Sharing artistic and spiritual experiences; enhancing the holistic journey. Trail running to the next plein air location. Home to the Why Not? What If Podcast.
Join the 30 day creative challenge (time period is up to you) and create anything in five minutes or less. Post here or to your favorite platform using #5minsartslice Science has proven that creativity is good for the brain. Create something!
Today's 5 Mins Art Slice. "Beards." Aluminum wire, button, Bighorn Sheep fur, canvas,
Saturday's July 28, 2018 5 Mins Art Slice. "Two Heads, One Kidney. Printer's ink on canvas."
Sunday's July 29, 2018 5 Mins Art Slice. "No Waste Materials Art."
Practice, practice practice. Challenge, challenge, challenge.
Welcome to the Five Minutes or Less Art Challenge! Create anything in five minutes or less per day for thirty days and post to you social media platform of choice using #5minsartslice.
Did you know that school doors have been the cause of hundreds of student deaths as they intermittently and unpredictably fall off their hinges shattering student's skulls? Architects and builders of schools have also witnessed exploding hinge screws that have penetrated and shattered flesh and bones. A sober Texas Governor Abbott and more than realistic Lt. Governor Patrick were shocked and surprised to learn of the deadly doors and were quoted as sayin, "Gee, we thought guns were the problem. Whew! Thank GOD, we almost missed the elephant in the room!""
To Think Divergently It's Critical to Think (And Play) Like A Child.
"How so?" You might ask. Have you ever taken notice of children riding a bus or a train? They're the ones with their faces pressed against the windows looking out in awe and wonderment at the world passing before their eyes. They're dreaming. Creating and innovating without any of the criticism that we adults have learned over the years. Criticism and self-doubt that at times stunts or prevents us from thinking divergently.
Kids know how to play. They have wonderful imaginations and if you're a parent, hopefully you are nourishing those imaginations. So, it makes sense that as adults when we 'play' the various parts of our brains associated with creativity come into (sorry for the pun) play.
Play can come in many forms and most involve some sort of body movement. Play is a form of exercise and when we exercise we effect how creativity works in the brain. There is a slew of conclusive evidence on the positive effects of exercise readily available for your review. I have my own evidence (non-empirical) for those of you who might be interested in learning about my personal experiences.
So if play is so important to divergent and creative thinking, why aren't we doing more of it in the workplace? If you live and work in North America most likely your work environment and work culture supports working long hours with infrequent breaks and very little 'play' time. Yes, a certain amount of pressure and stress are valuable when looking to innovate but too much causes paralysis and burnout. (See the Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 28, February 2017.) Americans work very hard but, how efficient, effective, and productive we are, is a question for another post. Playing, having fun does not mean that you are not working. Being childlike is very different than being childish.
So before you start your next meeting, try some simple play activities such as stretching, drawing on whiteboards, laughing, clapping, running in place or, better yet, whenever possible, take your meeting outside and walk, talk, and create solutions using your childlike sense of fun and adventure
I would love to hear your experiences, ideas, and approach to thinking creatively. Now, get back to work.
Ornithologists have been telling us for decades what we can learn from paying close attention to birds. It’s a no-brainer that modern aviation was designed around bird anatomy and their aeronautical expertise. Bird lovers and researchers alike propound for example, that we can learn from birds on how to lead, survive, overcome obstacles and create lasting relationships. One species in particular, the Say’s Phoebe has provided classes in life lessons during this year’s spring migration season impressing me with their fortitude, building expertise, determination and ceaseless protection for each other and their families. What follows are examples of what I have witnessed this spring with the return of two-feathered friends.
Fortitude. Before flying 2,000 miles from South America to our home in northern New Mexico, these small but courageous winged creatures make a love connection mid-flight giving speed dating a new meaning. Upon their arrival the male takes his new love on a house hunting adventure showing her the best locales suitable for their home building project. They aren't much affected by humans and will build their nests on or near houses and business structures but the female has the final say of where the first piece of straw or grass will be placed. The couple who chose our house as their nesting place this spring have returned three years running. (Some pairs have been known to return to the same nesting place for five consecutive years.)
Building Expertise/Project Management. The construction of this year’s nest began with a flurry atop a sloping air vent. Flying back and forth, mama Phoebe brought beaks full of straw, grass, and feathers, which became the nest’s foundation. After a few days, we laid out various colors of thread and fabric for the lovebirds that were quickly incorporated into their now cupped shaped home. At week’s end the solid looking nest was ready for use. The proud and ambitious parents set out to consume as much protein as they could in preparation for the hatch.
Determination. It’s been said, and recent research has shown, that grit and determination is a better indicator of success than intelligence. This is surely the case when it comes to the Say’s Phoebe however, they have displayed some pretty incredible behaviors that some would consider very smart. Take for example the mother’s defensive actions. Upon opening a door nearby the nest she would take the focus away from the nest by flying about twenty-five out where she keeps a careful eye on her eggs and me. If, I approach the nest at to close a range, she’ll attack. Very clever. What’s more impressive is, when I do manage to shoo her further away from the nest when needed, she’ll fly around to another side of the house where she can’t see me. When she hears the nearby door close, she returns to her young. That’s learned behavior!
Shortly after the nest was completed the weather turned foul and a powerful windstorm swept through the Rio Grande Gorge Valley. Tumbleweeds pressed up against our front door, pine trees scraped the outer walls of our house and worse; the nest was blown to the ground where it lay torn horizontally in half. Two dime-sized eggs lay splattered on the paving stones. We were heartbroken not so much for ourselves but for the hardworking expectant parents. Our sadness we imagined, was nothing compared to what the Say’s Phoebes must have felt as they flew nearby searching and calling for their unborn offspring. Days went by with the nest on the ground, now wedged between a wall and rose bush - the aggrieved parents continuing their cries of abandonment.
Rebuilding. After considering for several days whether or not to interfere with Mother Nature, I decided to put the bottom half of the destroyed nest back into its original place and then waited to see if the parents would rebuild. Twenty-four hours later our determined friends were back applying their constructions skills and this time around, tightening the nest’s weave and raising its height to meet our home’s eaves. Again, to me, this is learned behavior that has consequences on build materials and design which, affects survival.
Their determination reminded me of my heroine Pi in the novel, Birds Like Us, The Pi Phillecroix Story who demonstrates immense courage and determination when she walks from Paris to the shores of the UK trying to save her father’s life. (I wrote the novel prior to having any knowledge of, or experience with Say’s Phoebes.)
I haven’t wanted to cause stress to the birds anymore than they have already experienced so, I have not disturbed the nest to see how many eggs have been laid. Based on the parent’s behavior I suspect that we will be hearing the chirps of newborn chicks any day now. Imagine what we could accomplish if we employed the lessons learned from our determined, passionate and effective engineering avian friends.
