Creativity Project Week 5: The Columbus Art Museum

       Earlier this week I read a blog post by Elizabeth Ivy Hawkins, an artist and instructor from Grand Rapids.  Hawkins was a presenter at a writing conference I attended in October, and while I missed the chance to attend her workshop, I was glad to learn more about who she is as an artist (and mother) and how she uses her interests and passions to encourage others to explore their own creativity.

    In her blog post she said, "Here's the deal: The arts are a conduit to tell a story about what it is like to be a human being. That's it. If you are a human being, this stuff called art is for you..."

She went on to offer several suggestions on embracing art in our everyday lives, including:

     1.) Trust your curiosity and be willing to follow it in the midst of routine tasks

     2.) Realize that we have all been changed by art in some way (through a concert, painting, photograph, play, etc.) and that we should attempt to make room for more of that in our lives.

    The reality is that this personal creativity project began for me because of the impact of a Broadway play my husband and I attended last month (Finding Neverland). It was a play that profoundly told the story of being human-- of struggling with our own perceptions, limitations and ultimately, even death. Of how beauty can exist in the midst of tragic circumstances-- of how beauty is what keeps our souls alive in the midst of tragic and sad human circumstances.

    I was deeply impacted by the story and wanted, as Hawkins says, "to make room for more of that [art] in my life."

    That play made me want to be a better mother, writer and wife. It made me want to encourage my own children towards their curiosities and artistic inclinations, and to embrace the messiness that sometimes goes hand-in-hand with such endeavors. It made me want to confidently share the strands of my  own story in  bolder ways.

    So, thank you Elizabeth Ivy Hawkins for so eloquently putting into words what I was feeling in my heart, and what I am attempting to do in my life...in quiet spaces and spare moments.

    Last Saturday I meandered through the Columbus Museum of Art.  Scott and I were in Columbus visiting his mom and had a chance to sneak out for the day to do some fun things together while the girls got to hang out with Nanner (Grandma). We had tickets to the Ohio State football game on that night (Go, Bucks!), and had some time to kill before the game began.

    I knew wandering through the Columbus Museum of Art was not on Scott's "want-to-do-list" in the few hours that we were kid-free.  For me, well, I needed to do something "creative" to continue my 52-week challenge and the art museum seemed like the most obvious option.

     I actually told him (kindly!) that I  didn't want him to come with me. That sounds so romantic after  13 years of marriage, doesn't it?!

     "Really, babe," I said. "Stay in the car and just watch a movie or go drink coffee somewhere." I was completely serious.
 
      He's a smart guy. He asks the right questions.

      "Really? So, if I asked you to go trap shooting with me right now, or said you you could drive around in the car by yourself for an hour, what would you do?"

      I smiled. He knew what that smile meant. Trap shooting would not be my first choice.  I would choose a quiet hour in the car at this season of life.

     "Well....Well...Because I love you...a lot...I would consider trap shooting," I said.

     "Oh, so you would consider it?"

      "Uh-huh....But, ultimately, I'd rather be alone for the hour and a half."

       And, so it was settled. If I would choose a quiet car over trap shooting, he was ok choosing a quiet car over art museum meandering.

      So, Scott dropped me off at the door (lol!) and I walked in and bought my solo ticket, looking forward to what I would encounter in the next hour and a half.

      So much impressed me, inspired me, and moved me. Because my time to finish this post is in short supply I won't bore you with all the details. Instead you can simply peruse a few of my favorite pieces (photographed on my I-phone...sorry about my poor photography skills!):
     

                         

I thought this piece was crazy cool. I love glass art--the vibrancy of color and the experimental shapes. 

                                                                  

    "Sunflowers on the Windstorm" Emil Nolde

                    

I loved this mixed-media piece. Actual pieces of fishing net were used to depict the net, and buttons  were used to connect the pieces of the mural together (Piece crated by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson)

       "A Gust of Wind" by Claude Monet

A dress collection by a current designer (whose name I forgot to jot down!)

My version of a "selfie". Haha. 

"Selfie" #2

     In conclusion, that hour and a half was a peaceful, inspirational and somewhat therapeutic time for me. I found myself re-excited about exploring the  many different interpretations of life through art represented and plan to use that excitement to start visiting some of the museums in my own hometown. Museums and galleries  that I haven't visited in years because I've always said, 'I don't have time.'

     I'm looking forward to making time. 




P.S. For some reason my photo captions will not show up (Bah! Blogger technology!)...Sorry... I'm working on trying to figure it out.