Friday's Odds and Ends

One thing I've learned this week, don't get sick half way through the summer drama camp. One of the other camp leaders said wouldn't it be wonderful if we could schedule being sick. "Let's see, I'm not doing anything from August first through the seventh. How about the flu then?"

Actually, I didn't have the flu, but I had a serious infection which took forever to respond to meds. Hopefully, I will be ready for the weekend when we open "Phineas Peabody's Magical Musical Circus," which the kids wrote and produced with the assistance of a few of us adults and teen helpers.

Anyway, the awesome camp leaders took over and this may be the best show we've had from the summer drama camp. I wonder if there is a message there? LOL

Here is a picture of one of the girls who has been at the camp for three years now. She is a terrific piano player, as well as being great on stage, and she is so much fun to work with.

Next up are some pictures of the chalk art the kids did on the sidewalk leading to the door of the art center, inviting everyone to "Come to the Circus." They did some great posters, too, as well as designs for the camp shirt and playbill cover. Drama camp stirs all kinds of creativity.

This last picture is from a planning session as one of the camp leaders and some teen helpers worked with the kids to brainstorm some of the story. The teen helpers have been through drama camp several times, and they have all continued to be active in the troupe of young players. I love working with the kids. And the lady on the left, Hayley, was one of the very first kids that I had in a show the second or third year I started volunteering at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts. What a thrill to have her back as an adult, teaching the kids and directing the show along with Jennifer Zimmerman and George Gagliardi.

L-R: Hayley Morris, Kaitlyn Sullivan, Hunter Williams, Kennedie Williams, Thomas Hulme

While I go off to finish the last details for the show, I'll leave you with some fun from Pickles

Opal is in the kitchen opening drawers and calls out, "Earl! Have you seen Roscoe's toothpaste?"

Earl is in the living room and calls back, "Roscoe's toothpaste?"

Opal comes into the living room, holding a little doggie toothbrush. "Yes. You know. The special beef-flavored toothpaste I bought for him."

Earl answers, "Nope."

Opal looks at the plate on Earl's lap. "Wait just a minute...! What're you eating on those crackers?!"

He doesn't answer, and she walks off shaking her head. "Oh, for pete's sake. I can't believe you."

Earl says, "What? I was hungry."

Many Forms of Creativity

When you really stop and think about it, you realize   people are often creative in a number of different ways. My friend Lindy Hearne is a singer/songwriter, and he is also an amazing photographer. I tried to snag a copy of one of his pictures from Facebook, but couldn't. If you would like to see a few of his shots, here is a LINK  And if you would like to hear some of the music he creates with his partner, Lynn Adler, here is a LINK to their page on MySpace.

I have another friend who is a writer, Jory Sherman, and he is also a painter. What is the most amazing thing about that is that he is legally blind. Well, so am I in one eye, but he is blind in both. He can see light and dark and make out some large images, but that is all. The work he has turned out on canvas is stunning and he has won awards for that work as well as his writing. Here is a LINK to a story I did about Jory last year. You can see some of his paintings there.

I thought about this cross-over of creativity this morning when I set out on my morning walk. This will now explain the pictures of the buzzards in case you were wondering what on earth they have to do with this topic.

As I was walking, I was checking out the cows and the egrets in the pasture across the road from me when I saw this dead tree full of buzzards. It is a gray, cloudy morning and the silhouette of the birds against the gray sky was captivating. I thought about just walking on by, but couldn't resist the urge to go back and get my camera. 

That urge got me to thinking about this cross-over of creativity and  how people are loaded with it, even if they don't realize it or explore it. Since reading The Artist's Way,  I have been more aware of the forms of creativity I enjoy and am apparently gifted at. At least that's what people tell me.

I don't think I am as gifted as some of my friends, but then I have always had a hard time being my own cheerleader. I do enjoy singing, acting, directing, playing guitar, and I have even done some painting. All of that feeds my creative core, and as I learned from that book and from wise friends, all creativity is connected and feeds each other. So I believe I have become a better writer since allowing myself to enjoy all these other forms of creativity.

What about you? What types of creative endeavors do you enjoy? It doesn't have to be in the arts. Creativity can take many forms.