Starting this Friday evening at 5 pm Central, you can virtually visit Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association’s Art-a-Whirl® online. I am gearing up for it by adding items to my online shop that have previously only been for sale at events, and diligently working on developing a new hemp blouse for pre-order. And because I won’t be tied to my own booth, I might even be able to do some of my own virtual exploration.
But I wanted to spend some time acknowledging what we are all experiencing during this pandemic as well as the role of creativity and the arts. In my own circles I have been noticing that many people are hitting a slump of some kind: this feels too long, they are lonely, angry or frustrated. Working moms are being hit hard with having to do too much. Some women are fearful of this causing a greater gender divide. Parents of teens who are struggling with mental health issues are feeling powerless. Everyone is experiencing this differently, and yet no one person’s reaction is unique. In other words, you are not alone.
Doing something, anything, is a useful antidote to depression, and connection the antithesis to isolation. Continuing with this event has been important to me. Getting into a routine of work time for me before helping the kids with school time, and then setting aside 2 hours in the evening for creative time has been a deal changer for me. My need to create feels like my need to breathe. Luckily, creativity comes in many forms. My creativity has been infectious to my son, who now in the evenings likes to do a little drawing or story writing (including poetry about poo) which has been a real milestone: I’ve been trying very hard to encourage hobbies that don’t involve a screen and can be done anywhere, anytime. Being an introvert, it has been hard for me to understand why this is not just automatic. But I have two extroverted kids.
So, my ask of you all is to connect with me this weekend. Via social media, text or call. Let me know how you are doing. Share your creative experiences. And let’s all see what we are all working on.
“See you” next weekend. May 15-17th.
With love, Daphne
