I tell wonder-filled stories about hope and healing
On Thursday night I pulled my quadricep playing soccer. I’ll be limping around for the next little while it heals. There’s not much I can do for a pulled muscle except rest it so I’m spending most of this cold rainy weekend inside reading, writing, playing piano, listening to music and podcasts, and working on my next paper collage. Time and creativity make a magical healing duo.
Last week, I had the extreme pleasure of volunteering with Little Salon DC, a fantastic program that runs monthly artist salons. The title artist is defined broadly at Little Salon DC meaning anyone with creative moxie and the courage to put their creations out into the world in some form.
This month we enjoyed opera, physical comedy, puppetry, poetry, fiction, and homemade jam. It was all topped off with plenty of drinks, revelry, and smiles. 60 of us loaded into a beautiful apartment in the U Street area and by the end of the night, no one wanted to leave. It was truly a collection of 60 of the coolest, kindest, and friendliest people in D.C., all in one fantastic venue. I’m excited to get involved with this incredible effort and to grow its passionate mission.
Here are a few pictures snapped by my friend, Logan, at last week’s event. We’re already looking forward to October’s edition. To learn more, visit Little Salon DC’s website and follow along on Twitter at @LittleSalonDC. Viva el artista!
Synetic Theater‘s production of Alice in Wonderland is stunning – in its energetic choreography and visually inventive direction. Even the sound of it inspires a sense of wonder and awe. I hold Alice near and dear to my heart as my favorite childhood book. The moment I walked into Synetic’s theater under the nondescript streets of Crystal City, Virginia I was enchanted by the color and geometric transformation of a space that is little more than a high school auditorium.
A few months ago, I saw Synetic’s adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities. I immediately took to its bold sense of storytelling and its confident portrayal of classic works staged in unconventional ways. Alice confirmed for me that Synetic is one of the best theater companies in the Washington D.C. area. I look forward to the remainder of its season that is sure to be mind-bending and full of inspiration.
Many hours and thousands of bits of colorful magazine ads glued on canvas conspired to create my first paper collage. I’m really proud of taking advertisements that told us we need to buy more to be more and transforming them into a creative act. Below are pictures of my process. I hope they inspire you to create your own art!
“Creativity takes courage.” ~Henri Matisse
A few months ago I saw a few of Matisse’s lesser known works – his paper cutouts. Toward the end of his life, he turned his attention from painting to collage. I didn’t know it at the time, but a little seed was planted in that moment as I looked at these works. I began to think about creating some visual art of my own in an attempt to grow my imagination in a new direction. The idea of it thrilled me, and now I find myself spending hours happily cutting and gluing tiny bits of paper together to create something much greater than the sum of its parts.
All creative acts in every medium take courage. We have to set out to try something new, something we know nothing about. A story, a painting, a collage. They all lead us to new destinations and we don’t know what those destinations will be until we arrive at the end of the road. Creating is a journey without a map with only our hearts as a guide and we cannot help but be changed by the experience.
What are you creating?
“Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character.” ~Horace Greeley
I’ve been flipping through a lot of magazines recently gathering swaths of color for some paper collages I’m working on. The best paper materials come from the lush photography of advertising. It’s caused me to see that most of our ads make us crave 2 things: notoriety and possessions. Not a single one focuses on helping us become better people – kinder, more generous, more compassionate, more dedicated to others.
But art can do all of these things. It can and often does inspire us to become the very best version of ourselves. And so as I turn these paper ads into paper art, I hope that I’m doing something, however small, to transform the world around me.
Last night I cruised around locations in Dupont Circle to see art, listen to music, and enjoy the more creative side of D.C. The event took place in 5 neighborhoods across the city. I wasn’t sure how many people would turn out for it, and I was pleasantly surprised by the crowds. It made D.C. feel like Brooklyn – a place where creativity is appreciated and celebrated. It’s exciting to be in a city that is getting its creative legs underneath it and working hard to be known as much for its cultural world as it is for its politics. Here are more details about the event: http://www.thedcarts.com/
Here are a few pics I snapped at some of the venues:
Today I went to the H Street Festival, a celebration of art, food, and culture in one of DC’s most diverse and interesting neighborhoods. It felt like I was back on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It warmed my heart to be among every walk of life in a city bustling and buzzing with creativity and happiness. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day!
Last week I went to a Paint Nite event. At Paint Nite, a professional artist leads a group of about 20 people to create a pre-designed painting. In a bar. Yes, a bar. Here is a picture of me as I’m painting an abstract, happy piece of work that features red poppies. I love that 2 hours and $25 later I walked away with a painting I created. I’ll certainly be stopping by a Paint Nite around the city more often.
Want to find a Paint Nite in your city? Click here and drink creatively!
On Saturday, I took a spin through Blagden Alley in D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood to see all of the new murals taking shape there. I was fortunate to come upon one of the artists at work. His focus and attention to detail weren’t the least bit diminished by the heat of the day, the size of the canvas he was painting, nor the fact that he was painting in an alley that looks a little worse for wear. The act of creating art was all that mattered to him and that inspires me.
Christa Avampato 