Book Description: Anna’s Grandpa gives her an Irish Claddagh ring. He sends her a jewelry box from Ireland with a fairy inside. Anna’s ring brings the fairy to life and teaches Anna an important lesson about friendship, loyalty and love. This illustrated picture book will delight children as they learn about Anna’s grandpa’s homeland Ireland and the meaning of the Irish Claddagh ring.
I created the artwork and wrote the book back in 2014 but for some reason I stalled. That was 10 years ago! If I had to guess, I probably lost confidence in myself. After that, anytime I have had extended time off I’ve added The Claddagh Fairy to my to list. But for 10 years I kept pushing it to the back burner. It was at the top of my list – yet again – but I told my friend Connie I wasn’t going to work on it. For not the first time, Connie said, “You really should publish it. It’s all done!” We all need a friend like that!
That afternoon I went home, pulled The Claddagh Fairy out, made a few slight edits and ordered a draft on Amazon’s KDP site. When I got my draft, I made some tweaks to the artwork and after, 10 years, finally clicked publish!
The Claddagh Fairy is special to me because it is inspired by my grandpa, Michael Dennehy. We called him Grampa. Grampa was the sweetest grandpa, with the cutest brogue. He was from County Cork, Ireland. I spent a lot of afternoons with him as he told me silly stories of characters with names like Nan Pike and Patsy Galoop. He passed away when I was in high school and I still miss him.
I just finished this painting. I did the entire painting in one sitting with three colors and one big brush. It felt so good to have an idea, follow through and finish. Recently my creative practice has been sporadic. A lot of the creative things I do are tied to work or school. Did I tell you I’m back in school?! I just finished my first year in a Masters in Art Education program. But still, excuses, excuses.
I’ve been ecstatic about this painting since I finished it – which got me thinking. Things are slowing down a bit for summer. This small canvas is so doable. Maybe I could commit to doing one a week? I always do well with a goal and a plan, especially if I do some art supply shopping to motivate me.
Summer is about 10 weeks, so I’ll aim for 10 canvases but the real goal is to paint every week. I need to take stock of my supplies and make a list. Then it’s a trip to the art store – fun!
I need to remember to be open to inspiration. The painting above was inspired by a recent walk on the beach. That’s my favorite way to work – capturing inspiration when it strikes and painting it.
Any summer creative goals? I’d love to hear!
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The first step is to seek inspiration: Take a walk, flip through a magazine, visit the beach, a park, a museum, go away for a weekend or on a vacation. There are so many ways, big and small, to find inspiration.
Sometimes just the mindset of looking for inspiration, will helps us see it. Last year, I did a project called “Finding Joy,” where every day I looked for and painted a moment of joy. It was such a positive way to face the day.
2. Document
The easiest way to record something inspiring is to take a photo. Fill your phone with all the things that inspire you throughout the day. Some people carry around with a sketchbook and pencil – even a small set of paints, and for capturing special moments.
Many people seek inspiration, document it and then forget about it. It’s important to look back through your photos and reflect on them. What made that thing inspire you? Was it the way the sun reflected on the water or the way a painter’s brushstrokes looked? Write it down.
I take a lot of photos. It’s great when I’m ready to paint and can’t think of a subject. I scroll through my phone, remembering all the inspiring moments, and pick one to paint.
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4. play
Spend time playing in a sketchbook, exploring ideas that the inspiration generates. This could be using different mediums or doing thumbnail drawings or paintings to explore an idea.
Playing in my sketchbook is an important part of my creative practice. My favorite sketchbook – the Canson Multimedia – can handle a lot of different types of media – watercolor, acrylic, pastel, etc.
5. research
Depending on what the inspiration is, research can go into different directions. If the work of an artist inspires you, you could learn more about the artist and their technique.
I was inspired by a Monet painting of a snowy landscape, called The Magpie – the painting glowed. I did some research and found out the Monet had a “winter palette” of colors he used to paint winter scenes. I emulated his palette, using watercolors and did my own painting of The Magpie. It was so fun and I learned a lot!
6. Plan
Whether you write it down – like I do – or just verbalize it, it’s important to state what your goal is. It holds you accountable to follow through.
After an amazing trip to Paris with my family, I decided to spend time painting Paris. I opened it up for others to join me as I painted and created the course “Let’s Paint Paris.” The program is watercolor lessons that build upon one another, with videos where you watch my process as I paint all things Paris. It was so much fun, and allowed me to be even more inspired by the things that caught my eye in Paris.
7. Prep
Don’t forget to allow time to gather the supplies you’ll need for a project! Not having the right supplies can be a roadblock to following through on an idea. Plus it’s fun to shop!
I leave my watercolor supplies out on my table, so I’m always prepped for a watercolor project. It makes it easier to sit and paint.
8. create
The fun part is carrying out your idea. I’m always super excited to start. But, there was a time I would get very discouraged when I went from excited to frustrated – when a project got hard. I used to quit when I hit this part and ended up with a bunch of unfinished projects.
Eventually I learned that the hard part is part of the process. That realization made it so much easier to deal with and work through. The satisfaction of finishing a project, motivated me to tackle more projects.
I’ve always thought about creativity as a journey not a destination. I sometimes visualize it as the Candyland board game, where there are stopping points, like the Peppermint forest. The creative journey stopping points are subjects and mediums. Mine were things like seascapes, linocut carving, surface pattern design.
Remember in Candyland, those “shortcuts” where you jump ahead on the board? They remind me of times of growth when you notice a big change in skills or technique. I remember when I started using an ink pen on my watercolors and white gouache on my seascapes. It’s helpful to reflect and recognize the twists and turns and periods of growth in our journeys.
