CRUSADE NO. 33 ~ Back to School

 

It's back to school for the kids.  While I always mourn a little that summer is over, it's fun to prepare for the year ahead getting new clothes and shoes, and new folders, pencils and other supplies.  Last year at this time I challenged you to Clean Your Plate and remarked that even though the year is more than half over we are entering a new season and it is an opportunity to begin again.  As the school year begins for students across the country why not take this time to learn something new too? 

 

If you're like me then there isn't enough time in a day to do all the things you want to do.  And it seems there certainly isn't enough time to learn something new.  However, when you make the time to feed your brain, your whole self gets nourished.  Even if what you are learning isn't art related, I bet the shift in perspective gives you new ideas for creativity. 

 

Is there something you've put off learning?  Is there something you want to research, something you want to know more about, something you've never tried?  Do it!  Take this time to learn something, and share it with us.  Have you read a an interesting article lately that made you want to know more, taken a workshop, picked up a new technique?  Tell us.  It may encourage us to try something similar or motivate us to expand our mind in another way.

Here are some of the things I'm doing.  It's not all related to art but with each new thing I'm learning I have a heightened awareness and find myself bombarded with all kinds of ideas that I can bring to my studio. 

I dug up some old favorite brass stencils and have been using them in an unconventional way.  It has been a lesson in patience to make this vision I have become reality (I"ll show you some other time) but meanwhile I have a new perspective on the relationship of positive/negative, and I see the potential of additional images and their capacity everywhere around me.  (Remember when we were cutting stencils?  Didn't that happen to you too?)  Is there a technique that you want to learn, or have recently tried - maybe try making jewelry, or ceramics, or printmaking? 

 

Finnish is a tough language and I am very very slowly training my ear to understand it.  Not sure I'll ever get my mouth to speak it but it's been an interesting lesson to observe a foreign language and to appreciate those that have mastered being able to speak and think beyond their native tongue.  What language have you wanted to learn...or what country do you want to know more about? 

 

There's still a chance I might be a rock star *grin*.  THIS has been really hard, but the most fun!  I've always loved a good bass line in a song but now that I have my own bass I am listening to music in an entirely different way.  I watch music videos to get a glimpse of the bass player to see how he (or she!) is holding their hand and if they pluck or use a pick.  I have numb fingers from practicing.  It's way different than the accoustic guitar I played as a teen.  I'm starting all over.  I knew my husband was a fabulous musician, but watching him play any instrument with finesse and ease....now I think he's a master.  What instrument have you wanted to learn?  What's stopping you?

 

This month's challenge is to feed your brain - in or out of the studio.  Tell us on your blog what you have learned recently, what you plan to learn, or what you are currently learning.  It does not have to relate to art.  It can be anything.  Tried a new recipe?  Learned to knit?  Took a yoga class?  Refinished a piece of furniture or built a birdhouse?  Joined a book club or learned ballroom dancing?  Tell us. 

The year isn't over - it's a new season, a time to get Back to School, a time to assess what is still on your wish list of things you want to learn.  Go for it, and share with us so we can cheer you on and be motivated ourselves!  Make a new blog post for Crusade No. 33 and leave a link to it in the comments section and I'll add you to the list.  Newest entries will be posted at the top.  Visit other crusaders during the month and leave your words of encouragement.  Open to anyone, come and play! 

 

EDIT:  I almost forgot to mention the last crusade - *High Five* to all participants!  It was really fun to see how each of you interpreted the challenge.  I hope you found the value in revisiting and reinventing previous work - it's a terrific way to see how much you've evolved or changed in style and method of working.  Thanks for coming to play and for adding to the conversation of how interesting it can be to Knock Yourself Off.  I just learned about a book titled Exercises in Style where the writer presents one story 99 ways.  (You can read a few excerpts on Amazon - clever man!)  Imagine finding 99 ways to re-tell a story!  Now imagine 99 ways to Knock Yourself Off!

EDIT:  Archived links have been moved from sidebar to here.

CRUSADE No. 33

• Aimeslee W
  
• Aimeslee W (more)
  
• Angelique
  
• Angelique (more)
  
• Belinda Schneider
  
• Carrie Gross
  
• Cath Sheard
  
• Cathy Mendola
  
• Darlene
  
• Gabrielle Fabien
  
• Jane Royal
  
• Julie Prichard
  
• Kathryn Antyr
  
• Katrina
  
• Kelly
  
• Lay Hoon
  
• Lee
  
• Maj Carita Hoenborg
  
• Marlynn Likens
  
• Maz
  
• Megan Warren
  
• Michelle Ward
  
• Regina Rooks
  
• Rosie Rowe
  
• Rosie Rowe (more)

Comments

[Maj Carita]

99 ways to knock yourself off... I once had a japanese teacher telling us to put our ideas into a grid - you know, related ideas on the x-line, other ideas on the y-line and then look what came up in the grid where two ideas meet. He insisted on 100 ideas! PEW!
I can't believe you are trying to learn finnish! Of all the most difficult languages in the world finnish ranges high on my list! (Well, maybe I CAN believe it! - my respect!) If you had chosen danish, though, I could have rehearsed with you a bit... just a thought!

