I No Longer Want To Be a Shadow Artist

Posted in Art, Creativity, Illustrating, Reading, Self Knowledge, Uncategorized, Writing by Cindy Adelle Richard

Image of Woman with Books Courtesy of: Alisha Firdland firdlandprints.com/Photo by: adellecirca1920

On one of my days off this week, I decided to visit a metaphysical store called Crazy Wisdom Bookstore in Ann Arbor. It is a wondrous place not only filled with books, but crystals, tarot decks, incense, journals, art, and gifts. I went there hoping to find books on art and spirituality, but I couldn’t find any. I decided to ask one of the lovely booksellers for assistance, and she looked up various keywords tied to art and spirituality and nothing was coming up. She was as surprised as I was they don’t have a section of the store devoted to this section. Then she said, “Wait, here’s one. “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron.” I laughed and told her I already have that one. I thanked her and left the bookstore. As I was walking away, I started thinking, maybe that was a sign, a prompt, to return to the “The Artist’s Way.” The book is about creative recovery, and that is what I find myself in need of once again.

When I first delved into “The Artist’s Way” 13 years ago, I had no idea what I wanted or what to expect – all I knew was that I had this overwhelming urge to be creative. So, I dove into the book, reading sections and trying out exercises. I started keeping morning pages and going on scheduled artist’s dates as Julia advised more about morning pages and artist dates here. And eventually, I got back to my love of books and the stories they contain by virtue of participating in these activities. This then led to me:

reading more
learning to write
starting a blog
learning to draw
learning to paint
completing a 365 day art challenge
setting up art studios in my homes
starting an art business

All of these things came about because I embarked on this system of creative recovery, and stuck with it over the years. I realized that I have gotten away from it over the past year – I stopped writing daily morning pages, going on weekly artist’s dates, and creating on a regular basis.

I just read the first essay in “The Artist Way” where Julia Cameron talked about being a shadow artist, which is someone who admires the work of other artist without doing the work of being an artist themselves. This manifests as reading about others, going to museums and galleries, watching movies about artists, supporting the work of artists as agents or representatives, and so on; basically being in a field or pursuing hobbies closely related to the desired field. I’m sorry to admit that I’ve returned to being a shadow artist. I have been flipping through books and admiring the work of others, but I am no longer doing the work myself. There are reasons for this, of course (there always are); like I have a new job that is mentally exhausting and being totally overwhelmed by the scope of the creative project I am undertaking. I still dabble every now and then in my creative work – creating a piece of writing, creating a graphite sketch, working on a painting – but I miss the consistent routine of doing regular creative work. The work of being a true artist.

Now that I have returned to “The Artist’s Way”, I am getting back to basics – doing morning pages, scheduling weekly artist’s dates, and taking small steps on the mammoth story I want to tell (the story of two jazz age bibliophiles in France). I know that I am a Storyteller, but it is time to get back to the work of being a Storyteller. I plan to share my creative recovery, my journey as a Storyteller, on this blog going forward. I am hoping that the entries I share here will help someone else to recover their creativity as well; to stop being a shadow artist, and to start producing the art they long to make.

17Feb2021

The Importance of Play

Posted in Creativity, Imagination, Inspiration, Reading, Self Knowledge, Uncategorized by Cindy Adelle Richard

As I have been struggling to stay productive over these last few months, I have also been contemplating what it means to incorporate play in my life in equal measure. Once we grow up, society basically tells us that play is no longer important for adults; but nothing could be further from the truth.

Play adds a sense of vitality to life – without it, life becomes dull, restrictive, and duty bound. Play helps you to feel more optimistic and creative because you tend to come up with innovative solutions to problems. It is also the foundation of most cultural aspects of our life such as art, games, books, sports, movies, and many more – basically the things we enjoy doing during our free time.

I referred back to the book “Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul” by Dr. Stuart Brown, and I wanted to share some of the insights from that book that stayed with me. One of the activities that Brown recommends is taking a look at your “play history” as both a child and adult to figure out what activities you most enjoy. Some of the questions he advised asking yourself include:

What did you enjoy doing as child? Why?
When have you felt free to do and be what you choose?
Is this part of your life now? If not, why not?
What do you feel stands in the way of your achieving some times of personal freedom?