Weekly creative inspiration ~
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We all start our creative journey with different skills and ideas at different stages of our lives but with similar thoughts. The thought may be the reemergence of a statement from our childhood, “I want to be an artist.” More likely, we tone down the dream in our minds. Mine started with, “I want to be able to draw something realistic.” A few years later after a few classes it was, “I want creativity to be a regular part of my life.” I wanted to explore all possibilities and find my “thing.”
After several years of sticking with my goal, and knowing what worked, I turned my journey into “Creative Exploration.” Follow the process in the book to add creativity to your life, and find the subjects and art mediums that excite YOU.
I was and am ecstatic that creativity is part of my daily life. I can’t believe over eight years ago I made such a big change. Who keeps a resolution for that long?!
It brings me so much joy. But I am not unique – Creativity is for everyone. “Talent” is just a starting point.
Most creative people have an abundance of ideas. At least that’s how it is for me. It’s the follow through that can be a challenge. Here are my tips for weeding through your list and getting stuff done:
Write it down
Keep a list of your ideas. It feels good to empty your head and write everything down. You’ll be less likely to forget an idea this way. I take it a step further and on a daily basis I write, in a notebook, the status on what ideas I’m working on.
Reflect on your list
Every so often, go back over your list or notebook pages, so you know where you stand on your ideas. You may decide an idea is no longer interesting. That is ok! You might be reminded of an idea that you forgot about. It’s important to prioritize your list because you cannot follow through on everything. Trying to follow through on every idea is like taking a step in many directions. You will never get anywhere. Need help prioritizing your list? Read this post.
Follow through and finish
With a prioritized list, you can select ideas to follow through on. Once you’ve started on an idea, don’t abandon it! Even if the project is coming out crappy, I strongly suggest you finish it. There is a sense of accomplishment from finishing. If the idea didn’t work out, you have learned something for the next time a similar idea comes along. Finishing is addicting and motivating for the next idea on your list!
Don’t fear the hard part
I was a “serial quitter” until starting my blog held me accountable. The first thing I did was finish a bunch of abandon projects – it felt so good! I also learned that the hard part is part of the creative process. Working through it is immensely satisfying.
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It’s 14 degrees out, but feels like 5! Lately, I’m snuggling up and reading a lot, including “Family Business” about life and crime in NYC’s Chinatown from the perspective of Detective Linda Chin.
“The Hunting Party” a modern Agatha Christie tale, about Oxford friends that takes place in the wilderness of Scotland. “Everyone’s Invited. Everyone’s a suspect.”
My work in “365 Days of Art” – Eileen McKenna
“365 Days of Art” – I’m having a lot of fun with the daily art exercises in this book. Great way to get your creativity flowing!
If you are struggling with what to focus on, I just recommended a favorite to my friend, and I’ll recommend it to you – “The Crossroads of Should and Must.” I loved this book!
It’s hard to believe, it’s been eight years since I made a resolution that changed my life. On New Year’s Eve in 2013, I made a creative resolution to make creativity a part of my daily life. Prior to that I dabbled in a few drawing and painting classes, but I wanted more.
Back then I didn’t know what mediums I would work in – I thought I might refinish furniture. I just knew I wanted to explore all possibilities and that was the exciting part! I learned a lot about myself, especially in the beginning. Prior to my creative resolution, I was a serial quitter. I quit projects when they got challenging. By pushing through, I learned that all projects have a tough part. Once I began finishing projects, I was motivated to finish new ones. Finishing became addicting!
My resolution had an immediate effect on me. Simply put, regular creativity made me happier. Over time, new opportunities presented themselves. Three and a half years ago I began teaching at a kids’ art studio. I also now teach adult workshops at my local library. I’ve illustrated a few children’s books. This September I left graphic design behind and became a museum educator. None of these things were on my radar or would have been possible had I not made my creative resolution.
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The main thing I learned is that “talent is just a starting point.” Don’t let a self perceived lack of “talent” hold you back from creating!
This year we are doing something new. Usually, we each pick a name out of a hat and buy a gift for that person. This year, my sister-in-law suggested we buy a “few of our favorite things.”
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favorite things – from the Sound of Music
What a fun idea! Maybe the gifts we will become our new favorite things.
My favorite thing?
Painting in watercolor of course! I bought a starter watercolor tube set, watercolor paper, painter’s tape, white gouache and to offer some instruction my book: Beginner Watercolor Exploration.
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I’ve been working at a museum since September. Last week, I learned that on average people view a work of art for only FIVE seconds! Can you believe that? Actually, who am I kidding? I’ve certainly zipped through a museum focused on what was for lunch.
In my role at the museum, I work with kids and we ask them to focus on the details, to look for a longer amount of time and to share what they see. It is really fun and fulfilling!
The other day, I glanced out the window at one of our Crepe Myrtles. The tree glows when the sunlight hits it. I thought about the five second statistic and how it’s not just about artwork, but things that inspire us. How long do we sit and observe something that strikes us? I know myself, I’m pretty impatient. If something inspires me, I’ll take a photo or rush to pull out my sketchbook. While drawing is a way to help you observe, I thought, “What if I just look at the tree for a few minutes?” What else will I notice?
As I sat there I was amazed at all the colors in one tree – green, orange, gold, red, purple. The leaves, hit by the sun, glowed – like they are on fire. When the sun went behind a cloud, the colors dimmed. As I looked at the closely entwined branches rising upward from the soil, I could imagine them taking on the shape of a woman.
Next time something inspires me, instead of snapping a quick photo and walking away, I’m going to spend a few minutes really looking and noticing all the details.
mycreativeresolution.com 