Day 13 - Art in the Wayward Mind

As artists (yes, my friend, poets are artists), as creative beings, we have a reputation for being a wayward bunch. We see the world in so many unique and unusual ways. The "normal" people often think we are odd, quirky, troubled, even bizarre. But I'm here to tell you, we make the world a better, a more beautiful place.

For today's challenge, I'm going to share with you a few images from artists who inspire me. Each one is linked to either a video or a website with a bit about the artwork. Feel free to use one of my inspirations to feed your poetic muse today or share one of your own.

Remembering, 2009
Ai Weiwei

The Mirror, 2016

Choreography by Travis Wall

Propped, 1992

Jenny Saville

Les Twins, 2017

NBCs's World of Dance Divisional Finals

Brave Intuitive Painting, 2014

Flora Bowley

Bouquet of Eyes, 1930
Hannah Hoch

Alternate prompt: The mental health of highly creative people is often questioned. Write about mental health or mental illness.

Word Prompts

Art

Artist

Dancer

Collage

Painting

Sculpture

Quote Prompt

Remember, our prompts are only suggestions, you can find your inspiration wherever your muse leads you. Please visit the other participants, share the hashtag, #OctPoWriMo, on social media, and share your link in the comments below. Let us know how this journey into poetry is going for you. 

Have fun playing with your artistic muse!

I wish you words, 

Amy McGrath

Day 24: "Reality" Check and Guilty Pleasures

So You Think You Can Dance.
Project Runway.
Face Off.
Ink Master.

These are my guilty pleasures. These "reality"-based competition shows that require a new work of art to be created in a wild assortment of challenges actually inspire me to challenge myself. I love seeing how the artists on each of these shows deal with the guidelines and spirit of each new challenge.
Wouldn't it be fun if there was a show like this for us poets? What would the format look like? Would you be a contestant? I claim you already ARE taking part because you are here! Sure, we're not on national television, but we are taking on a new challenge every day as we create new works of art in poetic form.

The Prompt: Let's pull our inspiration from one (or more) of the genres in these shows. Here are links to some sources that might help if you're not familiar with the shows, or you can just use the word prompts to guide you. (Or not use the prompt at all ... unlike the shows, we do have that option!)

• So You Think You Can Dance
• Project Runway
• Face Off
• Ink Master

Word Prompts: 

• Dance
• Fashion
• Make-up
• Tattoos

As always, the prompt is completely optional! Have fun!

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~ Amy McGrath is a poet, fiction writer, artist, and student of life. She is working toward a new career as a Creative Arts Therapist where she hopes to share with others the healing power of the creative process. You can read her poetry and see some of her art on her blog - Poetry, Prose, Art, and Creativity. When she's not writing or making art, you can find her reading, listening to a wide range of music (even singing karaoke sometimes), or spending time with her husband Patrick and her two sons.

OctPoWriMo Poetry Prompt Day 28 _ Who are we?

This has been another October to remember. I have enjoyed OctPoWriMo this year, but once again I was in the midst of taking care of health issues while I was also co-creating the prompts and the community here. I wish I could’ve put time on hold while I was both preparing and

recovering.

I hope to get around to more of your poetry in the coming weeks.

With that said, here is my final prompt for you to write your way into during October, 2013

Ready?

Last week I saw a movie that has sparked a lot of thought for me. 

It is called “I Am” and is a documentary about how a serious situation turned into a quest. A lot of what he says is familiar territory for me, but it was so interesting to hear his perspective along with the science behind it. The movie's premise is based on exploring human nature. The director, Tom Shadyac, visits the most respected, influential thinkers of today to interview them ask them several basic questions.

Poetry Writing Tip: The Surprising Joy of Being with What Is.....

I sat quietly at a table at the Art and Spirituality Center at Mercy Hospital with a paint brush in my hand on Wednesday. Before me, a tray I am upcycling/repurposing from utilitarian tool of women FOR YEARS into a work of art about women artists, writers and poets whose voices were squelched.

I haven’t allowed myself the luxury of attending Open Studio much this season, but I felt compelled to go because I wanted to be busy and I wanted to be around people rather than alone.

It Doesn't Have to Rhyme, But....

I didn't set out in this life to become a writer, much less a poet. I began my adult life as a teacher. Not an English teacher, mind you, but a math teacher. I had always been drawn to math because it seemed to offer some semblance of order to the chaos in my mind. It tickled something in my left brain that gave me a framework to follow when approaching new problems. I have often found that I benefit from this same sort of framework in my writing, particularly with poetry.



In a recent post here at OctPoWriMo, Morgan mentioned Shadow Poetry, a resource that I return to frequently when I'm in the process of composing a new poem. The Shadow Poetry site provides simple, detailed descriptions of both traditional and invented poetry forms along with several examples of each. Sometimes I approach the site with an idea or an image that I want to write about and I begin sifting through the different forms until a single line emerges in my mind that happens to fit one of the forms. Other times, I'll choose a form that I've never tried before (look for a prompt on this idea soon!) and I'll challenge myself to try to write within that framework. Instead of straining my brain for words that rhyme, if the form happens to include a rhyming element, I jump to my other favorite tool - Rhyme Zone.

Finding Your Way - "The Artist's Way"

“No matter what your age or your life path, whether making art is your career or your hobby or your dream, it is not too late or too egotistical or too selfish or too silly to work on your creativity.” ~ Julia Cameron

Do you feel like you’re not very creative? Surprise! You ARE creative, probably more so than you realize!

Have you ever felt that your creativity was blocked? Of course you have! We all feel that way from time to time!

Would you like to rediscover the joy and freedom of creativity the way you did when you were a child? Remember the fun of pretending and playing make believe? You can have that much fun again any time you want!

In Julia Cameron’s international bestseller “The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Guide to Higher Creativity”, she offers a set of tools and exercises to help you reclaim the gift of your own creativity. This does not mean that you have to want to write a novel or paint a masterpiece. This creative journey (and I do believe it’s a journey!) will help you access your own creativity in whatever area you want to innovate and bring about unique change.