When I was teaching I used to take my students to the World Ice Art Championships every year. Once I started writing full-time the ice carving displays slipped from my mind until this year when I decided to head down to the River to check them out. Experts come from all over the world to carve. They work with 3 foot by 5 foot by 8 foot blocks of ice that weigh about 10,000 pounds cut from local ponds .
These days I put most of my creative energy into writing. But in the recent past I’ve done some basket-making
and canoe building.
Both of these projects resulted from grants I’d written for a summer program that my former employer runs for at risk children. I was able to hire a local expert who worked with me to see these projects through to completion. I was fortunate that the school I worked for was very supportive of special projects, and I was able to create some projects that both engaged the students and fed my own creativity.
When I was doing those projects I wasn’t doing a lot of writing but I’m sure they helped my writing, especially the canoe building because it pushed me into new territory, showed me I could do something that I’d never done before. We did lots of problem solving as we encountered difficulties we hadn’t anticipated, kind of like writing a novel. For a while, every time we tried to bend the ribs in place they’d break.
I used to scrapbook, but it’s so dang expensive. I really do need a hobby outside of writing. I’ll be thinking about this.
Thanks, Susan. I hope you find something.
Wow! Building a canoe would be totally awesome- we just bought one and are so excited to take it out this summer.
I paint. Not very well, but there’s something about acrylics and canvas that are excellent stress-reducers. And I love to garden. And scrapbook.
Stephanie, I hope you have a blast with that canoe!
Amazing pictures, Paul! I think it’s cool that you can be creative apart from writing.
No, unfortunately, writing is the creative pursuit taking up most of my time now. But I’d love time for other things!
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Thanks, Elizabeth. Right now it is writing for me too. And I love it. When I was teaching I was fortunate that my workplace was receptive to alternative projects.
Gardening. Sometimes I think it is lucky I can only do it half the year here, because it can feel like a chore too. Cooking too. same deal. I love it yet it easily becomes a chore. (But it literally does feed us.) I clearly don’t do enough just for fun! And exercise, for sure an outlet of sorts.
How do you feel like those projects fed you? Did they help with your writing?
Tina, you always ask the greatest questions. Thank you. When I was doing those projects I wasn’t doing a lot of writing but I’m sure they helped my writing, especially the canoe building because it pushed me into new territory, showed me I could do something that I’d never done before. We did lots of problem solving as we encountered difficulties we hadn’t anticipated, kind of like writing a novel. For a while, every time we tried to bend the ribs in place they’d break.
We also have a big garden which I hope to do a post on soon.
You are really creative! Before I started writing, I made small quilts and any other craft I could try my hand at. But once I started writing for real, my time goes there. The canoe is awesome!
Thanks, Terri. I feel to have taken part in the canoe building.
That canoe sounds like an awesome metaphor! And beautiful!
Thanks for coaxing that metaphor out. I’ve added it to the main post.
Heyya Paul! How’s everything? I hope the writing is going good. Mine is. I really needed this time. I’m coming back though. Soon. April 26th. Can’t wait.
The canoe is so SWEET! Me being an ol’ Florida girl have ridden in more air-boats, ski boats and fishing boats than canoes, but I would love to have one here in NC..
And those ice sculptures are lovely. =)
For me, my horses, of course. My garden.
And I want to do a lot of things. After I’m done home-schooling I want to learn to knit. I just really want to. Don’t know why. Oh and basket weaving too. That really looks cool. Great post. =)
Thanks, Robyn. Sounds like you are bursting with more potential creative outlets. I hope you get to try a few of them out soon.
Okay–this sounds so old lady of me, but I love to crochet. I actually taught myself when I was working with at risk kids too–abused teenage girls. And then I taught them, and it was a wonderful thing, for them to be able to create something so concrete with their hands. And yarn is relatively inexpensive, and would occupy them when they had down time… And they were so proud of their finished products–these kids that most people had washed their hands of…
I also love to take photos, although I have put away my fancy SLR camera so it doesn’t get broken while my kids are young. It’s been a really long time (ten years maybe) since I’ve been in the dark room. And I like to garden too, but I’m not terribly good at it. 🙂
Heather, that crochet project sounds amazing. What a great skill to teach those girls. It’s something they’ll have forever.
I find I think clearer when I do creative, physical projects. That’s why I enjoy gardening and crocheting. Both have a repetitiveness I love.
Jill, I found the repetitiveness of parts of the basketmaking to be meditative in that way. Thanks.
Lovely ice sculptures, Paul. And you are so right about all you do contributing to your writing.
Thanks, C. Lee. I’m always amazed when I see the ice sculptures.
I don’t think creativity is limited to one outlet, although when we find something we especially like and we’re good at we tend to stick to that one thing. I think my writing is enhanced and stimulated by other forms of creativity.
In addition to my writing I enjoy oil painting, photography, gardening, and music among other things. I scrapbook when the pile of photos can’t be ignored. I used to knit and crochet, but only a little bit. Neither were favourite occupations and when arthritis began bothering my hands I figured that was a good excuse to stop. I love the outdoors although, except for gardening and walking, my only real outdoor pursuit is camping.
Those ice sculptures are exquisite! Somebody was very talented there.
Hi, Carol. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your great list of creative projects. It is a reminder to me keep trying new things.
