A 61 day creative practice - ICAD Day 1

 

I knew I had been saving those Index cards for a good reason - if only I could remember where I'd 'safely' stored them! 

Sometimes we need a prompt to kick start our creativity or remind us that it's a simple practice that needn't take much effort, expensive supplies or be something worthy of an art gallery!

The nudge that came from the Universe (or rather my friend Marie Goodwyn) was ICAD! An Index Card a Day throughout June and July - nothing fancy and entirely up to the individual what they create. 

Now here was an opportunity to get stuck in and sticky, to pull out all those scraps of paper, threads, feathers, buttons and bows and put them .... well, somewhere else! Yes, no need to throw anything away that has been gathering dust for years - just repurpose into art!

So, for the past couple of weeks I have been doing just that. I thought it might be fun to push myself with random prompts garnered from opening the first book that came to hand that day and finding a word or phrase to give me pause for thought and open my creative mind.

Day 1 - Timeless Texture. 

I confess not much thought went into this. I even found a somewhat obvious image of a clock. I think I was just too excited to start. First to be grabbed was some sandpaper which led eventually to glitter. Now that is timeless. Who doesn't love a bright shiny thing? Is ICAD a bright shiny? Will it continue to fascinate for the next 61 days? Now that is the question!

Nature's lessons

If I didn't have dogs there's no way I would be out in cold, damp early mornings or the dark chill of a winter's afternoon.

I would be hunkered down in the warmth and probably not even particularly interested in what was going on outside of the window.

But now though you'll find me wrapped in layers, trudging through the mud and putting up with the icicles forming on the end of my nose.

As well as the obvious enjoyment of being out with my pups and revelling in their joy at being alive, I have come to develop a renewed appreciation of all that Mother Nature offers us, whatever the season.

Having previously dismissed winter as providing little in the way of natural interest unless Mr Jack Frost had been out waving his frozen fingers of magic across the landscape or we'd had a dump of fresh snow, I have learned to notice and appreciate the little nuances as we make our slow shift through the seasons.

Take yesterday for example, I spotted this thick covering of lichen on an oak branch. The colours and textures striking brightly against the foggy backdrop. It set me exploring - a mini adventure among the boughs as I hunted for more to be captured by my camera.

There are always a few brown leaves hanging around at this time of year - reluctant to drop to earth and become mush and mulch. I admire their audacity to rebel against everything that the season throws at them, clinging on through wind, rain and frozen temperatures as if they feel the need to retain their owner's identity - to shout out - "look at me - I'm an oak tree!"

Look closer and you'll find all manner of textural treats and shapes on something as simple as a leaf. Tiny holes with which to peek through or small galls. Every leaf seems to have its own story to tell just as each walk proves to be a new adventure. 

Where will you go today?