Winter Solstice Reflections

We often imagine the goal of art training is to achieve a level of skill that sets the professional artist apart based on their expertise and mastery. The rest of us settle for being amateurs.

I remember my surprise at learning the origins of the word, "amateur;" it means "lover of." It is my hope that we all maintain a love of our practice, no matter what level we achieve in skill and no matter whether this practice is part of how we earn a living.

Skill and perception are always growing and changing with experience. In fact, many artists seek out new practices, collaborations, settings or materials in order to invoke a beginner's mind and see something familiar in new ways. 

What creative practices might you try if you could give yourself permission to be a beginner? How could inviting others to join you help create a supportive space to try something new and connect in new ways?

May we be amateurs all our lives and beginners as often as possible...

The image above of a lantern is an example of my own experience trying something new. It is my first wood cut. I have done some block printing before and the process of carving away is similar to paper cutting but this was a new material for me. I offer it as a light on this Winter Solstice, as we approach the longest night of the year.

I also encourage you to think of this long night in new ways. One tradition we had at Art at the Center was Light the Night, a community event to use the early darkness as our canvas for writing and drawing with light. You can see some of our photos from those events here or ideas for doing your own light painting at home here.

I've been remembering the joy of those events this year and thinking about how community formed spontaneously around this unique and ephemeral practice. On the nights we hosted Light Painting at the studio, most who attended had never tried it before. Adults and children entered into the space as beginners. This created a unique space for connection around wonder, understanding, experimentation and discovery. 

Even as we explained long shutter speeds and the way the moving light was recorded by the camera, there was a simple magic and wonder to drawing in the air and seeing the movement recorded. Both the wonder and the explanation helped to engage participants. As people better understood the limits of a timed exposure and the viewing angle of the camera, they had new ideas for experimentation and discovery. Sharing those led to other ideas and the need for additional participants in carrying out a larger drawing. 

One of my favorite moments was the end of a night of light painting one year when my husband and children collaborated on a light drawing with the art therapy graduate students who worked as interns with me that year. Here were the people I lived with and the people I worked with coming together to collaborate on a spontaneous art piece. 

As we enter into the winter break for school and continue to feel the strains of the physical distance necessary in this time, I encourage you to try out a creative practice with the people in your home and to share with friends and family on-line as well. Don't feel intimidated if you are a beginner, commend yourself for your start. Trying something new together can build empathy and connection. I wrote about building empathy in art class several years ago, you can read that article here. Trying something new together holds space for shared vulnerability; we can focus on the task together and it is often only later that we realize the connections formed. 

I'd love to hear what you try and to see any pictures of light painting you might do tonight too. Thanks for sharing your light this year. 
 

Alexandria Makers Market continues through December 22

For me, being a maker offers a chance to be fully present through work with my hands, to connect with nature and to share my work as tools for moments of pause, mindfulness and connection.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this event through purchases on my ETSY site and those of other makers.
It's been a real treat to see some behind the scenes views of other Alexandria makers' process and practices through the Makers Market Instagram.
All purchases through December 22 qualify for entry into a raffle basket including donations from vendors. You can read more about the raffle here.

I have about 10 extra Mother Trees calendars available, if you would like to purchase one, please contact me. Happy to offer local pick-up through December 22 or to ship with arrival after Christmas.  You can see calendars and note cards available here on my ETSY site.

Another resource for light painting with your phone is the app, "Light Painting." My family made this image this weekend using my phone. The app allows you to set your phone to a longer exposure to record the movement of lights.

Thank you

for reading and being a part of creative community through this newsletter.
With a grateful heart,

Kathryn