Creative Life Sampler

Just wanted to add to my collection of art and design photographed "in the wild." Sometimes you just want to collect ideas from new spaces that can be squirreled away for inspiration later, you know? Here are two utility boxes that I ran across on the streets of Pasedena. This is a very popular form of street art now and the personality of a city, or a section of a city, is frequently reflected in the way their utility boxes have been adorned. Seems Pasedena tends toward graphic design, . . . at least on this street.  (Check out the Label "Blank Canvas" in the side bar to the left for see more examples of creativity I've documented from trips and excursions through the years.) The facades of buildings offer intriguing textures and design elements: Even the grating around the base of trees can be interesting: K eep your eyes open! You never know what inspiration you might find on your stroll down an unfamiliar street.  😉

Hadn't been on a beach walk since the rains went through here last month. They must have been pretty powerful in Ventura. Some of the shore line has been reconfigured and there were lots of raw materials left behind. So, naturally, the sand was scattered with structures all along our recent beach walk. Imagine the anticipation of the sun's warmth and the surf's sounds when the storm finally passes. You head out to the beach for the day with no responsibilities, no aims or goals for productivity, just the opportunity to relax and enjoy clear blue skies over Southern California.  But the wealth of scattered logs, branches, and debris can't be resisted. They're not a nuisance. On the contrary, they get the creative juices flowing. What can be made with all this "stuff"? A fence, or a bench on which to watch the horizon, . . .  . . . or still grander structures. So many possibilities. I'm fascinated by this impulse. Whenever I see some creative effort, esp...

Back in December, I posted about the remembrance/ kindness rock garden that someone started in a planter on the walk along the Ventura Beach Bike Trail.  Just thought I'd report back. It has grown quite a bit!  It seems to me that there is also a lot more variety in the rock painting now. More voices are apparent. Some are simply decorated, and others have clearly taken a good deal of time in the creating.  Even the presentation is an artistic expression. As I was taking in the messages, colors, and artistry, a woman with supplies in hand wandered up, ready to do some work. She shared that about eight people are contributing to the rock garden. They aim to touch lives and spread some cheer to beach visitors. People are encouraged to take a rock from the kindness section, as a memento of their trip to the beach. Since tourists from all over come to California beaches, Ventura kindness rocks are finding homes across the country and around the world.  (To read more abou...

Mosaic mural outside the Phoenix Convention Center- great inspiration for a modern quilt! It's time to add to my collection of gems in what I call my Blank Canvas Series.  I love to see creativity where you might not expect it and I'm so inspired by the human impulse to create, and beautify the world, - to "make one's mark."  This creativity can be found at the beach, on a mountain, in the desert, and especially on the streets in any city. Where people see an empty space, they see a blank canvas and an opportunity to express themselves. The results can be really inspiring.   The streets of Phoenix are vibrant with art work that reflect the creative voices of its residents. The visitor is sure to find something that speaks to them, whether it's a mural painted in a realistic style, something that presents a modern perspective, an illustrative childlike approach, or bold graphics messages. There's so much to take in! On main streets and in alley ways, there ...

 Rock Garden on the Beach Made a trip to Ventura for a beach walk recently. Along a certain stretch of our usual route, there seemed to be a different creative energy. The familiar rock structures were present, but they had multiplied in groups and they were joined by a scattering of large painted rocks at the base of several trees.  Moving on, we found the newest addition to my blank canvas series. A "Memorial and Kindness Rock Garden" had been carefully arranged in a raised planter along the sidewalk. This elevates the garden, so you can't walk by the area without noticing these colorful little gems.  On the kindness garden side, beach goers are invited to take a rock that speaks to them or to brighten someone's day by sharing one and spreading kindness.   At the other end, memorial rocks have been lovingly displayed to honor those who are no longer with us. In this section the rocks are meant to be a lasting tribute; the surfaces have been designed to include...

