Daily Nourishment for July 22, 2024: Creative Community and Artistic Expression with Guidance from Words by Carey Wallace
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 45 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 15 minutes
“And I think community is super important, and I actually think community is part of what's makes the silence and the solitude bearable knowing that you have that to return to. So I think they undergird each other. So I'm an enormous builder of community and a great believer in not just accepting what passes for the artistic communities where you are, but in building your own and building ones that seem livable to you.” - Carey Wallace
Pause.
Take at least six deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale while closing your eyes. Rest for a few minutes, if you like.
Prompt.
Read this quote from Carey Wallace from an interview for the Image podcast:
“And so I went on a search for places where people I respected actually had said stuff about their [creative] process, and I was interested in a number of things.
I was interested in the artist's life. Do you have to be unhappy, the artist's character? Do you have to be a jerk? The purpose of art, the definition of art, anything about the art of spiritual practice.
And what I found was a total cacophony of, well, actually what I found originally was a whole bunch of gossip and backbiting, but when you sifted through that, what you got was diametrical opposition on how art is made and what it's for and how to define it.
And the only point that they all agreed on was the moment of inspiration. And they all talked about it as being something that came from beyond them, something that was better and wiser than them, something that asked them to do things that they didn't expect to do that were even against what they wanted to do and something that would go on to somebody else if they didn't use it.
So you get things like Hoagy Carmichael, who was the author of “Stardust” and “Georgia on My Mind,” and a bunch of jazz standards, says that great melodies aren't written, they're discovered.
Practice.
Set a timer for 10 minutes and write in response to the words above and/or the questions below.
Which artistic communities are you a part of? (They don’t have to be formal or official.)
What do you appreciate most about those who help you feel less alone in your creative work? Be specific.
What do you know about creative inspiration?
How does creative inspiration work in your life and practice?
When do you notice creative inspiration? When do you ignore it?
What are your biggest obstacles to responding to creative inspiration?
What are you being asked to create right now?
Want More?
Listen to the entire podcast episode here.
Learn more about Carey Wallace and her writing and work here.
Carey Wallace has led a Glen Workshop in the past and will be a guest speaker for Lisa Cockrel’s retreat participants this week.
Happy Glen-ing to everyone attending the Glen Workshop this week. May you find more of your people there. People who help you feel less alone in your faith. People who nourish your creative soul. If you aren’t attending the Glen Workshop this year, may you find more of your people wherever you may be. During the month of July, Spiritual Direction for Writers® Daily Nourishment will feature Glen Workshop facilitators and other Glen-ish people, places, and things. Enjoy!
Upcoming Workshops & Gatherings
—The July Co-Writing Schedule is live
—July 21-27: Charlotte Donlon will provide a few spiritual direction offerings at the Glen Workshop in Seattle
—July 27: Online Revision Stations Designed by Lauren F. Winner
—Save the Date: Spiritual Direction for Writers® + Enneagram for Creativity Gathering will take place on Saturday, September 28th. Recordings will be available if you can’t join us live. Speakers will be announced soon!
Today’s Daily Nourishment was provided by Charlotte Donlon.
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