Plastic Fantastic

Do you need a low stress way to include seven minutes of creative contemplation into your week? Consider this your helpful nudge towards a slightly more creative life. If it helps, come back every week for a quick hit of creative contemplation. Each week I’ll share a new nudge. It will include a Thing (T), a Place (P), and a Sense(S) for your focus, a TPS creative nudge.

Welcome back, fellow creatives! Last week, we turned our gaze inward, exploring the creative potential of our own collarbones. Did you find yourself tapping out a rhythm on your clavicle or perhaps adorning it with a temporary tattoo that expressed your inner artist? You may have even discovered a newfound appreciation for the subtle movements and sensations of this often-overlooked part of your body.

This week, we’re shifting our focus from the bony structures beneath our skin to a kitchen staple that’s both practical and playfully frustrating: plastic wrap. That clingy, crinkly roll that seems to have a mind of its own is about to become our muse for a tactile exploration of creativity.

Remember those moments of wrestling with a roll of plastic wrap, trying to tear off a perfect sheet without it sticking to itself or everything else but the object of your desire? Those few times I’ve risen to the occasion have really stuck with me! Within those challenges lies a playful energy that can fuel our creativity.

Ready for several minutes of creative contemplation fueled by a little frustration? Great, grab a roll of plastic wrap (and maybe a few snacks to protect), let your fingers do the exploring, and see how this everyday item can inspire us to think creatively and embrace the playful side of any situation:

Textured Masterpieces: The same way we explored the contours of our collarbones last week, let’s now engage with the texture of plastic wrap. Lay out a sheet and feel its smoothness, the slight stickiness, and the way it crinkles and folds. Use markers, paints, or even natural materials like leaves and flowers to create textured masterpieces directly on the plastic wrap.
Wrap It Up: Select a few objects of different shapes and sizes and wrap them in plastic wrap. Observe how the wrap conforms to the contours of each object, creating interesting visual effects. Experiment with layering different colors or textures of plastic wrap to add depth and dimension, reflecting the layers of identity and self-expression we explored last week. What would a seven layer dip look like made of plastic wrap, foil, and parchment paper?
Sensory Play: Create a sensory bin or a “feely bag” using crumpled pieces of plastic wrap and other textured materials like fabric scraps, feathers, or dried beans. Explore the different sensations with your hands, focusing on the tactile experience, similar to how we focused on the sensations of our collarbones. This activity is not only enjoyable but can also be a calming and meditative practice, promoting mindfulness and self-awareness.
The Clingy Dance: Allow the clinginess of plastic wrap to inspire a playful dance or movement exercise. Wrap yourself or a willing partner in plastic wrap (loosely and safely!) and explore the restrictions and possibilities it creates for movement. This activity encourages you to think creatively about limitations and find joy in the unexpected, mirroring the resilience and adaptability we discovered within ourselves.

As we engage with these creative exercises, let’s appreciate the plastic wrap’s ability to both protect and reveal. It’s a testament to human ingenuity, born from a need to preserve and safeguard. Just as we carefully wrap leftovers to savor them later, we can also use creativity to protect our inner spark, preserving moments of joy and wonder.

So, the next time you find yourself wrestling with a roll of plastic wrap, take a moment to appreciate its paradoxical nature—both frustrating and fascinating. Embrace the challenge, find the joy in the struggle, and let it inspire you to create something uniquely your own.

Creative types like us should always try new things, which is why this week’s column was written with the assistance of Google’s Gemini Advanced.