Castles in the Sand Last week I posted a piece about the textures and aesthetics of an east coast beach. It isn't difficult to make comparisons between that beach and the one we enjoy here on the west coast on our beach walks. They are very different environments and they inspire people in different ways. When I'm traveling, I'm drawn to any example of creativity, especially when I find them in places like the edge of an ocean where people are using whatever they find about them to create. On the west coast we frequently see people constructing cool structures with beach rocks. (For some examples of rock sculpture from our Ventura beach walk, check out "Blank Canvas" under Labels in the sidebar.)  So I was pleased to run across #sandcastlelady and have the chance to chat with Lynda about her work. I found one of her castles on an early morning walk, but I didn't have my cell phone with me. A few hours latter I went back for a picture and was momentarily disapp...

Taking in the Scenes at Water's Edge Took the time for a beach walk last week and spotted this amusingly incongruous scene: a set of drums on a planked path through the dunes. I had to share it with you.  Love how this individual was thinking outside the literal box of the room where we can presume these instruments normally reside. Who knows what new ideas this musician was planning to explore with a change of scenery?  It was a great reminder that expressing oneself is often inspired by the world around us, . . . and the act of expressing/creating can happen any where!   

 A Trip to Ventura How often do we go through life with blinders on, so focused on the task at hand that we don't take in our surroundings? Recently, I needed to take a little trip to Ventura for a fabric run. Single in purpose, I would have gone from point "a" to point "b" and back without a thought, but two art boxes side by side at a street corner caught my attention.  Two artists used wave imagery in different  ways with very different color palettes. It has been a over year since I've added to my collection of photos on the subject of creativity on city streets. Like so many others, I just haven't been out and about as much as I have been in the past. The sighting of these examples got my creativity radar going. When I'd parked the car, I decided to go for a little walk with cell phone in hand to take in a couple of blocks.    It was great to go treasure hunting again.  For more examples of murals and art boxes from my travels check out "Bl...

Blank Canvas- Nuggets of Creativity Smooth rocks seem to be an inviting blank canvas, and somebody decided to take paint and brush in hand to create some messages for the neighbors.       One was spotted on a street corner at the base of a stop sign, presented as if to say   "Stop, and love."      Continuing on our walk, there was one at eye level balanced in a hedge. At the edge of one home's landscaping, there was a collection of these decorated rocks. Perhaps we had located the creator of these colorful little message nuggets, or maybe we stumbled on an admiring collector. I would bet this idea was inspired by the tradition of dying eggs; we've seen several of them scattered along our walking route since Easter. When you stumble upon one, it's like finding a new treasure. All along the way, people are making their creative mark and adding to the blossoming colors of spring. The small chalking marks that appeared on a...

Creative Problem Solving Southern California has been practicing responsible social distancing and following stay-at-home guidelines for about a month now. While the world takes on these challenges at the macro level, the extreme situations in daily individual experience push us to be creative in the course of just trying to get through this unusual and difficult time. We are forced to adjust and adapt. For instance, we don’t get to the beach for our walks right now but we still walk the neighborhood, as do others in our community. It reminds me of fast forwarded highway traffic footage showing the ebb and flow of bumper to bumper drivers reacting to each other and making allowances for what comes in their paths. We’ve learned to adjust our pace, cross the street and walk in the bike lanes as we share the great outdoors. It is an opportunity to silently connect with our neighbors by demonstrating an awareness of their presence and a concern for the well-being of all. It...

Beach Walk Update The rock sculptor had been to the beach recently to create an installation of several arches. It caught our eye from a distance, but it grew more interesting as you got closer. Moving from one end to the other, the arches overlapped in different ways and the installation shifted with the change in the backdrop. Pretty cool, huh? I'm still amazed every time we come across his work. 

Merry Christmas All!!!! Christmas decorations appeared on our walk at the beach last year.   Love the simplicity of its seasonal message; sharing cheer in an unexpected spot. It appears the impulse to make a mark, decorate, and adorn can strike wherever we are.  May peace and joy touch each of your hearts, today and every day!