And yes, the carvers that converge in Fairbanks from all over the world are very talented!
I love your idea to get grants for worthwhile projects that also happened to feed your own creativity. Smart man!
I recall a few years ago at a not so great time in my life taking on a couple of furniture restoration projects that involved stripping down a couple of pieces of older furniture and refinishing. It was tedious work in some ways, but it also sparked my creativity and had me writing stories in my head. Though, maybe the fumes had something to do with that!
Alissa, I felt pretty fortunate that I was able to do those projects via my teaching job. We also did a furniture project one year. We cut down thin spruce trees and made pole furniture, but any staining we did happened outside so we didn’t have the fumes:-)
Those ice sculptures are AMAZING! OUtside creative interests of mine…Hmm….I crossstich tapestries – the more complex the better, I am into home design (decor, really) and I used to fashion design.
Hi, Christine. Glad you enjoyed the ice sculptures. Those were just two of many. I bet you make some beautiful tapestries, complex, just like good novels. Thanks!
Do you think you might tread those experiences into future novels? Have a character who needs to build a canoe or something? You have such amazing resources and experiences up where you are. It makes for fun novel fodder, I bet.
and .. my only other creative outlet is music composition. I’m not super great at it, but it is something that brings me joy.
Thanks, Tess. And yes, some of these experiences do inspire ideas for stories.
Music composition sounds challenging. I bet you tap into some great creative energy.
I used to paint and sketch. I haven’t done those activities in a while since I’ve been writing more. But they did teach me that I was able to create something and use my imagination.
Medeia, it is really neat to look back and see things we did that helped to develop our writer-selves. Thanks!
That’s cool. I’ve met a couple people that have built canoes. Looks hard. I also teach at church, so some of my creative energies goes toward planning for them.
Laura, teaching is definitely a creative process. And yes, the canoe building project was challenging. We had to find the right kind of trees to cut down, ones that didn’t have much bend to them. I think that’s initially why the ribs kept breaking.
Those ice sculptures are stunning. I’d love to try that. I have done jewelry (lost wax method) making, watercolor and stained glass. Currently I do some photography but miss making visual art. I think I might like to do some collage.
Making a canoe must be really satisfying–to create something that can be used.
Tricia, I love the photos you post on your blog! And building the canoe was satisfying. I couldn’t have done it without my friend Larry in the photo above. He was the expert.
I’m feeling lopsided, I just write. I love writing. I hate taking time away from writing… I keep wanting to get my Spanish back, but that’s not creative in the same way.
Wait – I make films. I write the scripts & produce. But I’ve started a nonprofit around the films, so it feels more businessy than creative.
I think you’re right. I think we need an outlet that works in a different part of the brain.
Now I’m thinking about what to try…
Robert, it sounds like your life is bursting with creative projects!
Very cool! When I was working in Nenana for a musher, he took me to see ice scuptures somewhere nearby. They were amazing. I can’t imagine having the skill to do it!
Or to build a canoe – though I’ve spent enough time in one!
I have so many hobbies that I don’t have enough time for ’cause work always gets in the way! But I sometimes fiddle with jewelry making, card making, scrapbooking, and guitar.
Terry, I’ll bet all those hobbies feed your writing, especially all of your adventures. I’m guessing you’ve been in some situations where you had to get creative:-)
What a great post! I love to dance, compose music, creatively alter clothes… I went through a phase when we were redecorating our house and I discovered how to renovate furniture. And I also love to ride horses. Perhaps that’s not creative, but tuning into their way of seeing the world is a total release.
Roz, glad you enjoyed the post. Sounds like your life is full of creativity. Just reading your comment makes me think about our lives and how they are each a work of art in their own right. Thanks!
Hey Paul!
LOVE ice sculptures. They are magic. Canoes? Now that’s something new. A lot of writers I know stoke their writing by knitting. I admire their ability to knit all sorts of socks, mittens, scarves and booties. As for me, I like to bake bread (and brownies, which unfortunately I will eat. I haven’t baked any in some time for this very reason). It’s soothing to bring the dough together, patiently wait for it to rise, and allow it to fill the house with that lovely bread smell.
Suddenly, I’m very hungry! LOL!
– Julie
Julie, your comment is making me hungry too. Brownies-I bake those too-don’t last very long in our house.
And yes, those ice sculptures are pretty magical, whole stories inside them. At night they light them up and they take on whole new lives.
Another benefit to hobbies (creative or not) is they make us more well-rounded people. I heard a couple people in NY (speakers at the SCBWI conference) saying we all need some nonfiction hobbies and real lives outside of writing. Not only will they make us more balanced, but we’ll have real life stuff to write about. Thus, we’ll be better writers. It seems obvious, but it’s easy to forget–especially since writing can be all-consuming. I’ve noticed as my writing time has increased, my other hobbies have decreased.
So true, Dawn. Everything in our lives can potentially feed our writing. Maybe if we remembered that, then we’d keep those other creative outlets open…something I’m going to think about. Thanks!
Hi, Paul. I’m back to tell you that a blog award is waiting for you at my blog.
Thanks, Medeia.
Amazing structures throughout this post.
Creative outlets…hm, you’d best ask Tina Lee and Heather Kelly about that.
Thanks, Jon.