Mankind's Fascination with Self-Expression

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy,

a quickening, that is translated through you into

action, and because there is only one of you in all

time, this expression is unique.

And if you block it, it will never exist through any

other medium and will be lost.

- Martha Graham (1894-1991)

I think this is a great timing for me to be covering this chapter, because it is a good time for me to reread it. After not getting the job for a lead teacher, I have been unsure on where to focus my energy. I felt like I had no drive for anything because for awhile it was wishing that I could have that job. Now that's gone I need a goal to reach for, something to focus my energy to. I thought I could just do that with school, but I found out it's going to take me a few more years to graduate. I need something more short-term to focus my energy on.

This upset is also affecting my artwork. When creating my mind roams through my thoughts. So when I make a mistake or when something disappointing happens, that's all I can think about and it drains my energy. Are energy comes and goes. Sometimes the creative flow just comes and sometimes it's plugged. We have all felt that. I started on new collages tonight, hoping I can get my creative energy flow back.

In the book Kick-Ass Creativity, it states that we all are no stranger to creative energy. It can flow, it can slow, it can come in large amounts of caffeine or come in a relationship. Mine is obviously at a slow. But what is energy? It is a powerful, transformative force. But it can also be defined as

1. as a fuel supply (as a source of vitality and vigor), 2. as an aid in converting ideas to form ( that which helps us adapt inspiration into a piece of art), and 3. as an entity (as in "may the force be with you").

We live with all different sources of energy. We learn to live with them and manage them. And that energy connects us all. We are drawn to people with similar energy as yourself. Whether its the energy someone left at a table in a resturant that you ask to sit at (we are even attracted to residual energy left behind).  Or I believe I feed off other's energy. Whenever I'm at work when all the children are there I get so much accomplish or when my nephews are at my house. I feed off the energy surrounding these children and able to do as much as them (or at least I think).

This chapter explaining energy is amazing. I can never do it justice in the little bit I have summazied. So far it is my favorite chapter of the book. Reading it makes me feel re-energized in myself and my creative abilities. Once I'm done with this book, it will be given to my sister. She is writing a book and she goes through all the creative energies, the ups and downs. I know she can benefit from this and I can and any other creative soul.

Definition: Kick-Ass (Kik'as') adjective

1. having strong effect on someone or something; forceful; powerful

2. exceptionally good;spectacular, impressive, etc.

-Webster's New World College Dictionary

The back of the book says:

KICK IT UP!

Looking for a way to fire up your creative process and devote more time to those sparks of inspiration? Now you can kick your creativity into high gear with Kick-Ass Creativity.

Professional songwriter, performer, and workshop leader Mart Beth Maziarz shows you how to tap into your creative energy by aligning your focus, feelings, and desires. Her energy makeover will help you discover where you're stuck and how to move forward to make your big mark on the world.

Kick-Ass Creativity offers a framework full of fun and practical tips for kick-starting the creative process:

-how to overcome resistance, procrastination, and negative thinking

-how to direct your energy to stay focused on your work

-how to jump-start your creativity to tapping into your feelings and emotions

- how to develop a support group

Whereever you currently reside on the kick-ass creative spectrum- novice or master, dabbler or maven - Kick-Ass Creativity will help you find that spark of brilliance that leads to your next thrilling project.

I really hope to write a few bits about each chapter once a week on Monday. So look forward for learning a few bits to jump start your creativity.

Around the time I was on my vacation and when I got home, I began these two books that my sister said I had to read. She has been telling me forever that I need to read them. I'm glad I finally did. I read both books in two days each. They are filled action packed from front to beginning. The storyline kinda burrows down into your soul. So many times I would be working on artwork and I would subconsciously catch myself thinking about it. Sometimes my dreams are filled around the world and storyline of the stories. Obviously I loved the books. I could gab about them all night but I'm afraid to share too much for you. So I will just share the summary from Scholastic books.

Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives.


In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

They are written by Suzanne Collins. Her biography is very impressive and found at http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/bio.htm.

Lately I have been a bit occupied by daily life and I have been working on a new collage. I hope to be doing a series like it for the rest of the summer. I have greatly enjoyed it and it will be done very soon.

I had plans for this series for a awhile. All my photos and planning for the first piece was all ready to go, all I needed was to start it. I was in one of my favorite stores Hobby Lobby. I decided to take a look at some craft magazines and I was surprised to find something different. There was a magazine called Cloth Paper Scissors. It is strictly made to help collage and mixed media artists. I LOVE IT!!! I already used one technique with the work I am making currently. I think this technique has made the piece stronger. I have discovered new artists to learn from and new books I must get. I am defiently looking into getting a subscription for this magazine for sure.  If you are a mixed media artist check it out for sure at http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/

Tonight I finally finished reading Inkheart. Its one of those things that I can't believe its finally done. I bought the Inkheart, Inkspell, and Inkdeath while Inkheart was in theaters and planned on reading at least Inkheart before I ever watched the movie. This did not happen though since I was too involved in another series. I watched the movie with my sister first, who had read my books and would tell me how it was different. I can't remember much about the movie none except Brandon Frasier (I love him) and enough that made me picture how things looked in my imagination. I can't even tell you if it was good as a movie or not.

I finally started reading the book the end of last summer. Between me starting classes at EKU and joining a sorority, I didn't really know how to find time to read. My sister was getting impaitent with me and wanted me to stop reading Inkheart to read other books and I did. The book got put on hold for several months. When I finally was reading other books fairly fast, finding the time to read, I decided to pick up Inkheart again. This is why I am so glad to finish the book.

The book was slow to start and hard to get into. It was hard at the beginning especially with the movie so fresh in my head. I enjoyed finishing the book when I couldn't quite remember the movie that well, so the book was my main focus. I love two things about this book, Silvertongues that read out characters from the books and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter that would relate to the chapter at hand. The quotes were amazing, it was from books I have never read or maybe never heard of. It was nice to read a different kind of literature. The quotes, the constant talking of other books and stories, and the characters that love to read made me think about literature in general. Its a really great way to get yourself lost in another world and forget your troubles or past the time.

This is obviously no book review. I did enjoy the book, it made me think about some stuff, but I'll probably never read it again. I do have Inkspell and Inkdeath still to read. I normally read all the way through a series before I begin something new. I think I need a quick read or two between these books. Inkspell and Inkdeath are much larger, but I'll probably read through these quicker since there is no movie to tell me what will happen next.