Hello all.

Before moving to Maine to be near my husband’s family, we lived Minnesota. My younger son was born there. My children attended school there. I worked in schools and communities there. I made lasting friends there and learned many, many things. It is a beautiful place filled with hard-working people and vibrant communities.

Today, as my younger son would say, my feelings are big.

And I’ll be honest it’s been tough to figure out what to write about.

But today is my day to post and I have a job that starts soon and children who need to get to school and a dog to walk. There are thank you letters to mail and a lego car that is taking up a lot of real estate on my coffee table to finish with my older son. There is dinner to be made later. And this post needs to be written and it should be somewhat adjacent to crime writing and it needs to be done before my meeting, which is starting soon.

So today I’m going to write about art and creativity.

In her book, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron talks about two practices that I’ve found helpful to foster creativity and a connection with whatever the source of creativity is. For Julia it is spiritual. I’ve heard others refer to this as “the subconscious.” I find it comforting to think that there is something that binds some piece of us together. Do what that what you will.

In crime writing, other authors explore this concept through their writing. James Lee Burke blends crime with history, religious meditations, and personal reflection, believes that stories come from a quiet, somehow connected voice inside. Haruki Murakami, who integrates history and philosophy, explores this world with his writing style and the embrace of surrealism. Reading his stuff is like meandering into somebody’s subconscious.  It is especially evident in The Wind Up Bird Chronicle. 

In The Artist’s Way, Cameron shares some practical suggestions on how to foster creativity. Two especially resonated with me.

The first practice has to do with writing something called the “Morning Pages.” The goal – writing three pages longhand each morning to unblock the mind of clutter. It isn’t about creating art. It can be to do lists or complaints or just a brain dump of whatever comes to mind. Sit down first thing and write. Fill three pages. Don’t listen to the inner critic and when that voice emerges, note it. Cameron encourages artists to use this practice to reflect on the inner critic and to tune it out. These voices inhibit creativity.

I learned about this particular practice from two of the other writers I met during my residency at Hewn Oaks. One who specializes in using meditative writing as a form of healing. This year, I’m going to try integrating Daily Pages into my morning routine.

The other practice that I’ve been thinking a lot about is called “The Artist’s Date.” This is a practice of doing something purely for pleasure, fun, or newness. This might be something simple like going for a walk somewhere you haven’t been and staying locked in to the experience. Or browsing a bookstore. Or going to a museum. There is no output tided to this. Just pleasure and curiosity.

As a mother and educator, I’ve curated experiences for other people and for my relationship with my husband. But I don’t often do this for myself.

This weekend I went to the Portland Art Museum while my husband took my younger son to get a haircut. I was especially curious about this Grace Hartigan exhibit. I really enjoy the poetry of Frank O’Hara. It is beautiful and funny and also, at times, a little sharp. I like this about it. O’Hara and Hartigan collaborated on a number of pieces and it was really fascinating to see the relationship between visual arts and poetry. Hartigan’s paintings are vibrant. I especially liked her earlier pieces from outside her home. The Brides and the Bodega painting really stood out to me. And then the piece with Ophelia at the end of the exhibit.

There was mother there with her child who was maybe two. The child said, “Oh is she sleeping?”

And the mother said, “Oh yes. Sleeping.”

And then I caught the mother’s eye and said, “Sort of sleeping.”

And the mother and I laughed together and I went upstairs to look at one of the Winslow Homer paintings that I like of the woman watering the geraniums in the windowsill.

I did feel better when I walked back to my husband and son.

I’m wondering do you have practices that help with creativity? That keep you active and curious and maybe even a little hopeful? That remind you that there is beauty and truth and moments of connection?

Anyway – wherever you are and whatever you are up to, I hope you are well.

Until next time,

Gabi