When I'm not writing...

As mentioned in a previous post, I love stretching creatively. I do this with more or less success, but I usually find that these stretches help me become a better writer. I've also discovered just how much I love creating, whether it's visual arts, writing, cooking, or something else entirely.

Throughout September, Saturdays will be my day to (gulp) share some of my other creative endeavors with you. It might be mixed media arts, a poem, fiction or something else entirely. I thought I would start with this.

I made this in response to a collaborative art challenge, where I had to make collage then give it away. I decided to make one about something that distresses me so I could send it away, out into the world and then not see it again.

It helped.

And if you don't know the words, look them up, they're some of my favorites.

Collage is a particularly functional art form for me, since it gives me permission to build narrative into a visual form without having to worry about my non-existent drawing skills. I've become adept enough at it that I'm going to have a few pieces in galleries in the coming months. I'll let you know when that happens. No doubt you'll hear some about the creative panic it produces. This collage is an early piece, but one of the first I loved enough to be willing to share.

I'd love to see some of your art. Feel free to post links to pieces of art you made in response to challenges in your life, art that helped you work through and release problems.

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In response to the contest on 9/3, Old Gaming Mamma, John, Colleen and Tim all win prizes. If I've not contacted you for your address please email me.

I'd love to see more responses to the question of what feeds you creatively, how you stretch. We all need all the help we can get.

And come back tomorrow for a mishmash of links that I love, a goulash of the web. How's that for a terrible metaphor?

(c) 2009 Laura S. Packer