Early this morning sitting on the sheepskin in our window seat, looking out at nothing in particular, I think “I have nothing planned for my post today.”
I observe the lived-in comforts of “home” in la casa de inspiracion musing over possibilities.
Then I remember a stunning book in my bookshelf by Lloyd Kahn, Builders of the Pacific Coast published in 2008.
Here are a few pages to inspire you to think about “the ART of Home.”
work of Michael McNamara
work of Jan Jensen
There are 250 pages of stories and photographs of some of the most stunning aesthetically warm, natural or salvaged material homes I have ever had the pleasure to become acquainted. The morning slips away as I browse through the pages…
With only a little effort I find Lloyd’s Blog with a list of a few more of his books as well as an interesting article on the future of publishing.
Sprout Question: Is there a connection between your home and your creativity?
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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.
From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
Creative Potager 
very classy, homey and delightful 🙂 simple colors of life always sensational 🙂 u r so sweet just like a love 🙂
Ahsan… I am smiling at your many happy faces and playful response. Now when my husband reads your comment I hope he smiles at the same playfulness… With warmth and appreciation, I’m teasing you just a little, yet at the same time, gently creating a boundary between you and I and your kind words.
Readers, I find articulating my boundaries ever-so-much-more challenging online than in person where the unedited stiffing of my back would do the same thing better than my clumsy words on a page. Why is it so difficult? Because there is a dance and tension between sharing my person, my life, my creativity and keeping my privacy, my distance, my sacred space with the one I call partner, husband, friend and lover. I want both the intimacy of our personal Creative Potager conversations and regard for separating what for me is intimacy shared with my love. How do we do that where languages, cultures and personal differences must transcend our global attempts at communication? I am not sure… so for now my clumsy words will have to do, with the hope that I have honoured the integrity of another who has so graciously shared their thoughts with us – such as Ahsan.
The connection between my home and creativity is nature. I live in an older log home on a private woodland type of rural property with 5 horses, a dog, and a cat. Deer and a variety birds are a regular sight, but occasionally elk, moose, coyotes and bear grace us with their presence as they pass through. If I am on the ball, I get a photo that can be worked up into a painting. Otherwise, it is the experience of this type of home/life that is reflected into my wildlife and nature paintings.
Good morning Sue and thank you for your sprout response. Your ability to capture the essence of animals in your paintings always inspires me.
Oh yes I think there is a connection between my home and my creativity. Firstly Cornwall (my home in the wider sense) constantly fuels my creative endeavours. Secondly the past couple of years living in this old cottage has inspired many a creative piece. I think we are drawn to places & the best way to choose a home is by the way we ‘feel’ in it.
Your home always leaves me in awe. I would love to visit your part of the world. I also loved the magazine photos – what wonderful unique homes they’ve created. I’m compelled to look further into that magazine & the examples you gave.
Thanks for another fab post. And to think you didn’t have anything planned 🙂
Kat
Hello Kat and thank you. Lloyd Kahn’s book is more like an inspiring, beautifully photographed 9X12 inch Art book than a magazine (and there is no advertising:). Your post “Feast for the senses & novel changes” has me feeling the same way about wanting to visit Cornwall! I must stop by and answer your creativity questions as well.
Let me assure you Kat — as one who’s life has lead me to Terrill’s island — that Terrill’s photos skillfully represent the charm that you will find if you visit this island.
Mayne Island has inspired my creativity in many ways. Before moving here I would never have claimed the title of artist. It was Mayne’s gentle lullabys that lead me to my creative life.
Most recently, Mayne Island was the setting for my cozy mystery.
Thank you Leanne and great sprout response and for those in the neighbourhood Leanne will be reading from of Maynely a Mystery and her work in progress Maynely Hidden this Saturday at Overleaf Bookstore and Cafe in Victoria B.C…. where Amber Harvey will be reading from the Magda series and I will read from Leading Raspberry Jam Visions.
Terrill – The photographs you shared reflect your love of color and beauty.
Sprout Question: Is there a connection between your home and your creativity?
My creative juices bubble to the surface unrestricted with plenty of free flowing space — particularly in my writing area.
Thank you Laurie… and I do remember this conversation from our wabi-sabi discussions. If you could see my bustling work area right now with bits of paper straggling off any flat surface, books crowding around for attention and paint still drying on the easel… well it would rub the hair on the back of your neck the wrong way for sure. LOL Me I just squeeze in and get down too it… until there is a creative break… a moment where things seem sort of “done”… then I go in like a mad fiend and make order out of things! To do it any earlier seems to disrupted my creative process. It destroys the layers of feelings and contemplation that are the makings of a work in progress.
Terrill – I think what you just described is necessary when a person is giving birth to something that is three-dimensional; something that has heft and weight to it; something that will actually occupy space. It’s like the flotsam and jetsam one finds in the labor room of a hospital — it’s all part of that process.
possibly Laurie but even when I am writing I have a stack of hard copy “friends” with little stickies stuck everywhere so I can be as true to my sources as I am to my muse. I think it is just a style thing as much as anything. I do not spell extremely well so when I want to quote someone I have to look up their name on the spin of their book and things like this. Besides, I like the conversations that the various view points will have when I leave them close together – near my elbow so I can listen in while I’m working.
Beautiful home. My gf has a few sewing baskets like that also.
We live in an old 1940s bungalow, lots of wood (floors, built in book cases, pocket doors) which for us, feels so much more livable than any newer home.
Makes being creative a no brainer……
Cheers!
Coffee messiah having a creative space in your home that is just right for you shows through in the brilliance of your collage of ideas and images posts. Thank you for dropping in and leaving a sprout.
“… I like the conversations that the various view points will have when I leave them close together – near my elbow so I can listen in while I’m working.”
Well said, Terrill. I like the picture that conjured up in my head.
Laurie
Thanks Laurie:))) I sometimes imagine your sparse space when I sit down to start gathering my thoughts for a project. It is at the start that I need empty room to lay out my ideas so I can get a good look at them and measure up there worthiness. This is likely why I often go to the seashore or to the woods to “meditate” on a thing.
“Holessence” always says something brilliant, and on this thread it’s no exception, methinks.
If I am not mistaken Terrill, I think our good friend the Coffee Messiah made reference to this book a short time ago, but I’ll have to scan his past posts.
Creativity at home is no doubt shaped by our artistic holdings, and in my case I can’t say that my weekly itinerary is not influenced by shelves and shelves of DVDs, CDs and opera and movie posters. Or just to pick up a book on any subject often spurs on further investigation. I guess in this sense creativity is informed by focus and energy, which are not in long supply, but at-home stimulus is perhapsmost effective in leaving the box.
Sam I like imagining your shelves of DVDs, CDs and opera and movie posters. I get filled with curiosity and wonder just thinking about it. Thanks for living such an enticing sprout for us.
I forgot to mention Sam, I so very much agree that “Holessence” or Laurie does always have something brilliant to say and I visit her blog “Speaking from the Heart” regularly.
Wow, Terrill, Laurie does have quite a thought-provoking and inspirational blog. I’ll be sure to respond to some posts there soon. Thanks for the link.
You are welcome Sam… enjoy!
hello!
my library ordered this book for me yesterday, my option was to take out one of his older books..and not the one about septic tanks!
elisa
Good to hear Elisa and let us know what you think when you get a chance to browse (septic tanks wouldn’t have done it for me either:)
I am going to have to drop by your blog and explore those morning walks more closely.