Art can be quite a solitary affair and more recently I have been getting involved with group projects and things outside. I have lots of separate blog posts that I haven't written yet of things I have been getting involved with. I haven't been writing frequently as I am busy but I plan to find more time to write useful things on here and document my positive creative findings.
Taking part in more art projects in the community is helping me to grow in confidence and also creativity. It means I am meeting new people and am more committed to finishing projects because I am part of a team. I am gaining more of a sense of what I can bring to a group and enjoy the process of seeing a final outcome that is a collaborative effort - you ever know how it will turn out and you give up a lot of control. I think that it is a good thing as I can get so stuck worrying about how to make something just right.
I am finding so much joy in community togetherness and taking actions to share how much I value art and creativity for our mental health. I really believe that creativity and wellness go so well together, and even more so when we get together with other people and can share ideas and have a space to be authentic and open. There is a lot of laughter and fun to be had as well when you all share in a creative experience.
Coming together to make art is found in other cultures all over the world and I feel it is somewhat neglected in Western culture. In my opinion, there is a strong link between the lack of community in Western society and the perceived unimportance of creativity with the prevalence of mental health problems. (I haven't travelled enough to know this for sure, I just read a lot...but travel is something I am itching more and more to do and plan to do. I will blog one day on my travels when I have saved up enough money, or taken out a bigger loan?). Sidetracked, but I think it would be inspiring to meet people from different cultures and to see how people live and what makes other people happy...
Yesterday I was invited as resident 'artist' for the Cub Scouts and I taught them about Rangoli. This is a beautiful Indian art tradition in which symmetrical and colourful patterns are made on the floor as a way of celebrating or giving thanks. In India they commonly mark out dots on the ground and then the whole community joins in filling in the shapes symmetrically. Children at schools use it as a way to welcome visitors, it is like putting out the red carpet for special guests. They tend to use rice or petals to mark their shapes but we used chalk. Women in India also commonly decorate their front door step every day with a new design. I love this idea of being so open to creativity and change.
For now I just want to share some images from yesterday evening. I love their excited conversation in the video where they are working on the elephant! The children really inspired me with their enthusiasm and experimentation with colour and thinking about how the ground felt beneath their hands. The whole pavement was vibrant and full of life. I loved that we came together in this way and created something beautiful.
