Listen.

This past week has been a whirlwind, a good whirlwind. I shared time out of the studio with friends and future family which directly impacted the rest of my time with clay. I’ve got lots of ideas and projects in various stages of production for an upcoming group show and a wonderful shop in the South. Special orders were finalized and shipped, new ones were begun.

I received two surprise and considerate gifts this week. My former neighbors were in town visiting and stopped by. They now live in Arizona and brought me a mug from my favorite coffee shop! They know me well! The hat/scarf set was sent to me by a friend from Hilton Head. We have spent yarn time together stitching and talking. Her out-of-the-blue gift and note were so thoughtful! 

When I work, I generally listen to programs on National Public Radio. It’s a habit that started in my first home studio when Diane Rehm (now retired) was on the air daily. I learned something each time I listened to her broadcast. This exposure introduced me to other interesting programs offered by Public Radio stations across the country. 

I revisited this stacking bowl set based on a request for an upcoming group show. I really like it and am glad to have the opportunity to make it again.

Sometimes I listen to music when I work. It’s easy to play what I like on my ITunes playlist. Emotions, memories, sing-alongs and occasional dancing break out when music is my studio background. 

Do you have a listening suggestion for me? What song inspires you? Have you read a good book lately? What other listening opportunities am I missing? Any podcasts you'd recommend? Click on the photo to tell me your suggestion!

Occasionally, I’ll listen to a book. My friend Whitney has offered to help me with a sewing project. We spent an afternoon at an incredible fabric shop in Virginia picking out material and a pattern for me to make.  While we were together, she suggested  I read, The Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (who also wrote Eat, Pray, Love). I downloaded it from the library and listened throughout the week. It’s about the concept of creativity and creative thinking. It resonated. I’m going to listen to it again. I know I can learn more from a second ‘reading’. 

Look who else was attracted to this coneflower in my garden. The beauty and colors of nature often stop me in my tracks. 

I think I’m a good listener, but I know I can improve my skills. When I listen, my mind sometimes jumps around and I lose concentration on what is being shared with me (especially if I'm multi-tasking). I could blame some of that on my creative mind getting sparked as information is fed to it, and fear I’ll forget those inspirations if I let go, but strong focus while listening is important too. 

Remember The Golden Rule

Art class in high school was a haven for me. It was one of the first places I got to touch clay, explore other mediums including batik-fabric dying and drawing with pen and ink. I am still in contact with my high school art teacher Winnie Owens-Hart who continued her teaching career at Howard University.  Her encouragement helped spark my artistic voice that continues through this day. 

High school in the 1970s coincided with many social and political issues including the continuing struggle for minority rights, the Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal and the Oil Crisis. It was the beginning of my awareness of the larger world outside myself. I participated in protests, listened on my battery-operated radio to the Watergate hearings as a lifeguard at a local hotel pool an entire summer, and sat in long lines waiting my turn to fill up my Volkswagen station wagon. 

I make clay art. It’s what I love and can do. So when the world around me feels out of control, I often head to my studio to sort out my feelings and find solace. I think about how I can affect a positive influence when so much conflict swirls beyond my own door. This weekend I hosted a FUNdraising Open Studio to help raise money for a local charity that feeds hungry kids on the weekends. Several people attended, shopped and helped me raise enough money to feed more than one child for a year. It feels good to know I can help even one person through my art. 

The election results have brought out strong emotions on every side of the political spectrum. For me, the overwhelming prevalence of hate speech is unbearable. It’s disturbing, unkind and divisive. It’s not the way I want to or choose to live. It's important for all sides to take a breath and listen to each other and then sort through a way to compromise and move forward. That is democracy. 

So what can one person do to counteract the vitriol? It’s hard to know. Stay kind. Treat others the way you’d like to be treated. Listen to opposing views. Stand up for others who are marginalized. Don't participate in the hate. Spread love.

The Golden Rule is paramount in my family and is a good reminder to bring back empathy which is lacking in our discourse today. Coloring by adults has become 'a thing' these days. One of the reasons I like making art is that it gives me time to think. I invite you to copy this image, fill it in with pencils, crayons or markers and remember its positive message. Then, send me a photo of your drawing. I'd like to add it to my own collection of art!