When I completed my play history, I remembered that I spent a lot of time reading when I was young – my fondest memories involve libraries, book mobiles, and hours curled up in my cubby hole with a good book. Reading is one of the activities I consider to be my form of play now. But there was a period of time in my life where I was not reading on a regular basis, and my life was definitely not very enjoyable. I remember having thoughts like “Is this all there is?” (which is one of the questions that Brown mentions being a common question for people who are mainly just doing what is required in life without having much fun). Then, in 2007, I had a sort of epiphany, and started reading fiction again in earnest. Since I started reading again, my life has certainly changed for the better – I started to attend book related events, met new people that shared my interests, joined a writing center to learn more about the basics of writing, and of course, just started reading for pleasure in general. My other forms of play are also related to storytelling – writing and producing illustrations to accompany my writing.

One of the most compelling chapters in Dr. Brown’s book identifies eight basic play personalities that most people fall into (one is your dominant type) – here are general descriptions of the play personalities:

The Joker – these people love nonsense, practical jokes, and telling jokes; they love to illicit laughter; examples include stand up comedians and class clowns
The Kinesthete – these people love to move; they actually think better when they are moving – examples include athletes, dancers, yoga instructors
The Explorer – these people love going new places, exploring new emotions, or delving deep into things at a mental level through research; examples include frequent travelers and scientists
The Competitor – these people love competitive games and activities with specific rules; they play to win; examples include sports, gambling, sales
The Director – these people enjoy planning and executing scenes and events; they like power, organizing, and throwing grand events; examples include event planners, film directors, entrepreneurs
The Collector – these people enjoy having and holding the most, the best, the most interesting collection of objects or experiences; examples include hobby collectors, flea market lovers
The Creator – these people find joy in making things or making something work; these include artists, crafters, designers
The Storyteller – these people love using their imaginations; enjoy telling stories or reading/experiencing the stories created by others; examples include performers, writers, illustrators, cartoonists

As I mentioned earlier, I identify most with the Storyteller. Which one do you identify with the most? This may be the key to figuring out some activities and hobbies you might consider adding to your life to increase your sense of play.

In summary, we play to bring joy into our lives. And we can do this at any age. As one of my favorite Christmas songs says about the Christmas spirit being for “kids from 1 to 92” – I believe play is for all ages as well.

To learn more about Brown’s research on play, check out his book or visit his website at the National Institute for Play

17Dec2020

2020 Life Updates

Posted in Art, Creativity, Dreams, Inspiration, Peacock Mountain, Uncategorized, Writing by Cindy Adelle Richard

We all know what kind of year 2020 has been, so I am not going to spend much time dwelling on it. I decided instead to share some of the good things that have happened in 2020 since my last post.

Move to Michigan – I moved to Michigan (from Massachusetts) at the end of August (this is the reason I have been so quiet on the blog; it takes a lot of time and energy to move). The idea had been brewing for awhile, and circumstances aligned to make it possible – so I made it happen. It was hard to leave behind my job and friends, but I am excited to be back near my family. I am also happy to be in a place with more diversity and a reasonable cost of living. Now, I am just anxious to find a job and a new place to live.

The Magic Feather – This time without a job has actually been great for my creativity. I started a story called “The Magic Feather” that will be told in the form of an illustrated journal by a young black woman in her early twenties. It will be set near France in the 1920s – some parts will take place in Paris but most parts will take place on a mysterious island called Peacock Mountain. The island is home to an art colony populated by exceptionally talented (and magical) artists, and my protagonist will be a newcomer tasked with chronicling/archiving what is going on. So far, I have written about 11,000 words and I am excited to keep going.

Mind Mapping – I have rediscovered the power of mind mapping for sorting out my thoughts. I have started using them for everything – planning my future, planning the scenes I am about to write, mapping the ideas I want to remember from the books I have read, and much more. I have started keeping them in the same hardbound books I use for journaling, and they are all in the same journal so I will know where to find them when I am ready to refer back to them.

