Tag: creativity

creativity

Wonder: House of Sweden Handicraft in Washington, D.C.

Christa Avampato

On Tuesday I went to House of Sweden, an extension of the Swedish Embassy here in Washington, D.C. Their exhibit Next Level Craft – Cutting Edge Handicraft from Sweden is a compact and perfect combination of art, craft, fashion, and history. From shoes made of woven thatches of wood to glass beavers to led-faceted fashion accessories, this exhibit blend tradition with modern times in a way that leaves me wanting to finally take the Lapland adventure I’ve been dreaming of for years.

The exhibit runs through this Sunday, April 24th, at House of Sweden. See it.

creativity

Wonder: The genius of simplicity

Christa Avampato

This week I’m thinking a lot about simplicity and am inspired by this quote:

“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex. It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.” — E. F. Schumacker”

Here’s to finding the genius within each of us to get to solutions in our lives and in our work that are simple, elegant, and effective.

creativity

Wonder: I’m baaaaaack…

Christa Avampato

Hello all. It has been over a month since I’ve published to this blog and I want to tell you why I so abruptly took the longest break that I’ve taken in the 9 years since I’ve been writing it.

In March, I received a letter from a photography website threatening to sue me for using an image on a blog post four year ago. That’s right – a single picture, that I got from Pinterest, for a single post, 4 years ago, and I had attributed it to the artist. They never sent me a takedown notice. They just skipped right to suing me for thousands of dollars. By the grace of the universe, my friend, Amanda, connected me to a wonderful attorney who agreed to represent me, and it seems that the issue has evaporated. I haven’t heard a word from them since.

So, I’m back. This has been a wonderful time for me to creatively reflect on my writing and I’ve plowed a lot of time into a number of wildly creative projects including finishing a working draft of my novel, Where the Light Enters, getting one of my paper collages displayed in a gallery in D.C., continuing my writing for The Washington Post, planning a trip to Cuba (yes, CUBA!), and joining a film production company here in D.C. as an associate producer. All while keeping my day job at an education technology startup and being in the process of buying a condo here in D.C.

What I do want to make abundantly clear is that I’ve missed you. A lot. I miss the conversations back and forth. I miss hearing how you’re doing. I miss updating you on what I’m doing, seeing, and hearing. I’ve missed this outlet and I’m thrilled to be back. So here’s to you. Here’s to me. And I’m so glad we’re back together.

And to speak to the unfortunate photo incident of March 2016, all photos that you see on this site were either taken by me or for me. If you want to use any of them, you are absolutely free to do so. No questions asked. Just add a little attribution with my name and this website URL http://christaavampato.com. Let’s never be apart for that long again, okay? Okay.

creativity

Wonder: Join Creatives Connect to meet other D.C. creatives

Christa Avampato

CS-creativityMy friend, Corrine, organizes a Facebook group that promotes monthly events and meetups for creative people in D.C. Whether you have a creative career or just enjoy going to cultural events of any kind – art in any medium, writing, music, food, etc. – this is a wonderful group to join. I’ve been going to these events since September, when Corrine started organizing it. It’s been a source of inspiration and community for me, and I’ve loved meeting people through it (including Corrine!) Join the Facebook group at this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1005333856154073/. I hope to see you at the next event!

creativity

Wonder: Andra Day

Christa Avampato

Somehow Andra Day’s album Cheers to the Fall had escaped my notice until I saw her on the Apple commercial with Stevie Wonder. Now I can’t stop listening to it on loop on Amazon Prime. There’s something so painful about her lyrics and yet so strong about her voice that strikes just the right chord to keep me hooked until the very last note. If you haven’t yet, give it a listen and get ready to dance, cry, and reflect.

creativity

Wonder: Day 1

Christa Avampato
My jar of Wonder
My jar of Wonder

To keep myself in a constant pursuit of wonder, meet my Wonder jar. Every day, I’ll be writing down things that I’ve done, seen, heard, and experienced that remind me of all the joy that life has to offer. I love the start of a brand new year. Though every day is a new beginning, there is something particularly special about January 1st. I wake up excited and ready to get going. I was more than happy to say goodbye to 2015 and welcome the start of 2016 with open arms. In this new year, I hope we find ways every day to celebrate the world around us, lift up one another, and pursue our wildest dreams. Happy New Year!

creativity

This just in: Follow your inspiration and find the natural hum for your life

Christa Avampato
Find your inspiration

I’m not great at vacation; I never feel rejuvenated by it. I wish I did. I envy people who do. I just can’t. If anything, I feel overly anxious about the very idea of vacation. About 12 hours into it, I start to get antsy. I need a project and I’ve stopped trying to fight that need. I am who I am, and my idea of fun is creating things. It’s what I do and who I am.

In 2016, I’m not going to fight that anymore. I’m an intense, passionate, and some might say (slightly) manic, person. Moments of calm and peace are necessary (I sit in meditation for 18 minutes a day no matter what my schedule is), though the natural hum of my life exists at a higher frequency and that’s just fine by me. I’m most comfortable when I’m using my mind, body, and heart to build something.

In the new year, I hope we all find that—the way and speed of life that feels most authentic for us. It’s different for everyone, and there isn’t a way that’s better. Just a way that’s better for each of us as individuals. Let’s honor that.

creativity

This just in: Gil Batle renders his past in exquisitely carved ostrich eggs

Christa Avampato

“Art saves lives. I used to think that was corny, but it’s true. It saved mine.” ~Gil Batle, former prisoner and artist

If you ever wanted to see an elegant story, beautifully told and deeply felt, about how art saves people then this post is for you. Jane Pauley interviewed Gil Batle on CBS Sunday Morning and it’s one of the most incredible interviews I’ve ever seen. Gil Batle has struggled with drug addiction for most of his adult life, and he committed a series of crimes to support that habit. At age 53, he’s clean, free, and creating art that channels his painful past. He carves intricate scenes into ostrich eggs using a high speed dental drill that etches the scenes no deeper than 1/16 of an inch into the shell. If you’re in New York, his work is on display at the Ricco Maresca Gallery. If you’re not in New York, take a look at his work through the video below. You can also see his art at http://www.gilbatle.com/ and on Instagram at @gilbatle.

creativity

This just in: In 2016, may all the noise in you become music

Christa Avampato
May all the noise in your become music
May all the noise in your become music

“May all that has been reduced to noise in you, become music again.” ~David Teems

I’m off from work through January 3rd and decided to stay in D.C. to use the time to focus on defining my creative projects for the new year. I get tremendously excited about turning the page in the calendar, and I am absolutely ready to say hasta la vista to 2015. This was a rough one, maybe the roughest on record, in nearly every aspect of my life. It was a character building year to say the least. It was also a time of high creativity because I was forced into situations that required me to solve huge problems and conflicts.

2015 held a lot of noise for me, complex emotions swirling around in my head and heart. Rather than fighting them, I decided to use them. After all, the worst of circumstances serve as the seeds for the best art. The loudest noise can be transformed into the sweetest music. And that’s what 2016 is all about for me.

creativity

This just in: My latest collage – a self-portrait painted in paper

Christa Avampato
My latest collage: a self-portrait painted in paper
My latest collage: a self-portrait painted in paper

My latest collage: a self-portrait painted in paper. Halfway through, I hated it. I almost threw it out but decided to stick with it anyway. I’m glad I did. Sometimes you have to love and nourish something through its difficult early stages to really appreciate what it offers.