Creativity comes from a quiet place.

This is one of my favorite sayings that I use in my elementary art classroom.  We live in a world full of distractions, busyness, constant chatter, etc.  When I moved from Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs to Denver, I was struck with how, even on a hiking trail, no roads in sight, I could still hear traffic.  I CRAVE quiet.  

Finding that quiet space to hear our own thoughts, is sometimes, hard.  With my students, I remind them, that the person or people at their table that chat endlessly, are confident in their ideas, but that doesn't mean they have the best ideas.  I try to teach students to look inside themselves and be mindful of the moment.  This is a concept that was never really discussed when I was young.  Sometimes the quiet people, the introverted, have brilliant thoughts that never get shared.

I find that in recent years, my stamina has changed.  I need to soften my expectations for myself.  Time management, to-do lists, projects, due dates, etc. can sometimes lead to feeling overwhelmed.

So, I am trying to slow down, extend grace to myself, and recognize that every day, there will be some sort of unexpected event that will distract me.  I'm focusing on self-care and finding the quiet space within.

This image is called "Dizzy Spell".  It is foil relief.  This was created in one of Michael Cellan's summer workshops, years ago.