“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Picasso
I am both excited and nervous to post my first blog-post! Here we go! I have decided to use the blog to display current artwork, programs and events happening at Art InDeed and with our partners and clients. It is also to keep you updated with future projects and programs. It is also for inspiring conversation and of course CREATION and CREATIVITY! The blog is called “Day by Danah – Inspiration Blog” hence the desire to express what is invigorating and moving you or me! Also, we can discover what might be dull, or de-energizing for you - these things are important to explore as well but let’s stick with creativity today. We’ll see how this blog comes to life – I am looking forward to it. For today I’d like to share with you the creativity and imagination of children! See below the photos. I’d like to leave you with a few quotes by the greatest and most prolific creator-artist of all time: Picasso….and a small reflection that I wrote on what it means to me, about being creative or being and artist.
This is what Picasso said:
“It took me four years to paint like Rapheal but a lifetime to paint like a child.” Picasso
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Picasso
Danah’s reflection: As an artist, I believe being an artist is about being child-like and vulnerable. It is about creating a space within oneself and outside oneself to feel free. It is about honesty, authenticity, playfulness and being in-the-moment. It is about seeing what is real – not what you “think” is real. It is about imagination and colour and patterns and rhythms. It is about courage, focus and wildness. It is about instinct – intuition, thought, and inspiration. It is about being open and closed and love and fear and everything in between!! It is an enormous risk. It is about being a rebel in your own way.
Art InDeed this Summer:
This summer Art InDeed is partnered with Maryvale and Whole Note Music Therapy. We are offering services as part of Maryvale’s ”Summer Recreation Program” and Whole Note Music Therapy’s “Therapy Express.” The programs are going great. The kids are having a terrific time creating away! Here are a few photos below.
This is a photo from The Therapy Express Program. The kids have created with paints and clay – trying a variety of techniques like printing, sculpting, mask-making and even art with bubbles. The kids are encouraged to experience the feeling of the new materials, play in the process and feel great about their finished art masterpiece!
The photos below are artwork created by the kids at Maryvale. This year “theme” weeks have been organized and art projects and material have been chosen to fit each themed week. To name a few, nature week, space week, recycle week, multicultural week, water week, time warp week are all part of the creative program. During art sessions at Maryvale the kids are encouraged to express themselves freely, using imagination and emotion to bring to life original and personal art using a variety of materials. The first photo is of the ”Talking Sticks,” the second is nature and clay sculptures, the third and fourth are nature and recyled-item sculptures and the last photo is of paper-mache “Expressive Masks.” We are moving into the last few weeks of the program. A Drumming Circle and a Labyrinth Walk will be the special features of next weeks program – stay tuned for more photos and inspiration!
Congradulations on all your hard work. I remember when you first started out with art-indeed and how much potential you and your work could have. 4 years later, you have grown into a dynamic and unique business which will continue to grow and succeed each year. You have inspired and touched many lives. Keep up the great work!
Dear Danah,
I just read your blog postings and I loved them both personally and as an example of the work you do with the kids. It is truly inspiring! The kids and these organizations are lucky to have you.
Marcela