Commonplace Book – I have also created a Commonplace Book to keep up with all of the bits and bobs from my writing projects. Commonplace Books used to be popular before the age of the internet- they basically are like written scrapbooks to keep up with content you want to remember such as quotes, poetry, recipes, lists, song lyrics, and the like. I have tweaked it a bit to also include imagery I find inspiring as well. It feels good to have a tangible book to flip through when I am seeking inspiration for my writing or illustrations.

Storytelling Focus – I have been thinking a lot lately about what the focus of this blog should be going forward. I have so many interests that it can be difficult to narrow things down. However, I think I have got it – I am planning to focus on celebrating the art of storytelling. My own stories and those of others plus story related content in general. I am still working out the particulars, but I feel good about this direction. Stories have always been my true passion, so it makes sense to put my focus on what I truly love. I am hoping to post more frequently too – I’ll start with once ever other week and see if I can work up to weekly posts. Baby steps!

Most Impactful Book – I have read a lot of books during this time of transition, but I decided to share the one that has been the most impactful during this time. The book is called “World Enough and Time” by Christian McEwan. I learned the following:

Giving yourself time affluence = increased well-being. We tend to think about affluence in terms of money, but time is the new luxury.
To engage in the art of reverie, which means slowing down, observing, sauntering, wandering, pausing, and digressing; basically the activities that our society deems a waste of time are actually essential
The emotional parts of our brain take their own sweet time – empathy, imagination, love, fidelity, and ethics
Instead of rushing from one new thing to the next, it is helpful to return to the same works to see what they reveal
William Stafford advises having a symposium with the self early in the morning – he used to wake up at 5:00 a.m. and put his mind to work on whatever he found fascinating before everyone else in his household awoke for the day
Unitask – multitasking leads to inefficiency and distraction

Most Inspirational Illustrator– I have been enjoying the work of the writer and illustrator Maira Kalman for some time now, but I had never really drilled down to learn how she thinks and works. I decided to change that by engaging in a deep study of her – examining her work, listening to various YouTube videos, and reading articles about her. These were my takeaways:

She navigates the world with a sense of humor and irreverence. She learned both from her mother – a woman who left her husband in Tel Aviv to move to America, wore only white, and did exactly what she wanted each day of her life.
She says her creative process is to walk around daydreaming all day and sharing her personal views via illustrations and writing. She takes long walks everyday and documents what happens.
Her philosophy is that there are only two vital things in life: Work and Love. If you put work into these two, you have a shot at happiness.
She starts each day by reading the obituaries. She finds it extraordinary to read about the totality of peoples’ lives, and it motivates her to go forward with her day and make the most of it.
Her favorite quote is: Not everything will be okay, but some things will.

I know I covered a lot in this post, but I had a lot to share after being away so long. I hope that you had some positive things happen in 2020 that you will be able to carry forward into 2021 and beyond.

6Jul2016

8 Things to Know about Beryl Markham

Posted in 1920s, Inspiration, Jazz Age, Reading, Uncategorized, Writing by Cindy Adelle Richard

I just finished one of the most eloquent memoirs I have ever read called West with the Night. I marked so many passages that I almost thought about giving up the task of marking my favorite passages, but I persisted. I was so impressed by this memoir that I turned to the biography at the back of the book, and immediately started thinking of ways that I could share this remarkable woman’s story. By the way, the remarkable woman of which I speak is Beryl Markham – aviatrix, horse trainer/racer, and an adventuress extraordinaire. I hope you find Ms. Markham as fascinating as I did!

Photo courtesy of ladyfanciful.blogspot.com

Beryl Markham was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to west. Her flight took off from Abingdon England on September 4, 1936, and crash landed into a peat bog in Nova Scotia about 22 hours later. Although her target was New York, she still achieved a record by making it to North America.

Photo courtesy of likesuccess.com

Markham was the first licensed female racehorse trainer in Kenya. She was successful and well-known throughout the colony. Some of the most memorable passages in West with the Night relate to her work with these thoroughbred horses.

