Happy November - Join me in celebrating Art Every Day Month.

[Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke]

Six-Word Memoir on Collage: Creative Smith Farm Artist-in-Residence





Today marks the first day of November and the beginning of my Art Every Day Month participation (http://www.creativeeveryday.com/). For the next thirty days I will post artwork (collages are my current favorites) and six-word memoirs (my latest literary obsession) on my blog. What fun! Maybe you will consider joining me in this journey. If so, leave a comment with your blog or web site address. I would love to visit your blog or site to see what you are doing.

If you are looking for other ways to honor Art Every Day Month, perhaps you will be inspired to do one of the following thirty creative things:

1) create your own artwork

2) write a six-word memoir (http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords)

3) read and recite poetry

4) write your senator or congressperson about increasing public funding for the arts

5) visit a museum or art gallery (my current favorite is The Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts - http://www.smithfarm.com/)

6) get intimate with a good book maybe one about art from a different country or period in history

7) listen to a literary or art radio show and podcast (my favorites are Civil Arts Radio hosted by fine artist Milton Bowens - http://www.civilartsradio.com,, Sistah Confessions - www.blogtalkradio.com/SistahConfessions, and Black Author Network - www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network)

8) start your own creativity radio show or podcast on http://www.talkshoe.com/, http://www.blogtalkradio.com/, http://www.gabcast.com/, or http://www.gcast.com/ (my favorites are Talkshoe, Gabcast, and Gcast)

9) check out a creative blog (my favorites are http://faithringgold.blogspot.com/, http://www.planetsark.com/, http://www.creativeeveryday.com/, http://claudinehellmuth.blogspot.com/, www.carlagirl.net/photos.html, http://blackandtanfantasy.blogspot.com/, http://blackthreads.blogspot.com/, http://sistahstitchalot.blogspot.com/, http://queen-of-arts.blogspot.com/, http://blog.unfoldingyourlifevision.com/, and http://monroeanderson.typepad.com/joyce_owens_on_art)

10) sign up for your own blog and post your artwork or writing (check out http://www.typepad.com/, http://www.wordpress.com/ or http://www.blogger.com/)

11) discover a creative social networking site and connect with other creative folks (my favorites are http://guerillaarts.ning.com, http://blackauthors.ning.com/, http://blackwriters.ning.com/, http://www.liberatedmuse.com/, http://www.sojournals.com/, http://creativesdc.ning.com/, http://madalenalobaotellosnetwork2.ning.com/, http://aestheticacension.ning.com/, http://www.redroom.com/, and http://indiepublic.ning.com/)

12) use social media to share your creativity with others (my favorites are http://www.youtube.com/, http://www.flckr.com/, http://www.twitter.com/, http://www.utterli.com/, http://www.addthis.com/, http://www.facebook.com/, http://www.myspace.com/)

13) attend a spoken word event (my favorite spots in DC are Mocha Hut - http://www.mochahut.com/ - and Busboys and Poets - http://www.busboysandpoets.com/)

14) become familiar with the audio recordings of spoken word artists (my favorites are Toni Blackman - http://www.toniblackman.com/, Tim'm West - http://www.reddirt.biz/, HKB FiNN - http://www.hkbfinn.com/, JaHipster - www.myspace.com/jahipster, J.Scales - www.myspace.com/jscalesonbass, and Mahoganee - http://www.divamilitia.com/)

15) use colors and your own style in how you dress

16) cook and/or eat colorful food that appeals to you

17) pick a rainbow of hues in flowers and bring them home for your viewing pleasure

18) take friends to a book reading or artist talk

19) leave your house and go dancing at an indie music artist or group's concert (my favorites are Eric Roberson - http://www.ericrobersonmusic.com/, Julie Dexter - http://www.juliedexter.com/, and Fertile Ground - http://www.blackoutstudios.com/)

20) explore an art or literary magazine (my favorites are http://thebacklist.net/, http://www.mosaicmagazine.org/, http://www.bibookreview.com/, and http://www.natcreole.com/)

21) purchase a piece of art, jewelry, music/spoken word CD, or book from an indie artist and author

22) volunteer time or donate money to an arts organization (my current favorites are the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, DC - http://www.cultural-alliance.org/, Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts - http://www.smithfarm.com/ and The Saartjie Project - http://www.thesaartjieproject.org/)

23) join an arts organization (my favorites are the Women's Caucus for Art - http://www.nationalwca.org/ - I joined in 1995 and remained a member until around 2001 or 2002, Society for the Arts in Healthcare - have been a member on and off for the past five years - http://www.thesah.org/, and National League of American Pen Women - http://www.americanpenwomen.org/)

24) give your artwork and/or share your creative gifts without a fee attached to a local organization that meets the needs of underserved communities (my favorite is The Women's Collective in DC - http://www.womenscollective.org/)

25) find an arts-related Meetup group (http://www.meetup.com/) in your local community

26) start or participate in a book club

27) eat a meal in your home using colorful plates, cutlery, cups, or napkins

28) spend time in your journal with colored pens or crayons

29) call a family member or friend and ask them what their favorite creative expressions are

30) take a nap and dream in color


Art Every Day Month (http://www.creativeeveryday.com/) was established by artist Leah Piken Kolidas (http://www.bluetreeartgallery.com/) six years ago to promote the daily practice of creative expression. It reminds me of my recent experience of posting a poem per day during National Poetry Month in April. Writing a poem per day turned into a meditation practice for me. Perhaps it will happen during the next thirty days of posting artwork and six-word memoirs.

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your weekend!

Peace and Creativity,

Ananda

[Afrika Midnight Asha Abney]

Greetings,

Likewise. Nice post.

Peace,
Afrika Midnight Asha Abney