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I keep hearing people talk about the winter
blahs. It’s almost over – another month or so!
In the meantime, winter can be a great time to
hunker down and finish creative projects.
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Cynthia behind the camera in Amsterdam |
If you’ve been
visiting the Original Impulse blog, you’ve
noticed that I’m making short videos featuring
people who inspire me. For years I’ve wanted my
own show, where I share stories of inspiring
people.
Now, the Flip camcorder has made it possible to
do that without a big show! I am having tons of
fun learning how to make films. My biggest
obstacle has been to just go ahead and post
things even if they are imperfect. So you may
notice less than optimal lighting, less than
loud audio files, and other wee imperfections.
Take these as signs of creativity and learning
in action – inspiring yes, perfect, no.
I hope you enjoy them. Please share your
reactions on the blog and if you’re viewing the
videos on YouTube, please rate the video when
you watch it!
The last person I interviewed (via phone from
Australia) inspired me to reflect on how artists
travel differently than others. In this week’s
article I reveal ways you can travel as an
artist to make more of your journeys. You can
always read these articles on the Original
Impulse blog, where you can share your
impressions in the comments section.
To your creative success,
Cynthia
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This week on the
Original Impulse blog I featured
Elizabeth Briel, an artist who also travels
a lot. I asked her how travel affects her art,
and after she answered, I thought about how
traveling as an artist is different than
traveling for work or tourism.
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Denise capturing inspiration at the
Picasso Museum, Paris |
Whatever your
purpose for travel, you can borrow from artists
to enhance your experience.
Artists will often take time while traveling to
reflect on their experiences, rather than
rushing from one thing to another. Take time
after a museum visit or a shopping or exploring
spree to reflect on your experience.
What did you notice or see that surprised you?
What do you want to remember? Sketch or take
notes of the inspiration you’ve gathered.
This is where your travel journal is your great
companion. Bring an easy-to-carry journal with
you and spend time with it. I’ve shared
ideas on how to make time for your journal
while traveling elsewhere.
Here are ten additional ways to tap into a place
and experience it as a traveling artist does.
1 Fashion as art Artists often pay
attention to what people are wearing and where
they are shopping. Tracking down the second-hand
shops is a way to step deeper into a culture’s
taste rather than just visiting shops geared
toward tourists. What inspiration can you take
from a place’s style?
2 Public spaces Artists often tune into
the communal spaces. I’m always drawn to
shared/public space like piazzas, cafes and
parks. I pay attention to how people greet each
other and how they spend time together in
conversation.
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My drawing from Florence |
Notice, too, the
advertisements you’ll often see plastered around
a city. What do you notice about a culture from
its ads?
These public places make great opportunities to
capture impressions in your notebook. I sat for
nearly two hours in this piazza in Florence and
captured the occasion with this drawing.
3 Culinary expression Many artists pay
close attention to food when traveling. What
people eat, how and when – street food, comfort
food, culturally iconic food (appelaart) can say
a lot about a place and its citizen’s
traditions. What inspires you about food when
you travel?
4 Street art
This may be seem obvious but there are places
other than museums to tap into the local art
scene.
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Chalk artist in Siena, Italy |
Take time to enjoy
street art. Sidewalk chalk artists, human
sculptures and artists setting up their easels
all offer ways to tap into how a place relates
to art. Take a minute to talk to the artist. Go
beyond basic questions like “How long did it
take you to make that?” (Actually that’s one of
the most annoying questions you can ask an
artist, but I won’t go into that here!)
Don’t overlook small galleries or boutique
shops. While technically not street art, there’s
often easier access to inspiration here than in
big museums like the Louvre.
5 Artist studios Accessing an artist’s
studio is a great way to get closer to the art
making process so you can understand not only
that artist but that artist in that place. I’ve
been in Cindy’s botanical illustration studio
(with microscopes!) in southern France, Marcus
McAllister’s delightful studio in Paris and
Jacop’s shoe making gallery/studio/shop in
Amsterdam.
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Jacop's gallery in Amsterdam
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To get into the
artist’s studio, look in local papers or online
for Open Studios. Tap into your network before
you travel to find artists to connect with on
the road.
6 Bookshops and art supply stores Step
away from tourist shops and markets to see how
local artists shop. I’m always curious about
what people are reading and independent
bookshops provide a peek into the literature of
a place. Look for specialty shops like Boekie
Woekie, shop in Amsterdam devoted to handmade
books.
7 The musical soundscape Music can play
an essential role of a culture. Music reflects
our interests, our values and our particular
style of expression.
Listen to what’s played in the streets, in
clubs, in shops or in cafes. How does the
musical landscape of a place reflect on the
values and interests of a people?
8 The locals People are the heart of any
place. What are the locals thinking, focusing
on, and doing? Artists are curious and often
will engage in conversation where other
travelers won’t. Dig below the surface and
strike up conversation with people you
encounter.
Go further and seek to make appointments with
people in new places so you’ve got potential new
friends waiting for you.
9 Transportation How people move is a
great way to understand a culture’s rhythm.
Riding bikes, taking rickshaws, cabs or the
metro and walking get you into the groove with
the locals. How you get around has an impact on
how you experience a place and what you learn.
10 Parks and other green spaces Nature
offers a respite from the often-busy pace of
travel. Take a break in a park or public square
and observe how people recreate. Notice how they
tend their natural spaces and draw conclusions
about how that reflects that society’s values.
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Parisians pack the public squares |
I’ve noticed that
French parks and gardens are highly manicured
and composed. This makes sense to me, since I
think of the French as a very ordered and ‘comme
il faut’ society. Of course they would take this
sense of order and propriety into their
landscape.
Traveling like an artist often has less to do
with what you do and more how you do it. Artists
are:
• curious
• attentive to detail
• observant and reflective of subtleties
• likely to make correlations between
disparate ideas or experiences
• able to record inspiration for later use
at home.
Try these
suggestions on your next trip and see how
traveling as an artist enhances your experience.
I use these and other tools to make my
excursions richly creative experiences. Next
excursion:
Curious Amsterdam: Tap Your Creative Juju,
June 13 – 19th, 2010. Mark your calendar for
Curious Istanbul: Tap Your Creative Juju,
October 24 - 30th.
Feel free to use this article on your website, blog
or in your newsletter, and when you do, be sure to
include this complete credit line: Copyright
2009 Cynthia Morris. Cynthia coaches creative people
to confidence and completion and inspires life as a
creative adventure. Visit
http://www.originalimpulse.com
to get an infusion of inspiration for your art,
writing and life. |
On the
Original Impulse Blog recently:
- Interview
with travel artist Elizabeth Briel
- Accidental
Color Match
- Carolyn
Jennings: The Art of Marketing Poetry
Cynthia
Morris, CPCC
Your Creativity Partner
Cynthia Morris is a
creative pioneer, leading the way for other
creative geniuses. Cynthia is a master at
helping people bring their ideas down to earth
in real ways: books, workshops, new businesses.
She has demonstrated how to harness abundant
creativity into tangible things with her book,
e-products, workshops and tours. Certified as a
Co-Active Coach and Leader, Cynthia facilitates
group and individual successes in the United
States and Europe. Call Cynthia to unleash your
genius and make your dreams a reality.
More
about Cynthia...
Contact Cynthia
303.442.0664
Cynthia@originalimpulse.com
www.originalimpulse.com
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