Just a quickie post for all of you encaustic fans out there. Last night we met at the home and studio of Linda Womack. When I have time I'll set up a group of links just to our members' sites but for now suffice it to say we had 13 present and 2 new members. One of our new members drove down from Longview, Washington so don't think you have to live in the Portland metro area to join us.
We admired the work of new member Barb Mallon and discussed the upcoming show in June at the Newberg Gallery in which most of the members plan to show their work. We discussed the upcoming Conference (Boston) and retreat (Carmel) and had a demo of several tjanting tools by member Kimberly Kent. Then I did a demo on photographing your art and manipulating the images in your photo program and of course we shared food and libations.
Now I have to go to the lumberyard and buy Gorilla Glue, wood strips and more substrate for encaustic. I love the way these meetings inspire me to do MORE.I read an article last night by Eric Weiner on the happiest places in the world that I thought I'd share with you. He cites Reykjavik, Iceland as a wonderful place to live; much like Renaissance Florence. The city has a small population (95,000) and is filled with exceptionally creative people. He says, "Every other building, it seems, is an art gallery or a music store or a cafe filled with writers. ... History's great thinkers have long pointed to a connection between creativity and happiness. ... I ask (a fellow) about the creative buzz in the Reykjavik air. Where does it come from? - And how can I get some?"
The fellow goes on to explain that there is no envy in Reykjavik because artists SHARE with one another. Any new idea is freely shared and incorporated into the work of any of the others. The root of the word compete are the Latin competure, which means to "seek with".
The article can be found in "The Week" magazine of January 25th if you are interested in reading it all but it reflects my ideal that instead of hiding our innovations we should make everything available to all so that we can all thrive. Instead of each of us moving slowly, one by one inventing the wheel, we could learn and grow at warp speed. We could cooperate, give it away, make it easy for each other to succeed. That's what I'd like to see a lot more of in our culture. Instead of all for one, the individual genius, how about all for all?
14 comments:
that looks like so much fun, i wish i could come. i guess Chicago is a little far, LOL. I hope my copy of the week is in the mail today! Wouldn't it be great to live in a community like the one in the article?
Thanks for sharing the information about the article in The Week. I'll have to track it down. I know I create better when I'm happy, and I'm happiest when I create. I'm fortunate in that my art friends all share their techniques, secrets and supplies with each other as best as we can. How sad to be competitive!
Looks like you had fun at your meeting! No wonder you are all charged up and ready to go to the lumberyard!
I agree with the idea that we should share our ideas/techniques/processes so that we can all grow at warp speed. One amazing benefit is how each person changes or adds to a technique to make it new and different.
Thanks for sharing that article Judy! It's the same way I feel about so many things-not just creativity..
The book he wrote sounds interesting, too!!
I won't pack my bags for Iceland *yet* (though my husband was jut talking about how wonderful Iceland was yesterday-weird, eh?) I haven't given up hope for us here yet ;)
Here, here Judy I so agree, the world would be a much nicer place if we all shared our ideas instead of me, me, me. I love our altered book nights, everyone turns up with things and techniques to share, we all go home on a high.
Ro
xo
oh judy, you ALWAYS know how to put my head back on straight about something you don't even know i'm struggling with. how do you do that?
xo
Iceland has been on my list for some time. Keep in mind, it's cold there....oh girl of summer. Though, the gulf stream flows right by.
Your encaustic group looks like a great group of people. I look forward to seeing your links when you set them up.
PS-
Can't remember if I ever mentioned an encaustic artist named Lynda Cole. She has a beautiful simplistic quality to her work and uses some very interesting techniques with ink and plexiglass.
www.lcole.com
(no relation)
Here! Here! So very true, the benefits of sharing. Even at a celluar level, communication is vital to survival.
Oh, how I wouldd've loved to have been there last night!
Retreat in Carmel? I assume this info is on the IEA website?
Yes, sharing as an on-going part of creative process. Puts an entirely UPLIFTED slant/spirit on the idea of 'mentoring'. I'm in.
Well said, Judy! What a world that would be if we could all be so open and freely giving of our time, our knowledge, and ourselves. Congrats on AU, too! Hugs, Shari
Hi Judy,
I love your pictures of the IEA meeting and that you are sharing the information on your blog!
I got some very helpful tips from your photo demo and am always inspired by your energy and enthusiasm!
Serena Barton
Artists sharing. I love it. Imagine how far we would all be in life if we applied this concept to every aspect of our lives. Thanks for reminding me to do my part, and know that you are doing more than your part-your generous spirit has inspired me more than you can ever know.
I ran across your post while searching for the word "competure," which I first encountered in the very Week article you mention. Unfortunately, I think the Week (and the article's original publisher, Grand Central Publishing) got it wrong. All the dictionaries I've encountered cite "competEre" as the original Latin word.
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