Day of Gratitude -- You Made A Difference!

A creative jump-start exercise from artist Sandhi Schimmel Gold. 

Bored? Write.

• Get started with this exercise...in which you simply write a paragraph about 5 individuals who arrived at an important juncture in your life; or made an impression, gave you inspiration, power, championed your abilities, handed you special knowledge, gave guidance, got you through a difficult period or something else. 
• Something that helped form who you are now. 
• You may have already thanked them, but here's another way to let people know their life has meaning, and may have touched another so profoundly...and inspire others to do the same. 

An "It's A Wonderful Life" Exercise without angels.

Do not include ANY family members or spouses. That's too easy.
You'd be surprised, once you get started how more people/influencers will pop into mind.

Steps: 
1. Person's first initial ONLY.
2. What challenges you were facing at the moment.
3. The circumstances for your meeting or why something changed about your circumstances.
4. What the person did in 4 sentences ONLY that made an impact so strong that you changed you in a positive way forever.

By the time you're done, your day will be brightened!

Mine are below. See my comments on the bottom. 

1. J
2. Starting a new job/career that I was afraid I was unqualified to do.
3. Visited his office space, housed in my new workplace.
4. He was an extraordinary person who once had everything but lost it. He found himself in a position to solve a problem by using a few connections and a simple idea that became a world-wide movement. His personal sacrifice and unwavering commitment to the poor and hungry slowly wormed it's way into my psyche. I learned about and embraced compassion for my fellow man that has changed me forever.

===============

1. S
2. She was my boss when I was assigned a new role.
3. I was assigned a project that was way beyond anything I'd ever done in any capacity.
4. She saw something in me that gave her the confidence to assign projects that were not only out of my comfort zone, but beyond my experience. She listened patiently and was able to sift through my protestations. She gave me one quick tip and permission to pursue my ideas. She checked in with me only enough to allow me to blossom and complete a very successful project that gave me confidence to try new things.

===============

1. L
2. Lovelorn and lost.
3. We had mutual friends and developed a close friendship.
4. I was going through a very tough time personal/relationship-wise and she was always there, at the end of the phone or the end of her driveway to help. She not only eased my loneliness, she gave me encouragement. When I met someone very special, but geographically undesirable, she discouraged my interest in pursuing more. Her advice? "God sent you an angel" meaning this person's only purpose in my life was only to let me know that I was desirable, and ready to move on and not settle for less than what I deserved.

===============

1. L
2. Developing a career.
3. She was my new boss.
4. She was funny and talented but also very aloof, selfish and lazy. In this way, she gave me the lion's share of work, but took credit for it whenever she could. Her advice to me when I didn't know what to do was "Figure it out" as she walked away. Thanks to her, oddly enough, I did figure it out...over and over and over...and I finally got recognized for the creative work I was doing!

===============

1. B
2. We worked our regular jobs together, were both entrepreneurs, separately, on the side, and shared ideas.
3. When I was fired from a job, we were able to put into action a plan for a future business we discussed over drinks, writing ideas on cocktail napkins. His creative thinking and my creative doing paired with hilarious brainstorming sessions turned into a lucrative business [for a time]. He has two attributes that gave me the freedom to create: bravery and playfulness. Although our business ended years ago, he continues to buoy me up, poke my brain and make me laugh. 

===============

As I started thinking about this, and who I would choose, a common thread appeared  in my mind. The people who have made the most impact are those that allowed me to create, to think outside the box, to express myself, who don't judge, who care about others. 

If it wasn't for the people above, maybe I wouldn't have made some major changes and shifts in my life. Maybe I wouldn't have had confidence or courage to do my own thing, my own way. 

What's most important to you?

So it's no surprise that I became an artist after all. Creative freedom is everything to me. And social justice. And love. 

I can't wait to read yours!

Sandhi

us creative types on reality shows

I like watching a few "reality" shows - but only the kind where there is some sort of actual talent involved. OMG, where do some of these people get their egos?

Project Runway, Top Chef, Work of Art, Chopped, Face-Off, Cupcake Wars, Sweet Genius...that sort of thing. Watching the contestants struggle with each challenge looks like fun, and also looks a little like torture. Seeing how each contestant interprets the mystery "ingredient" is where the creativity comes in.

It's the "confessional" on-camera talk that really gets me. It's the part of each of these shows that is designed to lure you in; make you love or hate the contestant, or feel sorry for them, or realize how talented they think they are. So many of them are obnoxiously over-confident.

