The Artist’s Date - by Loretta Bouillon
It is an interesting concept; the “Artist’s Date”. I have
been reading Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way and she suggests a weekly
date, about two hours a week, to stimulate our senses and feed the artist in
us. My initial thought was this….how can I do this in a town of 1000 people,
without a theatre, coffee shop, or in a nutshell, anything that I could
possible use for an artist’s date? It is good in theory but not very easy to do
in this town. This, combined with the fact that it is winter and we live in the
north, has been my excuse.
I have come up with more excuses than possibilities for
“dates”. Besides having nowhere to go, I have no time. What busy mom has two
hours of time a week to spend on something so unnecessary? Or is it necessary?
As I write this, I have taken an unexpected trip to
Vancouver. I am happily overloading on hours of artist dates for a week. Can it
work that way? Artistic gluttony! I am artistically and culturally starving and
it feels fabulous to fuel up. Walking around Vancouver alone is feeding my
muse. I am typing on my laptop as I write in a lovely coffee shop, sipping an
Americano. Beside me is another writer furiously typing away on her laptop. The
two men beside me are discussing a theatre production they are directing.
So far this week, I have wandered through small art
galleries, handcrafted jewelry shops, a specialty handmade broom store, a glass
blowing shop, a pottery shop, and the Vancouver Art Gallery. I have taken walks
with my laptop in tow and sat writing on the seawall, on a ferry, and at a
couple of markets listening to buskers. It’s so easy here. I love it and thrive
on this energy. But, I don’t live in it. Maybe I should l look at this as an
artistic retreat?
As challenging as it
is, after brainstorming, I have made a list of creative artist’s dates that I
could have in my little town.
o
Attending any plays or musical nights that come
through our town (once in awhile this happens)
o
Visit our little museum (for the twentieth time
but take my time and go through it slowly)
o
Take a winter walk and look at the nature around
me through artist eyes and appreciate God’s creation
o
Plan my garden with a drawing (even though I
don’t draw)
o
Plant something exotic in my greenhouse/garden
this Spring
o
Paint something abstract with watercolours (I say
abstract because I don’t draw!)
o
Paint something abstract with acrylic
o
Draw something from my kids’ beginner drawing
books (I seriously don’t draw!)
o
Watch those artist’s videos that I made my kids
watch for our art course years ago
o
Watch some Jane Austen movies
o
Read a Shakespeare play
o
Read a biography about a writer or poet
So as I write this, I realize that the possibilities are
endless. I just need to be creative about being creative! Here I go!
