Artists Way

Well I've managed so far to do my morning pages, I'm having to get up early but that's not a problem considering I'm not sleeping too well. Yesterday I had my Artists Date. I was working in the afternoon and normally I would have spent the morning at home probably doing the housework but instead I went to see a lovely exhibition about the Transporter Bridge at the Dorman museum followed by a trip to a beautiful gift shop called Conxept and I treat myself to an inexpensive bracelet but very pretty and then I had a wonder around Albert Park taking pictures of the Autumn leaves. It was lovely, the sun was shining and I enjoyed the fresh air.
There are a few tasks for this week. The book suggests you do at least two, the one you're drawn too which seems the most appealing and the one you dislike the most. It asks you to quickly list 5 altenative careers which you would have liked to do. Don't think too much into it, just write what pops in to your head first. My list read: Dancer, Textile Artist,Florist,cake decorator and community worker. Now I must do an activity this week connected to one of those jobs. Today I was at my textile class but I think I fancy a go at flower arranging so that's my next job. The task I didn't like the sounnd of was thinking of 3 old enemies of my creative self-worth. Those people in my past who have critised and knocked my abilities. Now I have to write a letter in my defense and send it to myself.I'm putting this one off but I will do it before the weeks out I promise!

The Artists Way - Julia Cameron

This week I have started the 12 week course called the Artists Way. For anyone who isn;t familiar with this it is a fantastic book by Julia Cameron in which she helps you discover your creative self. Each week you are given tasks to do to discover what really gets your creative juices flowing and also to identify what could be causing you to doubt your abilities, feel blocked and unable to allow yourself to follow your dreams. Two tasks which are musts for every week are the 'Morning Pages' and the weekly 'Artists Date'. The 'Morning Pages' involve writing three pages of long hand every morning about anything and if you can't think of anything you just write 'I can't think of anything' over and over if you have to. For the Artists Date you need to imagine you are taking your creative self on an afternoon (or morning/evening) out and imagine where it would like to go. One of the suggestions was to take £5 to the pound shop, market, carboot sale and see what you can buy which really strikes a cord with your creative self. I reckoned if I start the course now the twelve week will coincide with the New Year and I'll be all set for a creative 2012. 'Wish me Luck!'