One universally disliked reality show contestant recently delivered a line that was so telling - I can only paraphrase, but when told he was overly self-assured, he explained "there's a difference between arrogance and confidence. There is nothing wrong with being confident when you know you have "it" - arrogance is confidence with the lack of talent."

These shows suck us in with on-camera confessionals - even the best of shows want us to root for or against certain contestants. Think of kids that are adored beyond reason on Idol...the terror-in-high-heels on Top Model...and there's always some pompous ass on any cooking show.

And then there's the meek & modest, quiet, hard-working types that put their heads down and do their jobs. The loud ones that think volume and "personality" make up for talent. And of course, throw in a few visionary but self-doubting contestants. Stir. 


How come artisans who are potentially and equally talented have such a huge range of confidence? Were they born that way? Did someone overindulge them, or is it all an act? Assuming they can all design, cook, paint, sculpt or bake...where does the self-esteem come from...or why is it lacking?

Given any group of us creative types... assuming they all have the capabilities to compete on the show - with the same challenge in front of them - you'll hear these sorts of "confessions."

1. I'm the best one here, no one has the skills I have.
2. I am better than _____,  I went to the "real" school: CIA, Parsons, FIT, the Cordon Bleu
3. I don't know how to approach this challenge.
4. This isn't my aesthetic or I don't use this product or I don't model in the nude and I don't feel comfortable not expressing "who I am" as a: designer, chef, artist...
5. OMG, we're gonna lose - my partner is: taking too much time, is questioning my design, doesn't know how to surge, is not talented, too young, too old, too slow, doesn't speak English...
6. I wish ______ would just shut up!
7. I've never done this before
8. I'm running out of time
9. I am going to take a risk by going big or going home [bye-bye, no one wants a jalapeno popper cupcake]
10. Why won't the other contestants help me by telling me where the sugar is, how to use this sewing machine, etc.
11. Why is contestant _________ here if they don't know how to sew, cook, make pastry, walk the runway, use make-up?
12. I use my sexuality to win everything. 
13. I'm more than a pretty face [or body]
14. I'm screwed, I picked the wrong: ingredient, fabric, material, theme...
15. I cut myself, I sewed my finger, I dropped the pan, I burnt the mystery ingredient...[tears]
16. I am having a hard time doing this because I: miss my kids [tears], husband [tears], lover [photo shown of gay or lesbian lover], I've never been under pressure to perform
17. I am a self-taught and I'm just as good as the contestant that went to: art school, design school, culinary school...etc. 
18. I'm self taught and I've never seen this kind of: fish, fabric or other ingredient before
19. I really hate contestant _____ he/she really gets under my skin
20. I am going to destroy the competition by trash-talking, bullying, teasing my fellow contestants.
21. I'm too good for this, I am leaving - the judges don't appreciate my skills
22. It's not cheating if I used a: glue gun, overhead projector, pre-made product...
23. I am going to sabatoge _________'s project
24. I'm going to win this to prove to my parents that I made the right decision by going to _____ school/profession
25. I'm doing this because if I win I will prove to my daughters that you can do anything you want to in this life [so, if you lose that means your daughters can't?]
26. I'm doing this because I have/had a life threatening illness
27. I'm doing this because I want to use the money to: help others, put my kids through college, visit my parent is far-away land, open my own: restaurant, bakery, gallery, store... [like 10K after taxes will do that]

Given any group of us creative types, you'll get the garden variety of hair styles, piercings and pork-pie hats.

I'm sure the producers have a list of "types" they need for the casting call: one pretty, one old, one scary, one loathsome asshat, one super talent, one self-taught weirdo, one club kid, one country girl, one with a strange accent, one sexy, one with a lot of tattoos, and one just for cannon fodder [goes home first week].

You'll get egotistical, arrogant, confident, neurotic, terrified, audacious, pushy, nasty, catty, timid, doubtful, poised, hesitant, shameless, modest, disorganized, confused, annoyed, petty, sensitive, gifted, skilled, clumsy, inept, imaginative, incompetent... personalities

And within many of us creative types, you'll find all of the above within us. One moment confident, another moment - your sensitivity finds you crashing through the floor. Maybe the judges are too mean, maybe they don't understand you, maybe they're stupid.

Some people just seem to be born with talent. What makes us creative is not our personalities, our clothes or how we wear our hair. How we express our creativity is the fun part.

