I remember being incredibly aware at 10 years old how lucky I was. On weekend, holiday, and summer mornings, I’d wake up and think through the exciting array of play options in front of me. There were all kinds of toys, games, dolls, costumes, as well as accoutrements for playing school, detective, and office. My…
Creativity
The Frozen Sea Inside Us
“We need the books that affect us like disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us.” ~ Franz Kafka The first time I read Kafka’s…
Wabi-sabi
In 1960, my dad opened a retail shop on Highlands’ Main Street that was a complete reflection of his deep love of and respect for Asian culture, artifacts, and art. His shop, the Stone Lantern, is filled with treasures from overseas, and each item has a story that reveals when and where it was made,…
Overcoming Resistance
The blank page — the beginning of any creative project — tends to usher forth dark thoughts about our abilities, our talent, our vision, and our inventiveness. Even though we may have started and completed hundreds and hundreds of projects, or written thousands and thousands of words, the panicky challenge of getting going remains as…
Voice & Vulnerability
“[S]hame is really easily understood as the fear of disconnection: Is there something about me that, if other people know it or see it, that I won’t be worthy of connection? The things I can tell you about it: It’s universal; we all have it. The only people who don’t experience shame have no capacity…
Sketching to See
It had been a typical day of my being on the phone nearly nonstop, negotiating deals and working with real estate clients. By the time I arrived at The Bascom art campus, I felt as if my brain was glowing (and not in a good way). I walked inside the building and inhaled the art…
