New Group

[Carol@Swallowcliffs]

I just started a new group... a place to talk about Artist Dates. Please come on over and join in. Tell us all where in the world you are going and what you are doing on your artist dates.

[Boneita Edlund]

Carol,
Thanks for starting a group which should generate some interesting dialogue. I only heard of Artist Dates about 2 weeks ago. For me, having an Artist Date ("AD") is almost a daily occurence. Perhaps, my ADs are not as artistic as others or as exciting, interesting, or creative. But to maintain my mental health and balance in my brain, they are invaluable. So, what do I do on an AD? Usually, it involves taking a spontaneous digital photo of something that inspires me to push the shutter button. I am constantly on the look-out for that one fleeting moment that says PICTURE or Photo. Sometimes, I don't even have time to take the picture with my camera. I just blink my eyes and capture it in my mind. For example, across the street from where I live there is a small pond where exquisite white egrets live in the summer. One morning, the water was mirror-calm. The reflection of the graceful bird was as beautiful as the bird on the shore. I could paint that scene in watercolor anytime I want - it was that awesome. I'll come back later to read what some of your other groupies have added. I am sure we can learn alot from each other.

[Carol@Swallowcliffs]

Boneita, thanks for joining and commenting. The picture you painted with words in your post sounds so awesome. How lucky are we that have beauty right on our door steps.
I am trying to "force" myself to do new adventures, as I am getting into a "hermit' mentality that I feel is probably not good. So I thought this group would encourage me to go out into the world and find new experiences, which would then encourage me to be more or new with my creativity! Hope it works!

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

June 25, 2009
How To Come Out of Hiding
Isolation
There are times in our lives when withdrawing from our social obligations and taking some time to be alone is necessary to rejuvenate our energy and renew our connection to ourselves. However, there are also times when withdrawal is a red flag, indicating an underlying sense of depression or some other problem. We may not even have consciously decided to isolate ourselves but wake up one day to find that we have been spending most of our time alone. Perhaps it’s been a long time since friends who used to call have given up. Without anyone inviting us out, we sink deeper into alienation.

The longer our isolation lasts, the harder it becomes to reach out to people. It is as if we have failed to exercise a particular muscle, and now it is so weak we don’t know how to use it. Yet, in order to return to a healthy, balanced state of being, that’s exactly what we need to do. If you find yourself in this situation, call an understanding friend who will listen to you with compassion, not a defensive friend who may have taken your withdrawal personally. The last thing you need is to be chided; a negative response could intensity your isolation. If you don’t have a kind friend you can rely on, call a spiritual counselor or therapist. They may be able to help you determine the underlying cause of your isolation and help you find your way out of it.

When you’ve been in a pattern of secluding yourself, it can begin to seem impossible that you could reenter the world of friendships, conversations, and group activities, but with time, you will. Most people will understand if you take the time to explain that you’ve fallen out of touch and would like to reconnect. Take your time and be gentle with yourself, starting with one person and building from there. Try to reach out to one new person every week. Before you know it, you will find yourself back in the company of friends.

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

I have a hard time going on artist dates, too. I suppose I still put my own creativity behind my desire to help others discover their own creativity. I have no problem going to listen to live music and dance, which is a joyful activity for me, a social activity. But going places alone is still a struggle.

[Carol@Swallowcliffs]

Barbara, I just love love love where I live. Let me describe it. I have what i call a 360 degree views. We put our house up here on the edge of a plateau for that reason. I have all the room I want or need to "create". I have a DH that still works so finances are not a problem, he loves to shop so does all the trips to town for whatever, so I don't have to go anywhere for what I want. I just have realized since reading JCs book, that we need to renew our experiences so we have a "well" of ideas for our art. I have used the internet for this. But in my mind I think... you need to go out more, you need that new input for your art to keep going. But, another part of my mind says "why?" go out when everything you want is right here. I don't know, it is just a quandary I am trying to level out. I thought that having this place, talking about ADs and putting it out to others that when my mind says "why?" I could answer... because I told Barb and Boneita and others I was going to...... lol

[Carol@Swallowcliffs]

This is an example view...just out my kitchen door right after a thunderstorm... the clouds are leaving the foothills of the mountains.