Denys Finch Hatton – Photo courtesy of alchetron.com

Karen Blixen – Photo courtesy of atterata.com

Markham was friends with Karen Blixen and Denys Finch Hatton from the well-loved book and film Out of Africa. The outspoken character named Felicity in the film version is based on Markham. She also had an intimate relationship with Denys; in fact, she was scheduled to be on the flight that killed Denys. However, Tom Black, her flight instructor and friend, had a premonition that things would not go well and asked her not to fly with Denys that day. It was a good thing she listened.

Prince Henry – Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Markham was rumored to have had an affair with Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and son of George V. They became acquainted when Prince Henry, and his brother Prince David, came for a royal visit to Nairobi and visited her father’s horse farm for riding lessons. Needless to say, his family cut the romance short once it was discovered.

Ernest Hemingway – Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Ernest Hemingway spoke highly of Markham’s writing. Hemingway met Markham on a safari in 1934, and obtained a copy of her book. In a letter to his editor, Maxwell Perkins, he wrote:

Did you read Beryl Markham’s book, “West with the Night”? I knew her fairly well in Africa and never would have suspected that she could and would put pen to paper except to write in her flyer’s log book. As it is, she has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer. I felt that I was simply a carpenter with words, picking up whatever was furnished on the job and some times making an okay pig pen. But [she] can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers.

After reading this quote in one of Hemingway’s letters, George Gutekunst (a friend of the family) sought out Markham’s book, loved it, and helped to get it reissued so that more people would be able to read it. It became a bestseller and allowed Markham, who was living in poverty in Africa at the time, to spend the rest of her years in comfort.

Photo courtesy of glanews.com

As a child, Markham used to hunt with African warriors who were part of her community in Nairobi. She was one of very few women allowed to go along on expeditions; women from the tribe were expected to stay at home and take care of the domestic sphere. They called her Lakweit, which means “little girl” in Swahili, but they respected her in the same way they respected the young boys being trained as warriors.

Photo courtesy of wsj.com

Markham was attacked by a neighbor’s “pet” lion when she was an adolescent, and lived to tell the story. There is a humorous antidote in her memoir where one of the African men who helped to save her told her father that she was only eaten a little bit by a lion in an attempt to try to minimize his panic.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Paula McLain wrote a fictional account of Markham’s life in 2015 called Circling the Sun. I read the book as soon as it was released, and I loved the poetic descriptions of her life and the sweeping landscapes of Africa. That was actually the first time I encountered Markham, and I just had to know more after reading all about her singular life. If this post has intrigued you, then I recommend starting with McLain’s website and reading her book to learn more.

I included a few of the most striking quotes from the book West with the Night to give you a preview:

Fitful splashes of crimson light from crude-oil torches set round the field stain the dark cloth of African night and play upon his alert, high-boned face. Pg. 14

There was nothing but the distinguishing formation of high, grey rocks piled against each other, jutting from the earth like the weather-worn ruins of a desert cathedral. Pg. 36

Delamare’s character had as many facets as a cut stone, but each facet shown with individual brightness. Pg. 71

The distant roar of a waking lion rolls against the stillness of the night, and we listen. It is the voice of Africa bringing memories that do not exist in our minds or in our hearts – perhaps not even in our blood. It is out of time, but it is there, and it spans a chasm whose other side we cannot see. Pg. 98

The automobile so sharply sketched against this simple canvas was an intrusion; it was as if a child had pasted the picture of a foolish toy over a painting you had known for years. Pg. 152

I hope I have sufficiently piqued your interest about Ms. Markham. If you know of any details I failed to include or find out anything else fascinating, please let us know.

11Apr2016

Jazzy Finds Winter 2016

Posted in Art, Inspiration, Jazz Musicians, Uncategorized by Cindy Adelle Richard

Hello Jazz Lovers,

It has been awhile since I posted a Jazzy Finds post, and I certainly have some exciting finds to share with you!