You'll find a great chef or artist or designer can be just as neurotic as the people who have no talent, but eat their food, wear their clothes or hang their art on their walls.

In Praise of Women - Eleven Portraits

For Women's History Month:

Lately, I've had a real yen to "just paint" and have had a reprieve between projects. I bought a bunch of small canvases and started a somewhat improvisational process. If you know me, you know I have a thing for women's faces [just look at my collection!]. It got me thinking as I started sketching...

What does it mean, really, to be a woman. To be a positive influence on the world. What might great women - from Cleopatra to Elizabeth I to Florence Nightingale to my Grandma to Gloria Steinam to Hillary Clinton to Lady Gaga have in common?

I decided to create a group of portraits to depict eleven aspects of women. These portraits are not a complete definition of womanhood, but a positive portrayal in paint.

So what are the best things about women? We're tenacious, we're intelligent, we multi-task...

There are the obvious biological components, physical attributes, genetics. Half of the earth's population - or more - are female.

Okay, so beyond being female and having an assortment of specific organs and other goodies.

But spare me two things:
Let's not even discuss beauty - for several reasons. One, it's fleeting, and these days what many call beauty could very well be a concoction dreamed up by a magazine editor or a plastic surgeon.
For another - every society has a different version of how physical beauty is manifest - a face, a figure, the length of your neck or your tiny feet.
Different times called for different needs. To be considered beautiful a generation ago meant straight hair and an upturned nose...the generation before loved curves...many generations before, the ability to lead a team of oxen behind a plow or survive influenza or childbirth was a big plus.

So let's take physical beauty off the table.

I'd also like to dismiss "hotness" as evidence of womanhood. Sex appeal for the sake of being an object of lust or gratuitous sexuality is quite frankly, subjective. And, not in the realm of my sort of definition or thought process. And some of the worst aspects of womanhood can be related to sexuality - as a tool, a weapon - or exploitation - or as victims. Sexuality is a double-edged sword.

A lot of negative things can be said about some women recently. Rush Limbaugh calling a law student a slut, whore, prostitute just because she wants birth control covered by her insurance? Laws that force women to have ultrasounds and listen to heartbeats prior to an abortion?

Perhaps there are false, scheming, money-hungry, sluts. Negative things can be said about men. Or anyone.

There is so much more to being a woman. I'm keeping this light. Positive. What I am trying to create is an ideal picture - and it's my ideal of womanhood. I am sure I've left out attributes.

I am also not looking to re-create a mother, a daughter or a friend or lover by creating this grouping.

Once you get to a certain age, you realize that within a society, people fit into "types." No one is exactly one way or another. It's not complete, but these ideas came from several weeks of painting these eleven portraits. Different faces, expressions, ages. Eleven aspects of womanhood. Of course, the combination of all eleven aspects - in one portrait, so to speak, would create a "perfect" woman.

This collection of eleven small [11x14" each] paintings on canvas creates the combination.

The portraits themselves are random faces - no one in particular, and none are the same. This was an improvisational process.

They started out as line drawings on canvas, then I focused on the faces, using the same color scheme for all of them [you can't tell by the photos]. They were all redheads with green eyes [no particular reason]. As I kept painting, I started making slight changes to colors. I pulled in; keeping the portraits an 8" square and created a translucent background - keeping the original sketch lines painted. The titles are hand-painted. There is a bit of gold-leafing and tiny mosaic tiles "frame" each portrait. Then I created small tiles of gel and translucent and metallic colors; and from junk mail. They're all in gold metal frames. The pics below show them before the tiles were added; the pic above is the completed group. Not a great shot, I admit, but the glass reflects light [and me with a camera].

Here are the eleven - as I see it -

1. Genuine: She is open, a loving friend, partner, parent, daughter, she is loyal, you can count on her, she is sharing and honest.

2. Wistful: She is hopeful, spiritual, sentimental, is positive and forward thinking, respectful of people, animals and the environment. 

3. Expressive: She is humorous and witty, ready to try anything, adventurous, spontaneous, eloquent in her own way and always enthusiastic.

4. Strong: A confident demeanor, independent in thought and deed, vigilant, enterprising and ready to take on any dare.

5. Alluring: She is quietly sensual, in private she is enticing an vulnerable, exciting with a fascinating personality.

6. Sincere: Helpful and kind to others, truly caring about people and causes; altruistic and sweet.

7. Feminine: She is attractive and charming to all, both mysterious and sensitive, she is naturally curious about the world.

