Creative Processing

I've been circling a class in the UCSD Extension's catalog for years—Creative Process I. Sounds intriguing doesn't it?! So I thought now was the time to actually do it.

While discussing the idea with my husband/cheerleader supreme, he said he didn't want anything to take my focus off of the book proposal I'd tried to put together for months. So I, full of confidence and commitment, said I'd finish the book proposal before the class started. (I think it's cool that he believes in my book so much!)

Well, those first three proposals went out a week after the class began, but I didn't divide my attention. I went to the first class, but I didn't begin working on the class project until the proposals were out!

The class is awesome—opening a whole new world and perspective to me that I barely knew existed! Our first project: to create something that represented our life line in any way using any materials we expressed what we wanted to say.

I worked in fabric, creating a sedimentary representation with fabrics gathered over the years. Tough times show up as stuffing coming out—that's what it felt like at the time. The fabric colors and patterns are significant—beginning with straight, sweet, flowery columns that gradually give way to more flow and fun. That solid section is the middle is stiff and plastic, just like my marriage of that time. And the top goes colorful and free—that's me now!

Consider whatyour life line might look like. Express and create it, if you want!

We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. ~George Bernard Shaw