Photo courtesy of the BBC

There is an updated version of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None which came out in the United Kingdom in 2015. The U.S. version of the DVD will be released this month and I will be one of the first in line to purchase it. For the uninitiated, this is once of Christie’s best stories – ten strangers are lured to an island for different reasons but they soon learn that they have been brought there to pay the price for their misdeeds. The shocking message as to why they are there is delivered by a chilling recording on a Victrola, and then the mayhem begins. I will not tell you anymore than this, but I hope I have peaked your curiosity. Click here for an article by The Guardian and Click here to purchase the U.S. DVD

TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 23: Ethan Hawke photographed as the jazz muscian Chet Baker for his role in the movie BORN TO BE BLUE which is currently in production. (Photo by Charlie Gray/Contour by Getty Images)

Ethan Hawke will play the legendary jazz musician, Chet Baker, in an upcoming film called Born to Be Blue. It is already out in limited release, but it will take a while to make it to local theaters. I have liked all of Ethan Hawke’s films to date, so I have high hopes for this one as well. In a recent interview, Hawke said that he was supposed to play Baker in another film several years ago, but that project didn’t pan out. Click for More Info and Trailer

Photo courtesy of naxos.com

I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing The Harlem Quartet during a live performance at Rockport Music. Their music combines jazz and classical elements in a unique way – the one track that I have listened to more times than I can count is Take the A Train. If you have never heard this group, I would recommend starting with the CD of the same name. Their music is soulful and lively, and they are committed to bringing classical music to all types of communities all over the world. Click to visit website

Photo courtesy of jazzinmotion.ru

Rizzoli Books has published a new book about Duke Ellington that I can’t wait to get my hands on. I am excited about this one because it includes anecdotes and pictures provided by his granddaughter, Mercedes Ellington. It is always a pleasure to hear from family members who really knew the people behind the music. I mentioned Take the A Train in my previous entry; I believe the Duke Ellington and his orchestra were the first ones to perform this song. Check out the book here

I have shared some of my favorite options for your listening pleasure. I am curious, what great jazz musicians or songs have you heard lately? I am always eager to expand my playlist.

7Mar2016

The Harmon Foundation: Champions of the Harlem Renaissance

Posted in 1920s, Art, Inspiration, Research, Uncategorized by Cindy Adelle Richard

I have been conducting research on artists who were active during the Harlem Renaissance, and I stumbled upon a documentary called Against the Odds: African-American Artists and the Harmon Foundation. I learned so much about how this one foundation was responsible for launching the careers of so many prominent African-American artists. Although the foundation recognized African-Americans in different fields, I have chosen to focus on the fine arts category for this post to highlight some of the artists who do not always receive the recognition they deserve.

The Harmon Foundation was founded by a wealthy real estate developer, William Elmer Harmon, in 1922 to offer recognition (including cash awards) to African-Americans for distinguished achievement in business, education, fine arts, literature, music, race relations, religious service, and science. Harmon was encouraged to start the foundation by Alain Locke, a professor at Howard University and editor of the New Negro publication. The stated mission of the foundation was to “assist in the development of greater economic security for the race”. The first awards were presented in 1925, and thereafter, the foundation held annual programs.

The program got off to a slow start when only a few people in each category applied the first year, but as it gained recognition, the program received a large quantity of high-quality works of art. In order to foster the careers of the artists who submitted work, the Harmon Foundation began organizing large-scale exhibitions to provide an opportunity for the candidates to show and sell their work to a broader audience. These award exhibitions gained even more national attention when they traveled to art museums, colleges, public libraries, and community organizations across the country Hale Woodruff and Palmer Hayden were the very first recipients of the William E. Harmon Foundation award for Distinguished Achievement among Negroes for fine arts. I have included a gallery of the artists selected by the Harmon Foundation during the years it was in operation. Below, I have uploaded one painting to showcase the talents of these fine artists. For more information on The Harmon Foundation, please refer to Anne Evenhaugen’s excellent article written for the Smithsonian Libraries in 2013 called African-American Art and the Harmon Foundation here

“Children at Ice Cream Stand” by William H. Johnson

“Mother and Child” by William Eduoard Scott

“The Building of Savery Library” by Hale Woodruff

“Little Brown Girl” by J.W. Hardrick

“Girl in Green Cap” by Laura Wheeler Waring

“Baltimore” by Palmer C. Hayden

“The Octoroon Girl” by Archibald Motley

“Cabaret” by Albert Alexander Smith

22Jun2014

Jazz Age Lawn Party 2014

Posted in 1920s, Inspiration, Jazz Age, Jazz Musicians, The Great Gatsby, Uncategorized by Cindy Adelle Richard

