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Feeding Creativity

I get asked all the time about how I manage to continue finding joy and inspiration in the studio every single day. So I thought I'd share some tips on how I try to keep creativity flowing.
Mix it Up – set your regular materials aside, change up your subject matter or style, and try something entirely new. If doing this on a canvas or panel is intimidating, then just open a sketchbook and have at it. What you are creating this time around isn't meant to be a masterpiece of anything except experimentation, so take the pressure off and just enjoy. (Pictured above is The Princess and a handful of finger puppets we made using paper mache and tissue.)
Break your routine – I am such a creature of habit, that even my thought processes follow similar paths after a period of time. It always helps for me to break up my routine – as simple as walking a different route with the dog each morning. Listening to NPR or an audio book instead of music while I paint is another switch-up.
Soak Your Senses – visiting a gallery or museum is a start, but there's a multitude of other stimulating experiences that will boost your creative spirit. Enjoy a fabulous meal (either dine out of cook something new at home), listen to live music (many communities offer free outdoor performances during warmer seasons), go for a walk, visit a park and soak up the beauty of Mother Nature - you get the idea, right?
Pay It Forward – feed your soul with volunteer efforts. Senior centers, libraries, community centers, food banks, schools, and animal shelters are just some of the places that will welcome your time and talents.
An Unexpected Gift – surprise someone with an entirely unexpected gift. A heartfelt letter, a plate of warm cookies, a potted plant left on a neighbor's porch, a bauble or trinket found at a flea market, or even a book chosen especially for the reader. This works even better if you do it anonymously – the secret fills your heart with joy and will bleed into other areas of your life.
Pamper Yourself – you know best what you enjoy the utmost. A long bath? An afternoon of silence? Time spent gardening? Whatever it is, make it happen for yourself, guilt free.
Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork and musings with your friends and family.
Kim
TWITTER: ksantini
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READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.

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