is here.

Recently, I was inspired by my friend Christie on instagram to join 52 stitches 2023, an online offering from Anne Brooke, a textile tutor from the UK. I made a small handmade book with a concertina binding (instructions from Anne) to hold the weekly stitches we are learning. I am excited about this challenge and love doing the stitching. I feel like I am getting back to doing more hands-on art, mainly because I simply decided to START. I know this will jump-start more art and keep rolling along… I am so glad. I guess what I have learned, what some of you may already know, is that it helps to keep your hand in something creative, whatever it is, and just keep doing it until you are ready to do more. Wish me luck!

Thanks for visiting! Creatively yours, lenna