Everyday Art

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Postcard by Nancy Silvers, Bev Bag by Trudy Olson

This week I got a postcard in the mail. Not just any postcard. Pictured above, this postcard included at least 4 layers of media, with mustard-hued thread over a coral watercolor wash. Flipping to the back, I read a fond message from “N,” celebrating our last meal together.

Once open, the floodgates of creativity are hard-pressed to close. And so it is that a delicious and beautiful seasonal harvest dinner inspired hang-up-ready original art that passed undercover through the U.S. postal system. What a gift. We are born to play with one another.

When I released the Body of Love meditation, my dancer/choreographer friend, Amanda Jo Broughton, said, “By the way, when I listened to that meditation, I saw dance choreography from start to finish with lighting and set. When you’re ready to collaborate, let me know.” We play and we play and we play.

Another dear friend, my mother’s best friend in fact, quilted the teal-themed beverage bag above. Trudy presented a bottle of wine matter-of-factly at our last gathering in this work of art. The curated colors and patterns just sing to me. It’s no easy feat to quilt a creation like this, but I hear it gets easier with practice.

And practice we can. Allowing our minds to play in creative ways reshapes the seemingly mundane so that we dance down the sidewalk and plate a lunch for one with love. Making time to play has a high “Return On Investment” (ROI). It serves not only us well, but also those whose lives touch ours. Feeling the joy of playful creativity aligns us with health. The giving and receiving become one.

What are your mediums for play — conversation, writing, arts, crafts, dance, singing in the shower? What helps you enjoy play more, and what keeps you from it?