There are many days I don’t make it into the studio to paint. Perhaps you can relate?
But instead of beating myself up about my “lack of creative productivity,” I’ve been seeking more and more ways to integrate simple acts of creative living into my everyday life, and I gotta say, it’s a game-changer.
These subtle shifts in perspective have the power to bring the magic of creativity into even the most mundane moments, while opening up a world of inspiration along the way. They also make walking out the front door much more exciting!
I call this approach to life, The Art of Aliveness, because connecting more deeply to our selves is certainly an art form in and of itself.
I’ve included these prompts throughout The Creative Revolution E-Course, and I’m happy to share one with you here today.
This Art of Aliveness prompt is called, Visual Feast, and it’s all about seeing your world with fresh eyes. Sit back and listen, or better yet, enjoy it on your morning walk!
We are surrounded by a Visual Feast every day, all day long. Even in the most seemingly mundane places and moments, color, line, texture, shadow, light, and shapes abound. And here’s the good news — all of this information can be turned into inspiration with the blink of your eye.
As you go about your days this week, look at your life as if it were an open notebook filled with mixed media creations — layers of color, cracks of light and dark, words scrawled, shapes juxtaposed, and lines darting in and out. This is the feast I’m talking about.
Try it even now — lift your eyes from the screen to the top of your ceiling. Take in the panorama around you. Notice anything new?
Here are a few ways to tune into your Visual Feast:
- Color hunting. The world is full of color, but it’s easy to see it all as one big blur. This week, tune into color by seeking out these combinations in the world around you — look for complimentary colors — red + green, yellow + purple, blue + orange. Notice where you see vibrant colors next to earth tones. Can you find multiple shades of the same color? What are your favorite colors together? Snap a picture when you see them!
- Shadow and light. Notice where shadow and light mingle and dance like a mosaic. What kinds of shapes are cast by the shadows you see around you? Try tracing them on paper or outlining them with chalk. Tune into the sharp lines where shadows stop and light begins.
- Texture, shape, and pattern, oh my! The world around you really is like a painting if you choose to see it that way. Start to notice the textures, shapes, and patterns in the world around you. Take a close up look at the details, and remember to zoom out for the big picture. Look up, look down, look all around!
- Wide angle vision. Usually, our eyes focus from one thing to the next, without letting in the vast periphery of visual information that’s right in front of us, or to the side to be exact. To see in a way which includes your peripheral vision, un-focus your eyes by softening your gaze. Notice what else you can see now. Try taking a walk while holding this kind of soft gaze, and see the world in a whole new way!
- Inner vision. While the world around you is buzzing with things to check out, there’s also a visual feast waiting for you when you close our eyes. Try placing an eye pillow or piece of fabric across your eyes to bring your inner vision into better focus. What shapes, lights, patterns, and images appear in your mind’s eye. Can you translate these onto paper or into paint?
We are surrounded by a visual feast. We just need to open our eyes and take it all in.
“If you choose to see through the lens of an artist who is always hungry for inspiration and ideas, you get to witness life in a completely new and turned-on way. The ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the simplest moments are brought into focus with a lightning bolt of inspiration. Even in the most mundane circumstances, there are worlds to discover if you take the time to notice.”
—from Creative Revolution (the book)
Join Us for The Creative Revolution E-Course
If you’re craving more creativity, aliveness, and connection to the world that surrounds you, The Creative Revolution E-Course was made for you.
In addition to the Art of Aliveness Series, you’ll also discover 21 mixed-media Creative Exercises, weekly Movement Sequences, and Morning and Evening Sanctuaries.
Join me, seven guest students, and a global community as we move through this seven-week transformational journey back to our creative selves. Read what past students have to say about their experience here, and see their creations here.
With love and support always,
xo Flora