8. Knowing: She is thoughtful and serene, wise and perceptive listener, discriminating and intelligent.

9. Nurturing: A giving partner and empathetic friend, attentive to those she loves, she is protective as well as compassionate.

10. Natural: She does not artifice to glow, she is demure, tolerant and calm with subtle touch and grace.

11. Creative: she has a lively and disciplined imagination that works for her, she is inventive, nimble and playful and clever.

This is a preview - the entire collection and individual pics will be posted on my site soon. Please email me if you are interested in seeing details.

I hope my little paintings reflect the best in womanhood. I'm looking forward to your feedback!

This is a bit of a departure from my mosaic portraits, but painting is fundamental to all of those. The collection is currently at my home studio - they will be hanging in my studio/gallery in Richmond, VA later this week!

To see the rest of my work, please visit http://www.schimmelart.com

In Praise of Women - Eleven Portraits

For Women's History Month:

Lately, I've had a real yen to "just paint" and have had a reprieve between projects. I bought a bunch of small canvases and started a somewhat improvisational process. If you know me, you know I have a thing for women's faces [just look at my collection!]. It got me thinking as I started sketching...

What does it mean, really, to be a woman. To be a positive influence on the world. What might great women - from Cleopatra to Elizabeth I to Florence Nightingale to my Grandma to Gloria Steinam to Hillary Clinton to Lady Gaga have in common?

I decided to create a group of portraits to depict eleven aspects of women. These portraits are not a complete definition of womanhood, but a positive portrayal in paint.

So what are the best things about women? We're tenacious, we're intelligent, we multi-task...

There are the obvious biological components, physical attributes, genetics. Half of the earth's population - or more - are female.

Okay, so beyond being female and having an assortment of specific organs and other goodies.

But spare me two things:
Let's not even discuss beauty - for several reasons. One, it's fleeting, and these days what many call beauty could very well be a concoction dreamed up by a magazine editor or a plastic surgeon.
For another - every society has a different version of how physical beauty is manifest - a face, a figure, the length of your neck or your tiny feet.
Different times called for different needs. To be considered beautiful a generation ago meant straight hair and an upturned nose...the generation before loved curves...many generations before, the ability to lead a team of oxen behind a plow or survive influenza or childbirth was a big plus.

So let's take physical beauty off the table.

I'd also like to dismiss "hotness" as evidence of womanhood. Sex appeal for the sake of being an object of lust or gratuitous sexuality is quite frankly, subjective. And, not in the realm of my sort of definition or thought process. And some of the worst aspects of womanhood can be related to sexuality - as a tool, a weapon - or exploitation - or as victims. Sexuality is a double-edged sword.

A lot of negative things can be said about some women recently. Rush Limbaugh calling a law student a slut, whore, prostitute just because she wants birth control covered by her insurance? Laws that force women to have ultrasounds and listen to heartbeats prior to an abortion?

Perhaps there are false, scheming, money-hungry, sluts. Negative things can be said about men. Or anyone.

There is so much more to being a woman. I'm keeping this light. Positive. What I am trying to create is an ideal picture - and it's my ideal of womanhood. I am sure I've left out attributes.

I am also not looking to re-create a mother, a daughter or a friend or lover by creating this grouping.

Once you get to a certain age, you realize that within a society, people fit into "types." No one is exactly one way or another. It's not complete, but these ideas came from several weeks of painting these eleven portraits. Different faces, expressions, ages. Eleven aspects of womanhood. Of course, the combination of all eleven aspects - in one portrait, so to speak, would create a "perfect" woman.

This collection of eleven small [11x14" each] paintings on canvas creates the combination.

The portraits themselves are random faces - no one in particular, and none are the same. This was an improvisational process.

They started out as line drawings on canvas, then I focused on the faces, using the same color scheme for all of them [you can't tell by the photos]. They were all redheads with green eyes [no particular reason]. As I kept painting, I started making slight changes to colors. I pulled in; keeping the portraits an 8" square and created a translucent background - keeping the original sketch lines painted. The titles are hand-painted. There is a bit of gold-leafing and tiny mosaic tiles "frame" each portrait. Then I created small tiles of gel and translucent and metallic colors; and from junk mail. They're all in gold metal frames. The pics below show them before the tiles were added; the pic above is the completed group. Not a great shot, I admit, but the glass reflects light [and me with a camera].

Here are the eleven - as I see it -

1. Genuine: She is open, a loving friend, partner, parent, daughter, she is loyal, you can count on her, she is sharing and honest.

