so•journ vb : to dwell in a place temporarily
— Chris Dunmire, 2005

I Know what You're Thinking Posted Apr-28-2005
"Scientists Say Everyone Can Read Minds" proclaims the headline to an article by Ker Than on the Live Science Web site. The article initially caught my attention on the Yahoo! news blotter, and since I realized April Fool's Day is long gone, was quite intrigued.

The article begins:

Empathy allows us to feel the emotions of others, to identify and understand their feelings and motives and see things from their perspective. How we generate empathy remains a subject of intense debate in cognitive science. ... Some scientists now believe they may have finally discovered its root.

Learn what that root is. ...

Introducing the Mirecle 33 Creativity Patch Posted Apr-23-2005
What Creatives Crave
It's totally here. Our progressive times allow you to sport a patch on your body to maintain your hormone levels, curb your appetite(s), and cover your boo-boos. Now, thanks to Dunmire Labs, there's no good reason you can't have a slow, steady stream of creativity delivered into your system through the Mirecle33 Creativity Patch. ...

Expression vs. Offension Posted Apr-20-2005
Publishing a pretty neutral Web doesn't exclude it from having something that will offend somebody somewhere sometime. This is especially true when you're encouraging personal expression for its creative and therapeutic aspects through art and writing. The byproducts of exploration and healing aren't always pleasant to 'look at' to an outsider, but that's neither the purpose, nor the point.

What is art? Why is it sometimes controversial? What is the artist's intent? Why do some artists push the envelope to shock or awe? These are all questions that run the gamut of debate, and I am not the one to provide the answers. Sometimes, if it's not a question of life or death, maybe we should just put the questions aside and take an experience for what it's worth.

I know, I know. Where do you draw the line? I can't answer that one either. But I do know this irony about unmanifested expression: It still exists, if only in the mind of its creator. •

Sap from a Creativity Tree Posted Apr-18-2005
Sometimes I get so involved in my work projects that entire days disappear before I become conscious of the world around me again.

Productivity may be high, but this habit is often double-edged.

On the one hand, being so engaged in my creative efforts is very satisfying. I used to measure my Fulfillment Factor™ at work by how many times I watched the clock during the day. If I was looking a lot, my heart was often somewhere else. On the other hand, not 'coming up for air' for such a long time often leads to self-neglect in vital life-balancing things: nutrition, exercise, recreation, and rest. And then guess what? The onset of creative burnout. I become tired, unmotivated, and empty-welled. And I wonder over and over again, "How'd that happen?"

I frustrate myself with this cycle, but like other creative's, I ride the waves while the current is strong. It's a nature-tendency thing. We fear that if we don't use our creative energy while we have it, it will: 1) become offended 2) abandon us and 3) never return.

Still, I won't dismiss the advice from people like Self-Care Coach Linda Dessau, who makes a living out of helping artists keep their lives balanced. Her article, 7 Things that could be sapping your creativity RIGHT NOW!, contains good points about the importance of self-care and other things that contribute to our well-being — creatively, and otherwise. ...

Wanna Work at Home? Posted Apr-16-2005
The Gratifying Reality
Having spent my fair share of years working in several productivity-measuring cubical farms, I totally empathize with the fantasy of cutting the cord with the corporate culture.

In fact, I did it myself. But I won't deny the few moments of panic I felt after I handed my I.D. badge over to my manager when he escorted me out the front door and shook my hand goodbye. Seven years flashed quickly before my eyes in between shades of self-doubt.

Working for yourself after working for someone else is a huge, and often risky step to take. If you are contemplating making this move yourself, some tips from jewelry designer Christopher Gage about Starting Your Own Home Based Business are timely:

One might think that a home based business is the ideal situation for them, but working at home can, and will be challenging. You may find yourself working longer hours due to the fact that the survival of the business is totally your responsibility. Because your studio is in your home, you and your family may feel an intrusion of the business upon your personal life, especially if you have clients come to your house.

His article covers several more issues to consider before leaving your job to work at home. The good news is that you can be successful at the transition, especially if you are prepared for what you're getting into ahead of time. ...

Watch Out, MacGyver! Posted Apr-15-2005
Ice Cream Inspiration
What would you do if someone challenged you to create a piece of jewelry out of the wooden stick leftover from your Nestle Crunch® ice cream bar? You'll love this lesson in innovative creativity from Janice Wee. ...

Is Your Creativity Blocked? Posted Apr-11-2005
When an artist talks about the creative process, I listen closely. One reason I enjoyed the art appreciation class I took years ago is because the instructor showed us multiple artist's documentaries that gave us insight into this process. It didn't matter if it was Christo's Environmental Art, Debra Butterfield's Horses, Alexander Calder's Mobiles, Keith Haring's Graffiti, or Faith Ringgold's Quilts, they all had something valuable to impart on the process of creativity.

Contemporary Realist Painter Mary Baker also has something to say about the creative process. Read about it in her Tips on Breaking the Creative Block. ...

Lesson: How to Draw a Leafy Plant Posted Apr-10-2005
Learn how repetitive shapes like plant leaves can be used to the artist's advantage. ...

How to Draw a Bandage Strip Posted Apr-09-2005
Simple square and circle shapes were used in the production of this bandage strip. Got a boo-boo? Cover it with one of these! ...

Lesson: How to Draw an Ant Posted Apr-07-2005
Cartoony ants are easy to draw if you see them as simple lines and shapes, as I did in Nit Wits #17 ("Antagonizing Ants"). Create your own ants by following my step-by-step drawing lesson. ...

TypARTgraphy Posted Apr-06-2005
Creating Art with Type and Fonts
It's been some time since I've dabbled with this creativity-building art form. If you've never seen or tried anything like it, you gotta check it out. It stretches your imagination and builds character! ...

How to Make Creative Space Posted Apr-05-2005
When You're a Working Parent
Sandy Gerber understands the creativity-fostering dilemma facing working parents on a a tight time budget:

As a working mom, I have been very stressed out with not being able to foster my children’s creativity in the tiny span of time we have together in the day. I leave before they are awake in the morning and due to a thick commute, I arrive home just as the nanny is placing the dinner on the table. After dinner is my favorite time of the day because that is the time I get to dedicate to my children.

Instead of allowing her schedule to cancel out all creative fun, she's invented a few methods to promote a creative playground in her home and life. Her advice to others: "Forget about the quantity of time and focus on the space to be creative." Learn how she does it in this article ...

Why I Love April Fool's Day Posted Apr-2-2005
Hopefully by now you realize that I didn't make $17,000 on eBay by auctioning off a reincarnated Jimmy Durante strawberry (secret: I haven't been an active participant on eBay since 1998). But with the recent attention given to a $28,000 Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich and other high-priced novelties like haunted paintings and walking sticks, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to craft this April Fool's Day joke. ...

Jimmy Durante Strawberry
Posted Apr-1-2005
How I Made $17,000 on an eBay Auction
Forget men wearing wedding dresses and Grilled Cheese Virgin Mary's. I have an eBay story that you'll find hard to believe.

This is a scan of the newspaper article about the lucky find I auctioned off on eBay for $17,000 to a Jazz museum in New York. Who would have thought such a treasure could be found in a plastic quart container of fresh strawberries from the grocery store? ...