Last week I talked about getting creative and inspiring your creativity.  I wanted to follow up this week with some ideas for where you can go do just that.

 

Getting creative doesn't mean that you have to write a masterpiece novel or paint the next Mona Lisa.  If you have never really done anything artistic you need to think about how your kids learn to do it.  They scribble, finger paint and cut things out.  Be realistic to your skill set and let's start where you are not where you want to be.

 

Here are some of my favorite things to do with my kids that are fun and creative:

 

Family programs at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts:  Sayer loves this!  One of the ones that we went to was all about Chinese art.  They had drummers and a Chinese dragon and craft stations for things like origami, kite making and mask making.  It was so much fun!

 

The Mad Potter: both of the kids love doing this.  Finn loves it for significantly less time than Sayer does but that is a function of age.  Sayer will sit and paint multiple statues and has a blast.  I always pull up a chair and paint alongside him.

 

Texas Art Supply: I love taking the kids to Texas Art and letting them pick out their favorite 2 or 3 items and then we go home and have fun.

 

Here are some other places that I have heard about (for kids) that are on my list to try out:

 

Art Mix Learning Center

Young at Art
The Contemporary Art Museum- it's always free!

Okay, now where do you to get some personal creative time without your kids?  Here is a short list of some places that you should go try out.

 

Sew Crafty Houston- go check out their website!  They have classes for adults (and kids too actually) in sewing, paper crafts, knitting and more!  Next thing you know you'll be needing an account on ETSY to sell all your fab wares.

Mary Charles Yarn Co.- a yarn shop on sunset that has classes in crocheting and knitting.

 

Make a cake!

Drawing classes at The Art League

 

Photography at HCP, Houston Center for Photography

 

The Cy Twombly Gallery and the Menil

Beginning Photography class at my studio!  Set for September 13th, call us for details (713) 255-2880.

These are just a few things here in houston.  There are so many cool places to go and get inspired.  I like just browsing the art at the Menil Collection, MFAH, HCP or CAM (links above for all).  The CAM is free too!  Why not drop the kids off and head over for a quick, quiet walk through?  Got a long lunch hour?

 

Do you have any other great ideas??  I'd love to hear them, please leave your comments.

 

 

 

If I had to isolate one thing that I love the most about myself or the one thing that I think is the best part of me, it would be my art.  Making things has been a part of my life since I was little.  I was lucky enough to attend a visual arts high school here in Houston that really helped me develop that side of myself.  From high school on, making things has become an exercise that I cannot live without.  I've tried mind you.  There have been periods in my life without art.  It never lasted long and I'd find myself crafting or gardening or doing something creative.  My hands cannot be idle for too long.  I get a little crazy, depressed and confused.  Now I know these signs but for years I'd just get all bent out of shape and unhappy and not really know why.

 

My husband is an attorney and from the outside his work may not look real creative but in reality he is.  He is a wonderful writer.  He crafts contracts like a novelist crafts his novels.  He geeks out on words and the nuances of the sentences.  Other lawyers read his writing and compliment him on how perfect it is.  He also writes nice stories and the best love letters ever.

 

With my photography I am given the chance to be creative almost every day.  It's not easy though.  Recently I am finding out that my creativity (and I think everyones) is not a never ending stream.  It has to be tended to and nurtured.

 

If I just shoot, shoot and keep shooting and do nothing to fill the creative gas tank it eventually starts to run dry.  I find myself stuck, frustrated, bored and anxious about the work that I am doing.  I start making mistakes and I lose my focus.  This is true of everyone whether you are making photographs, being a stay-at-home parent, writing novels, being a lawyer or whatever you may do every day.

 

We all need to find a way to fill up the creative gas tank.  For me, it means stepping out of what I do every day and doing something a little different.  It means taking pictures that I may not normally take.  France did that for me.  You do not need to travel to Europe to get new creative energy though.  There are a lot of ways to get inspired.  My good friend, Brene, wrote a great post about the importance of restoring your creative energy and how vital it is to the hard job of parenting.  My partner-in-crime Danny Clark has started a new project (look here and here) that is helping him nurture his creative spirit. 

 

So, the question that I have for you is what are you doing to take care of your delicate creative energy?  Do you feel like it is waning?  I'm sure some people feel like they may have lost it entirely.  I assure you though, it never goes away completely.  It is just buried and it really wants to come out.

