Experiences of Touch as We Maintain Distance

We often think of creative practice as being show-cased in special spaces; this can bring a focus on competition, waiting to be discovered, picked or admitted.

It is also true that creators can pick themselves. Increasingly, technology opens more and more opportunities for sharing, creating community support and expanding inclusion in creative practice.

When we pick ourselves and find new spaces to share creative practice, we also expand access what is shared and invite greater belonging to creative community.

I'd love to hear new ways and spaces you are seeing creative practice shared.
Email me here.

Hi-Touch 

As I continue my "Mother Trees" series new themes and connections emerge. I am getting more practice drawing and depicting hands and the theme that stands out the strongest for me in the latest image above is touch. The literal touch of hands and the touch of experiences, the touch of nature, the connection across generations. Rachel Carson's words continue to reach to us and touch our concern for the environment and for nurturing love of natural spaces. 

Some of the things I miss are the connections of touch and presence created by art and nature. I miss visiting museums and lying on the floor to see an installation beside total strangers - that closeness and shared experience without even interacting - it brings to mind the way artist, Anne Hamilton speaks of art creating civic space, ways to be together in new ways. As a workshop leader, I am missing the quiet that settles on a room as people move into a contemplative space in their work. Hands continue to overlap and touch, reaching for materials or at a shared table but the interactions are quiet, based on shared presence together. 

In natural sanctuaries, I have always loved the quiet connections of pointing out wildlife along the trails and boardwalk. I am grateful that as we adjust to the new reality of mask wearing in public spaces, some of these connections are returning. Other walkers point out birds or turtles just now from a bit more distance.

I also find myself drawn to hi-touch materials, to the texture and grounding of work with clay or the layering of collage. This week I was a guest in a friend's on-line kindergarten camp. I created a collage and the kids worked at their kitchen tables creating their own artwork. It was a welcome surprise to feel that sense of touch and connection just through seeing the creations of others hands even through a screen.

This spring, I wrote about plans Jenna Fournel and I had for opening a community studio space here in Alexandria this fall. Even as those plans are on hold, we have been discussing ways to potentially offer some creative gatherings on-line. 

If you have thoughts on materials or topics you would like to see or formats you have experienced that worked well, I'd love to hear about it. You can email me by replying here or writing to kathrynconeway@gmail.com

Visit my instagram @kathrynconeway to see images and reflections from time in nature and in the garden. Thanks to Eleanor Whitaker for sharing her wildflower garden for the color wheel.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me through my on-line store.  I am going to take some time this summer to try out new formats for prayer flags and look into printing options for making cards. I will have new products to offer this fall. 

Thank you

for reading and being a part of creative community through this newsletter.