2. Wistful: She is hopeful, spiritual, sentimental, is positive and forward thinking, respectful of people, animals and the environment. 

3. Expressive: She is humorous and witty, ready to try anything, adventurous, spontaneous, eloquent in her own way and always enthusiastic.

4. Strong: A confident demeanor, independent in thought and deed, vigilant, enterprising and ready to take on any dare.

5. Alluring: She is quietly sensual, in private she is enticing an vulnerable, exciting with a fascinating personality.

6. Sincere: Helpful and kind to others, truly caring about people and causes; altruistic and sweet.

7. Feminine: She is attractive and charming to all, both mysterious and sensitive, she is naturally curious about the world.

8. Knowing: She is thoughtful and serene, wise and perceptive listener, discriminating and intelligent.

9. Nurturing: A giving partner and empathetic friend, attentive to those she loves, she is protective as well as compassionate.

10. Natural: She does not artifice to glow, she is demure, tolerant and calm with subtle touch and grace.

11. Creative: she has a lively and disciplined imagination that works for her, she is inventive, nimble and playful and clever.

This is a preview - the entire collection and individual pics will be posted on my site soon. Please email me if you are interested in seeing details.

I hope my little paintings reflect the best in womanhood. I'm looking forward to your feedback!

This is a bit of a departure from my mosaic portraits, but painting is fundamental to all of those. The collection is currently at my home studio - they will be hanging in my studio/gallery in Richmond, VA later this week!

To see the rest of my work, please visit http://www.schimmelart.com

Yes, I am the smart-ass artist

I make art for YOU. I am in love with each piece as I create it, but then I am happy to let it go.
Here are some of the questions I get asked every time I show my work. Yes, I am a smart-ass.

FAQ:

1. "Are YOU the artist?" - When people meet me in person, they seemed to be surprised at my appearance - were you expecting someone taller? younger? male? thinner? African-American...blonde?

2. "How long have you been an artist?" - I've never not been an artist.

3. "How long have you been doing this kind of work?" - I've done mosaic work forever. Check out photos of my bathroom on my web site. I created mosaic portraits in many versions using several techniques - years ago. I created a mosaic landscape in high school. I've always painted in this style...so it's a natural progression. The first portrait in this style probably happened in 2004.

4. "How did you come up with this idea?" - I'm brilliant! Sounds like a smart-ass answer, but what else would it be? I'm clever, I'm talented, I'm an artist, I'm creative...!

5. "Why is it so expensive?" - Compared to what? How do you put a price on my talent... or the time it takes to create a fabulous piece of art from nothing? A canvas is blank - and after a while it is filled with color & texture - my vision transformed to a sustainable image you can own forever. A "Kelly" bag from Hermes can cost $30,000.00! A pair of Manolo Blahnik designer shoes can be over $1000.00 [and you won't wear them next season!],

6. "Where do find your materials?" - the mailbox. And, stuff that might have been heading into the recycle bin. Yes, it's all mine. I save everything.

7. "Oh, so it's JUST paper?" - JUST paper? Yeah, and Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" - it's just paint...so are the masterpieces created by Picasso, Klimt, Jackson Pollock - Michaelangelo's "David" - it's just a piece of rock... Rodin's "Thinker" is just metal, Warhol's soup can... just ink...the famous windows at Notre Dame Catherdral or Chagall's masterpieces at the U.N. ... are just glass [which is just sand]...the army of terracotta soldiers in China...just dirt. Does it really matter what the masterpiece is constructed of? Some of the world's most amazing places were created by just water [the Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls] or wind.

8. "What kind of glue do you use?" - this is probably the most common question. My question is - why do you need to know? I created the concept, the technique, the style... what difference does it make? All you need to know is my adhesives work and are acid-free... the pieces stay on and the color doesn't fade.

9. "Do you hold workshops?" - I've gone around and around on this. I'm not a patient teacher. What is most important is knowing how to create a composition, have an eye for color, be willing to spend hundreds of hours sorting and cutting pieces... I can't teach you how to paint or how to see an image in tiny bits. So, at the moment, I'm not having any workshops.

10. "Do you have any other talents?" - I've been playing piano since I was 4. I am a good painter [acrylic, watercolor], I can draw, I can design needlepoint, handbags, shoes & clothes, I can throw pottery, fuse glass, make paper, set tile, I can cook, I can ride a bike. I focus on my artwork so I continue to create every day in a style and technique I love.