My word for 2020 was tide. It turned out to be a good choice, what with Covid lockdowns, a job change and losing my children to their grown up world. It helped remind me to ebb and flow with the wash of change and to not resist.
Strangely enough, 2020 was also one of my recent best years. I enjoyed working from home and slowing down, not rushing through the traffic, consuming less and being with my family, together in lockdown. I know I am one of the lucky few- many didn’t have good experiences, were terrible lonely and businesses suffered. So I know many hope that 2021 will be more like pre 2020 times.
This got me thinking. It reminded me of some of the creative challenges I ran a few years ago and that it might be time to run an annual challenge with monthly themes. So many people are stuck at home or less likely to be able to travel or see loved one. Focusing on a creative pursuit is a mindful activity that not only helps us through difficult times, but may be a vehicle to discovering something about ourselves or helps to push us creatively. It doesn't matter where you are, you can create with very little.
Each month there will be a prompt for you to interpret.
It must be original - original you. It can be an art piece in any medium, a poem, a captured moment, a flower arrangement, arranging shells on the sand, sewing, knitting, crocheting, bookmaking. Something made or created by you.
Join in. Let’s get creative and inspire each other! Be experimental - use it to try a new art medium or style of photography or to develop a way of making in your preferred medium. Where will it take you?
Think about whether you want to create a theme of your work throughout the year? Do you want to use particular colours, moods or media, or, simply use the challenge to play?
In 2020, I enjoyed filling a beautiful Bespoke Press diary with an ink drawing a day.
For 2021, I plan to repurpose a disposed book and make my own art journal. Creating every day can be difficult to achieve, so I decided that having one place to play in, is useful as I can simply grab my book and go. My repurposed journal is my Book of Days. It is quite large, slightly less than A4, but the idea is to have space to try new things and what I don't like I can simply paste over the pages again and again, if necessary.
I called for prompt themes recently on Instagram and some kind souls shared some topics that you may recognise below.
The 12 monthly themes for 2021 are:
January - word/s
February - compassion
March - nature
April - beginnings
May- sky
June - sea
July - food
August - mountains
September - seasons
October - courage
November - thoughtful
December - magic
The hashtag for posting is
#2021_creativegrowth
Before the start of each month during 2021, I will post a theme on Instagram and will feature posts in my Stories followed by a monthly round up on my blog.
If you would like to get notification and inspiration about the new prompt, please sign up on the Follow by email link on the adi & bert blog home page.
Here is January’s prompt - word/s
Do you have a word for 2021? Do words move you? Is font something that inspires you? What is your favourite quote?
Sometime in January, share your word/s interpretation and together let’s celebrate the magic of letters and words.
So I can follow along, please tag @adiandbert and #2021_creativegrowth
I hope your 2021 will be just what you need and so look forward to seeing what you create. Claudia x