Photo courtesy of boredom.md.com

I just spent some time pouring over pictures of this year’s Jazz Age Lawn Party at Governor’s Island in New York, and I have to say, I really hate that I missed this one! Besides the lovely suits and dresses donned by participants, there were vintage vendors, picnicking on the lawns, and entertainment in the form of dancers and big bands. Basically, it seemed like Gatsby nirvana! There are some other opportunities to get in on these type of fun events if you missed this party – there are two twenties themed events coming to the North Shore of Massachusetts on July 27th:

Roaring Twenties Lawn Party (Ipswich, MA)

http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/northeast-ma/summer2014-1049.html

Concours d’Elegance (Beverly, MA)

http://www.endicott.edu/Concours.aspx

In the meantime, I am posting lots of pictures to keep you occupied until the real events happen. Enjoy! Continue reading →

11Jan2014

The Fabulous Phryne Fisher

Posted in 1920s, Jazz Age, Uncategorized by Cindy Adelle Richard

I have been watching “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries”, an Australian program, for the past week, and love does not even begin to describe how I feel about this show. You know how there are just shows that “get you” as a person (even though I am aware that shows are not people and cannot get anyway… just go with it), well this is that show for me. It is set in the 1920s and chronicles the adventures of a lady detective known as Phryne Fisher. As I tell you about Phryne, I will sprinkle pictures throughout this post (I think you will get some clues about why I am obsessed with this show):

Meet Miss Fisher. I knew she was my kind of woman in the first five minutes of the first episode when she came strutting off the ocean liner as if the world was her personal runway.

Continue reading →

28Jul2013

Women Jazz Musicians

Posted in 1920s, Creativity, Jazz Age, Jazz Musicians, Uncategorized by Cindy Adelle Richard

Photo courtesy of doobeedoobeedoo.info

I just finished watching a wonderful documentary called “The Girls in the Band”. It featured solo musicians, all women bands, and even women band leaders with incredible flair and smooth dance moves. Since I was a female drummer from the ages 8 to 18, I have an understanding of what it means to be one of the few women playing an instrument in musical fields mainly dominated by men. Even though I was playing the drums in the 80s and 90s, I was still one of a small number of female drummers. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been back in the 20s to play an instrument and garner any measure of respect for your craft. While there were many brilliant women musicians featured in this documentary, I have chosen to focus on two that actually played during the years which are the focus of this blog – the 1920s.

Valaida Snow was best known as a trumpet player, although she could also play the cello, bass, banjo, violin, mandolin, accordion, clarinet, and saxophone. Talk about multitalented! Beyond playing a slew of instruments, she could also sing and dance. She became so good at playing the trumpet during her concerts in the USA, Europe, and China, that she became known as “Little Louis” after Louis Armstrong. He actually paid her the compliment of saying she was the second best trumpet player besides him. She also toured in Shanghai, Singapore, Calcutta, and Jakarta with a major band from 1926 to 1929. She played successfully throughout the 30s and a few years in the 40s until she was arrested in Denmark by the Nazis and held in a prison. She was eventually released in 1942, but she was never the same again and stopped playing professionally.

Mary Lou Williams was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. She taught herself how to play the piano when she was six and appeared in public throughout her youth. In 1925, she played with Duke Ellington and his band, the Washingtonians. She was also noticed by Louis Armstrong at Harlem’s Rhythm Club where he reportedly kissed her because he loved her playing so much. In 1927, she married a saxophonist by the name of John Williams and they continued to play together. Over her long career (she died in 1981) she wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records. She played with such illustrious musicians as Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillispie among others.

Obviously, there is a lot more to know about these talented ladies, but I hope that I have at least stoked your mental fire so that you want to learn more. I would also recommend purchasing the “The Girls in the Band” to see the evolution of music through the lens of women versus men. http://www.thegirlsintheband.com/

Adelle Circa 1920

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