Warning: Coloring Club Brings Out Inner Child

Coloring and coloring books designed for adults is an ongoing new trend. It's a way to unwind and let go of the day. The difficulty in relaxation via coloring is you let your guard down to being yourself. The self that I am, I discovered, is a competitive take-no-prisoners coloring champion.

I know this because when someone jokingly asked me if I was feeling competitive I said,
"Yes. But I'm competing against myself and clearly I'm winning." 
Then as proof I held up my artwork. I was not joking; something had come over me.

I'd been looking forward to City in a Jar's first Coloring Club Night for a full month--RSVPed, blacked out the evening on my calendar, etc. Even though every correspondence stated Blick Art Supplies had generously donated coloring pencils and crayons (and they sure did!), I wasn't leaving the evening to chance. I carried in my own 48 crayons conspicuously bulging out of my purse.

I can say it was a little intimidating walking into Urban Chestnut knowing no one. High school cafeterias sprang to mind. I credit the communal tables. The 48 crayons, at at that point of the evening, made me feel a little too overeager and sheepish as I scanned the crowd. I saw no other 20/30 somethings toting personal boxes of crayons.

After checking myself in and locating the gorgeous artwork by Julie Hill Drawings, I had to find a spot.

*Gulp*

I'd sniffed out between checking in and getting the art, this was not a roll in stag sort of event. People came in alone and united with friends. They were in tight clusters of 3 to 7, which made it necessary to utter the dreaded words,

"Can I sit here?"

Thankfully, I got a "yes," as an answer, and got to tuck into some great coloring.

Later, when someone walked up to my table and asked if she could use some of our crayons, I felt a little too good. I immediately gave myself a pat on the back for being prepared. I'd scooted down and told myself I would share, if she sat next to me, but in between back pats the other table members said "No."

She was forced to either 1.) steal the crayons** or 2.) walk away. She moved on, and I realized our true selves, our inner children (as promised) were coming out, and apparently, they don't like sharing.

So, what did I learn at coloring club? 

1.) Go it alone (if you can't locate friends to come with),
2.) Come prepared; it can't hurt. 
3.) Reign in your inner child: share and scoot over
3.) Soak in as much as possible. 

Really, I haven't changed very much from childhood to now.


Want to share my crayons with me next time? Let's be friends and go together. RSVP here, and don't wait too long. Tickets are limited.


**I may need to write a short story about an adult who steals the crayons at coloring book night and the fallout that occurs because of it. Spoiler alert: it will escalate quickly.

Where Do You Go with Your Artist's Heart?

Tonight I got the very wonderful experience of going to an enchanting studio space in Shaw neighborhood.
First of all, if you are not from St. Louis, you likely now have heard about Shaw neighborhood, the recent violence, protests, vigils and Ferguson October. This story, this coverage, this light shone on our prejudices and hate of my beloved city is heart rending.
And when my heart is rent, I need to condition it and coax it back into being whole.

This need for nurturing led me back to the Shaw neighborhood. [Isn't this how so many things go? You go to the painful place to help heal?] I lived on Shaw, worked at the corner of Tower Grove and McCree, dog sat near the corner of Klemm. For four wonderful years, this was home.

Here I was, at the place I had scouted out months ago not knowing what would be inside. I loved the outside sign, font, and name. If there is a such thing, I had shop window love at first sight, I had it. The only other time that has happened was when I saw Winslow's Home going in. And boy was I ever right about that place. And I was right again.

As it happens this window and once empty space I became smitten with while commuting to work turns out to be an artists studio. Union Studio has several artists' work and wares on display, while also providing them with place a to work. I happened to be there after learning about an open studio night. Show up and make things in this gorgeous space? Yes, please.

I met two of the artists, Mary Beth and Leah and after a little chatting was put to work--exactly what I needed. There was a cooked fiber(I don't recall the name, but it's not indigenous of North America) in a pot that one of the artists, Leah, showed me how to pull apart, reform, and flatten into a shape. She seemed concerned and apologetic for using me in this way. How do you tell a virtual stranger, "I can't control or shape anything else in life, let me have this thing?" Slow, methodical, tactile, this helps free my mind and spirit.

I kept at it for 2 hours. And we talked the sort of talk that you have when you're making, about St. Louis, the art scene here versus Kansas City, our backgrounds, the history of paper making, the art in the room and the stories behind the pieces. I'm not exaggerating when I say everything in Union Studio is art: soap, scarves, paper, the table, etc. Even the wet fibers  the ugly semi sticky masses I was mashing together, flattening into discs will turn into something translucent and beautiful.

It was a relief. To come out of the dark into a bright and inviting space to talk and to learn and to try. I recommend, if not here, that you try this "making" with your friends or find an artists guild and meet them.

Oh and guess what? I'm back to writing again. Surprise.

Bright Spot(light) on Joyce Hankins of MoonShadow Press

Last month, I had the honor of sitting down and talking with St. Louis artist Joyce Hankins from MoonShadow Press. Every time we talk, Joyce draws me in with her creativity, intuition, thoughtfulness, and ability to describe her point of view.
Hear what she had to share about her craft and feast your eyes on her thoughtful (and gorgeous!) pieces below.

Photo credit: MoonShadow Press

1.) There are a lot of new things in your life right now, lots of endings and beginnings, what's going on? 
 The main ending is that I just graduated from college! I made it! I learned a lot at Wash.
U. and I have been antsy to get out in the world and put it all to use. So, as far as beginnings,
being a “non-student” artist is a big one. Out of that has come my shop, MoonShadow Press.
Another super exciting thing going on is that I am getting married in August!

