At 70 years old, Pete Staylor continues his mission to raise funds and awareness for arthritis research, proving that age is no barrier to making a difference.
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.
Last week we expanded our creative space by slowing down our podcasts. Did slowing down help you notice other things? Perhaps you noticed that you might not even like the podcast you’ve been tearing through like it’s your paid job! Whatever the extra space between words created, I hope it prepared you to find pause breaks in your routine.
This week, your creative nudge is here to help you notice the space between things, specifically the space between your body and all the other things in the universe. Creatively, spatial awareness is your sense of where you end and things begin. These limits are excellent places to play creatively.
Your creative nudge this week: use spatial awareness to explore your place. In our busy lives, we often move through our day without appreciating the many interactions with other bodies. By cultivating spatial awareness, we open ourselves up to a world of creative possibilities and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between objects, people, and places.
Find a quiet moment in your day to pause and observe your surroundings. Take five deep breaths to orientate yourself. Pay attention to how different elements of the space (sound, temperature, size, purpose) interact with each other and how that affects your place in the overall composition. Want extra? Try standing, eyes closed and one foot raised for thirty seconds. Stay engaged with the experience for at least seven minutes.
Now, dive into some creative activities to engage your newfound self-awareness:
Object Arrangement: Select a few objects that resonate with you and experiment with arranging them in different configurations. If your chosen objects are human co-workers, get their permission first.
Kinetic Sculpture: Use materials such as wire, clay, or found objects to create a small kinetic sculpture. Note the dynamics generated, experiment with different emotions or narratives.
Perspective Photography: Grab your camera or smartphone and explore your surroundings from different angles and perspectives. Consider the negative spaces between the objects. Experiment with depths of field and framing techniques to emphasize the spatial qualities of your subjects.
Body Awareness Exercises: Engage in activities that enhance your bodily awareness and spatial perception, such as yoga, tai chi, or dance. Through mindful movement, you can explore the space your body occupies, the interplay of limbs, and the relationship between your body and the environment.
In whatever you try, allow expanded spatial awareness to guide your choices and interpretations. Acknowledge the spaces between things and cultivate artistic exploration. Embrace spatial connections, letting awareness inspire fresh perspectives and creative endeavors.
Note: portions of this prompt created using the tool ChatGPT.
