Creative Practices for the Winter Doldrums
A new series coming soon!
Happy New Year, friends. If it has not been happy, keep reading.
If you are new around here, you may not know that one of my favorite parts of the last few years has been running a course about creativity called Art Camp for Grown-Ups.
A big part of why I created the course was the amount of times I heard:
“I wish I was creative like you—I’m just not!”
“Every time I try to make something, I hate it. All I can see is what’s wrong.”
“I’m so exhausted, I don’t have time to play.”
“I want to have a more creative life, but I don’t know where to start.”
And so the course was born, with an open invitation to anyone willing to explore and dream and imagine—no pressure on the product or skill. Maybe the word delight sounds like overkill, but it has been a delight to see people come alive as they’ve let themselves play and experiment with all kinds of creative outlets.
I’ve loved watching each person’s eyes light up as they tell me about picking up the guitar again, or dancing in the kitchen, or building fairy houses for the sheer enjoyment of it. For a moment, that grown-up gets to be a kid again—enchanted by the world and its possibilities.
In an unexpected twist, I’ve also been able to develop the content for business settings. I’ve worked with companies like Google to facilitate team-building workshops focused on creativity and self-care. If you are looking for a fresh take on a work event, there’s more info here. I’d love to brainstorm an event for you!
Over the years, I’ve had a lot of people ask about a mini version of Art Camp, wanting to explore a bit more but not having time for the whole endeavor. And so, I’m happy to introduce…
What is it?
Your very own mini (and free!) creative reset, designed with the winter season in mind, especially if you find yourself in the doldrums. (Isn’t doldrums such a good word? I feel like we don’t use it enough in everyday conversation.)
All right, the doldrums, yes. But what is it?
Every Tuesday for 5 weeks, you’ll get an email with a prompt to follow.
Then you’ll…
Pick one question and practice to try each week.
Who’s it for?
It’s for anyone open to a little adventure, reflection, and exploration, who wants to mix things up a bit and find some new life. You don’t have to consider yourself an artist or have any special skills or equipment to participate.
Is this some kind of intense resolution thing I will fail and feel horrible about?
Nope. For those of you who love an Xtreme challenge or a boot camp situation, I am not your girl. There is a time and a place for Xtreme, but a creative practice in January is neither. We’re going for an “Easy does it, everyone walk in slowly and be cool,” philosophy, trying to respect the pace of the season and coax creativity out of hiding. You can do it even if you have one hour a week, promise.
Well giddy-up! I want in, Jackie!
Great! The first post will come next Tuesday. To get the posts, make sure you are subscribed here:
(This is a free series, but if you want to support my work as I try to make it as a writer in this mad, mad world, you can upgrade to paid.)
Adventures are always more fun with friends. This is a great process to go through in pairs or groups. Who in your life would love this?
Share this post and invite them along.
A Note on my Creative Endeavors:
The Red Dress Project documentary and photographs had a lovely debut at an art show in December. If you missed it, you can read more about the project here or here. I was surprised at how beautiful it was to experience the film with a group—to hear people laugh and cry, to share what resonated with them about the story.
The curator of the show highlighted the phrase from the film—“this project is about not letting despair have the last word,” and I’m carrying those words with me into this year.
I can’t share the film publicly yet, since it is going to be submitted to the festival circuit (how fun is that?), but I’ll be sure to share the link when I can.
Drop me a note: I’d love to hear from you! Let me know how winter’s going in your neck of the woods. Drop a note in the comments or find me on Instagram: @jackieknapp_