2.) Your Etsy shop, Moonshadow Press is an exciting development. How are you liking Etsy? 
 Etsy has been great! I really wanted to start a business where I could make and sell
artwork and Etsy provides a fantastic platform to do so. It is affordable as a seller and has such a
large community around it that there is a lot of potential and opportunity to sell work. It is also
inspiring to see so many other wonderful shops and creatives flourishing.

Photo credit: MoonShadow Press

3.) What is your dream for your shop? 
 Adding little bits of light and hope to people’s lives is the driving force behind my work.
Currently I spend three days a week in studio making artwork, building an online presence, and
doing market research. The other two days I work a part time job as a fine art consultant at my
church. Right now my hope is that MoonShadow Press will become a full time gig. I’m not sure
where it will go or end up, but this is a good place to start!

4.) What art form do you lose yourself in? 
Recently I have spent a lot of time making art about accumulation. I really enjoy repetitive, tedious processes that let my mind wander. I think that is why I love printmaking so much. Things like carving woodblocks or using tiny rollers for monoprints is relaxing and re-energizing to me.

Photo credit: MoonShadow Press

5.) What advice would you give to artists who are just starting out? 
 Considering I am an artists just starting out, I’m not sure how qualified I am to answer. I
will say that for me, I constantly have to fight feelings of discouragement and fear that I won’t
succeed. I am determined to fight the negative thoughts I have though because I know I will
never get anywhere if I at least don’t try. Trying to stay focused on one day at a time is also
something I try to do.

6.) How would you describe your aesthetic? 
I would call my aesthetic Poetic Minimalism. Minimalism is a theory of art which pares
down and reduces imagery to find its most simple form, or essence. I often use geometric and
linear forms, as well as muted color schemes. I also enjoy integrating language and text as well.
Some of my new work for MoonShadow Press is more colorful, but I like keeping the imagery
simple, which relates to a type of visual poetry.

Photo credit: MoonShadow Press

7.) Showing your creations/ creative process to the world can be a vulnerable thing-how does that look for you?
 I have definitely had to grow into being vulnerable, because you are right, art making is
extremely personal. To be honest, I am still learning how to confidently and graciously put my
work out in the world. In school we were told to separate ourselves from our work so that we
didn't take criticism personally. However, I don’t think that works. In fact, I think it does a
disservice to the work. If I spend hours of energy and pour myself into a piece, there is no way I
can then look at it subjectively. All of the emotion that was used to make it alive would turn cold
and distant. Instead, it seems like the lesson to learn is how to control where you find your
identity. If I only find personal value in my art, then criticism of any kind is heart-wrenching.
However, if I remember that I am more than just an artist, then criticism and rejection are not as
threatening. It is really hard though and I constantly have to look to God to remind me of those
things.

Photo credit: MoonShadow Press

8.) What do you do to revive your creative spirit?
 I love it when people ask me this because thinking about my inspiration makes me feel all
bubbly and excited inside! I learned a lot about how to revive my creativity while studying
abroad in Florence, Italy. My professors there told us all the time to “follow your muse” and “go
take a walk” when we didn't know what we wanted to do or were feeling stuck. Those walks and
allowing myself to do what I wanted without feeling stupid or guilty were important. I learned
that there is always something interesting to see when you look for it and that it is ok if your
ideas don’t always work out. Now, when I need inspiration I like to get out of studio and change
scenery. My favorite places to go are the Missouri Botanical Gardens and the St. Louis Art
Museum. I also keep my studio full of things I love. My favorite books are close by, my favorite
pictures and art are pinned up on a bulletin board, and the supplies I like to use the most are
within reach. This creates an encouraging working environment that allows me to easily recharge
or brainstorm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking for more of Joyce? Let me help you.

Her shop is here on Etsy.

Also, Joyce is the featured artist at the upcoming RAW artists' show in August 21st. Tickets are on sale now.


**All images have been posted with written permission by Joyce Hankins of MoonShadow Press.

Adding Beauty

I woke up feeling brittle today.
Sad is a better easily defined feeling word, but brittle, able to break easily says it better.

I wandered around my apartment, read, moved one strange thing: a single bead, a paperclip, a glove, a power drill, from one unlikely spot to another.

And then I heard my good friend's voice in my head.  It's what she says to me after I've been dumped.  Yes, she's developed a line for that.

How will you put beauty into the world today?

Indeed.  How?
I wandered around more and out onto my back porch and spied my wall.
It's been heavily pooped on lately, because some black birds have nested and are in a family way there.

Sadness. Determining to end, halt, delete, or bypass it typically doesn't work.  It leaves a void.  And sadness is a kind of void, so the antidote isn't in cessation.

What seems to have a lasting impact is the manner I address sadness.
Shifting my thoughts toward beauty means then that I can add and contribute.
It assumes I am worthy and capable.
It says, you can do this.

But how?
The poop gave me an idea of what to do.


It also reminded me Madeline L'Engle's book A Two Part Invention.  In it she writes:

I come across four lines of Yeats and copy them down:
But love has pitched her mansion in 
The place of excrement;
For nothing can be sole or whole
That has not be rent.

The place of excrement...How do we walk through excrement and keep clean in the heart?  How do we become whole by being rent?

I had a thought on how, found my flower pot sidewalk chalk, and set to work.

A flower pot of sidewalk chalk?  Yes.
Again, I have unlikely things in unlikely spots all over my apartment.

I set to work and clearly I am not able to do Mary Poppin's worthy sidewalk art, but the exercise broke into some of my thoughts, which was the point.

Here is my wall of doodles.  My chalk is at the ready and is now stationed outside for the next time.


Now, dear readers,
How will you put beauty into the world today?"

How do you "keep clean in the heart?"