Creative Collecting

 

                                                  my publisher's website

Do you like to collect? Author Paula Chaffee Scardamalia, (Divine Musings)  recent excellent newsletter delt with the subject. It got me thinking about links from our world of collecting to our creative lives. 

I fully admit to being a collector. Living in an old house with a big attic has made it easy for me to say "yes" to a neighbor who was in the process of moving and would I find a good home for her now excess flower pots, side table, mystery collection? 

My attic seemed to expand to provide!

Do you go antiquing? Attend estate sales? It's a good way to discover what colors, textures art styles appeal to you. How you decorate your home shows your own aesthetic, your own style.

Paula suggests that "collecting first of all stimulates the brain, especially through the senses.. Look at any collection of items you have and see which of your senses respond to those items."

Here's something else I hadn't realized about collecting...

"Beyond that sensory effect, collecting while traveling anchors memories of new experiences, new understandings and insights."

Haven't we all looked at a piece of blown glass, a travel brochure, an old long-out-of-print cookbook and remember what adventure we were on when we discovered our treasure? I still lovingly iron a now well-worn embroidered blouse I bought from a vendor in the shadow of a Mayan pyramid, and I think with wonder and gratitude that I was able to experience that moment in my travels.

One of my favorite collections is fellow writer friends, old and new, that I've made over the years. We even get to see each other while on book tours and conferences. Here are my friend Liz and David at a memorable moment... We like collecting those book awards, too!

I hope what you collect inspires your life and fuels your creativity!