Out and about

 Autumn has started here and we made a hike through the woods to enjoy the crisp air, and to have a look for mushrooms. It has been a dry summer, a wet September, and still quite warm. So when will the mushrooms appear?

And yes, they are popping up slowly now (two weeks ago there was nothing). We saw some beautiful Porcini mushrooms, and a bright yellow one of which I do not know the name. Let's see how this season will be.

I took this photo below for the shape of the tree, as a reference or reminder to just draw its shape at home at my desk.

Sketchbook moments

 Another page in my sketchbook, on the right you see some carpet designs. Just for the fun of it! I start with some paint on paper and then turn them into a carpet. Endless possibilities of course...

If you have any joy in using your creativity, it may be drawing, writing, poems or just some super ideas/solutions, I encourage you to start a sketch-notebook and just write/draw everything down. This will help you to find focus, to develop, and fuel your creativity. It may never be used as a creative endproduct, but creative thinking is necessary in this world, in your work, in social interaction, in politics etc.

Have a nice week!

Scribbles

 Found some time for scribbles in my sketchbook. I saved a picture of peppers from a magazine, and I drew them with a calligraphy marker in this composition. I then coloured them with my vintage caran d' ache pencils :). It makes a nice page in the sketchbook.

I am growing my own peppers as well, and they now finally seem to produce. So I have got a plant full of spicy peppers.

The art of a creative life

Recently I read this book:

 It was recommended in the magazine Mashtag, a company by Maaike who coaches creative businesses. I liked the book, Elizabeth Gilbert identifies creativity in your life and writes about the value of it. She sees it as an ever-existing idea of creativity which you should grab when it comes along. 

Be available to be creative... but do not overvalue it, do not think that every creative act is gonna win you the lottery, or give you the best idea ever. It may be part of a process, of a step you take.

So yes, I would recommend it. It makes you think on your own connection to creativity, your expectations and your availability.

Cafe walls

We took a day off and went to a small fisher village called Volendam. It is known for its fisherboats, the musicians and traditional costume. But it has also been an inspiration for artists, which was shown in the cafe where we took a break from the blazing hot sun. The walls were filled with paintings and art. 

I know these cafes from France where the famous artists paid their bills in the form of paintings which resulted in beautiful walls. I had never seen it in the Netherlands though. It is also interesting because the fishermen all along the lake used to decorate their houses a lot: bright colour combinations, paintings on wooden boxes, art. It seems appropriate that there should be such a cafe. And they served a nice beer ;)... The name of the cafe is a strange one: Bappie Pietje and can be found in the harbour of Volendam.