What does this have to do with The Monday Lesson?  If you are going to take photographs that you love, you have to get creative.  How are you going to do that?  This is the question that I am posing to you today.  Here are some ideas:

 

- Journal- keep a little "idea book".  Maybe it is ideas for stories that you are writing?  Maybe it is doodles, ramblings, musings, collages?  When your kids sit down to draw maybe you could too?  No one has to see these things.  They can be your secret.  Sometimes we need privacy as we start getting creative again after a time out.

 

- If you are teaching yourself photography, try taking pictures of things that you wouldn't normally photograph.

 

- Move- No not houses or anything, move your body.  Try a Nia class at Nia Moves or a dance class or martial arts.

 

- Craft

 

- Don't just watch your kids play with the moon sand or the playdough, get in on the action too.

Now that I am back at work I have been asking myself the same question.  What can I do to keep my work vibrant, personal and unique?  What do I need to do to keep myself excited and keep the energy going?  Read on and I think you guys can help.

 

Saturday I had a great session with the Rahimis.  While I was taking the pictures I felt myself getting excited and I was loving the images.  It's a wonderful feeling.  I wanted to share some of them with you.

 

 

 

Newborn photography is a favorite of mine.  No matter how many newborn sessions I do, I am always struck by how amazing babies are.  If the session goes well, the baby is relaxed and I am able to really watch them and be with them and make some great images in the process.  That is how it was on Saturday and it filled up my creative gas tank.

 

 

 

I love it when babies smile in their sleep. My grandmother used to say it was the angels talking to them.  I love that idea and whenever a baby smiles in their sleep while I am shooting I imagine an angel whispering in their ear right there next to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, my answer to keeping my creative energy flowing is to follow the work that I love and try and push myself in new directions.  I am going to try some new techniques too.  I am hoping that you guys can help.

 

Hear ye, hear ye!  This is an official model call!  I am looking for the following:

 

Newborn twins: 2-4 weeks depending on birth weight and age.  Know anyone having twins? 

Pass this along.

Newborn single babies: 2 weeks old

 

What's the catch?  What do you get?  You get a free session and a free 8x10.  What are the rules?  I will likely only photograph the baby and I get to have creative control over the session.  You will have to sign a model release.  I am using these images for my portfolio and a book that I am working on.  I will likely have an idea of what I want to do and will focus on one pose.  It won't be anything weird and you will likely love it as well!  Questions, give me a call at the studio.  (713) 255-2882.

 

OK, now go and get busy being creative.  I will too.  I'd love to hear how you get creative.  Share your ideas with us and comment!

I started a Flickr group for The Monday Lesson.  Please post all of your images and then we can all discuss and critique!

The Monday Lesson Flickr Group 

Objective: to try and capture a sense of place in a series of photographs.

 

In a way, this is more of a challenge than a lesson.  As you may know by now, I am in the south of France on vacation.  In an earlier post, I promised that I would post pictures of the house that we are staying in.  While I am sure i could have photographed each bedroom or taken a sweeping shot of the outside of the house, I tried something else.  I chose my favorite things- all within the main yard of the house and focused on those.  I wanted to convey to you a sense of place.  What I mean by that is really MY sense of THIS place.  I trained my lens on what it is about this amazing place that makes me feel connected to it.  This is my challenge to you.  Take a place (a small place like your own home) and find the little moments, the vignettes, the details and the mood.  Show it to us!

 

Yes, I know, I am in the south of France...this yard is way cooler than my TX back yard too.  This experiment isn't about how nice the back yard is though.  The idea is to tell the story of a space- no matter what the space is.  I would really love to see what you come up with so post links in the comments section! 

 

 

 

I love old fixtures like this.  This one is in the living room. 

 

 

 

 

The little chicken is sitting in the window of our bedroom (no glass or screen by the way).  The house is something like 500 years old so these slits were used back in the days when you would crouch behind them with the nose of the gun pointing out guarding yourself against an attack.  They are wide on the inside and small on the outside.

 

 

 

 

The rock walls around the yard are covered in little lichens and plants. 

 

 

 

 

This bush is a magnet for butterflies.  The boys stand at the base of it and just watch them flutter around. 

 

 

My favorite shot...When I think of Southern France, I think of 3 things first- lavender, stone and wooden shutters. 

 

 

Now it's your turn! 

 

 

OK, my loyal students, tell me what you want to learn next!  These lessons are for you guys so please share your questions with me.  Post them in the comments section and I'll see what I can do to answer them!

 

Thanks!