Actually this crusade is just right, as I am in the middle of learning new stuff. But I'd better blog about it, so I'll be back to let you know when the post is up.

[Maj Carita]

Back again! Here is my post: http://secondnature.typepad.com/maj_carita/2009/09/the-colours-of-nature.html
xo Maj

[iHanna]

Your idea of a crusade goes right along with my filosophy of life long learning Michelle! Weather it is reading a book about a new subject or trying a new kind of medium in your art or craft - learning new and trying new stuff is great fun and gives lots of energy. Yay September!

[Heli]

Hienoa, hienoa. Jaksa jatkaa.

[michelleward]

Mitä sanoitte? Voisitteko puhua hitaammin? *hymyilevä*
xo, Michelle

[Marlynn]

Hi, Michelle...... Love this crusade. I have posted and here is the address:

http://honeysucklebreeze.blogspot.com/2009/09/crusades-in-breeze.html

I am telling you, this was scarey..... but you are my inspiration!

[Kelly]

I may add to my post, as I haven't discussed what I WANT to learn, but I'm pretty proud of something I DID learn
http://kelspace.typepad.com/kels_space/2009/09/gpp-street-team-crusade-no-33.html

[Carrie]

I've done some learning and I'm doing some more! I'm sooo glad to be playing again! http://pocketsizestudios.blogspot.com/2009/09/back-to-school.html

[maz]

What a great crusade! Finnish, wow. I taught myself Latin a couple of years ago which is possibly even less widely spoken that Finnish!
Here's my response.
http://divingforpearls.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/this-much-i-know.html
Thanks for giving me the nudge to get this down in words (and pictures)

[aimeslee]

First, let me apologize profusely for not posting my links until now. I read the Crusade and got busy on it way back on the 3rd. I guess I got so busy with my learning that I forgot to come back here and link! So, let me correct that now. Here is my first blog post for Crusade #33:

http://paper-paisleys.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-calendar-collage.html

I will post more later.

Wow, Michelle, Finnish and bass guitar? Only from you, what a combo! There won't be a cell left in your brain for Alzheimers to latch onto, that's for sure, not with that workout! Good for you! xoxo

[aimeslee]

Michelle, Here is my 2nd blog post where I detail my fall class schedule:

http://paper-paisleys.blogspot.com/2009/09/art-school.html

I hope to do a summary before Oct. 1 discussing some broad-themed things I've learned. So until then, happy learning and awesome crusades! xoxo, Aimeslee

[lee]

good timing..for this crusade. Here is mine:

[Rosie]

Finnish! Ye gods, Michelle! Respect with a capital "R"... I speak French, German, Spanish and Catalan but I'd never get my head (let alone my tongue) round a Scandinavian language!
I've been learning with JP this month, so how cool is the timing for this Crusade? xo

http://alteredartandstuff.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/back-to-school/

[Rosie]

Here's the 3rd book in JP's class... and I'm still loving it - how cool is THAT?!! Onwards and upwards... thanks for getting us to share and see what everyone's up to this month Michelle. How's the Finnish coming? Hope you've got the "bass guitar" down in that language!! 'o)
xo

[Julie Prichard]

Drivers Wanted.... I love learning.. got drive. Where would we be without a little push now and then? xoxo

http://julieprichard.squarespace.com/lostluggage/2009/9/18/back-to-school.html

[Jane]

Thank you Michelle, for another great prompt! I have been busy! Here is my learning show-n-tell:
http://paintedheartstudio.blogspot.com

p.s. congrats on learning Finnish!

[belinda]

ha, finnish is probably like me wanting to learn czech. suspended it though for now :) good luck with it, and the new bass. saw ville and band on german tv the other week. rock on!
sounds like a fun book, 99 different styles and ways.
we all need drive, this girl ever too often needs a push, so here's my new post
http://belindaschneider.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/frida-meets-modigliani/

[Gabrielle Fabian]

Hi Michelle! When I saw this prompt I had to join in ~ thanks AGAIN for another great theme!!
http://parissalon.blogspot.com/2009/09/back-to-school-with-street-team.html
xo,
Gaye

[Darlene]

Michelle - Thank you for coming up with this great theme. Here's my entry. Now, I'm off to visit the other blogs.

http://cinnamonpink.typepad.com/cinnamon_pink/2009/09/1.html

[Katrina]

This is an awesome theme! I love it! Here's my entry:
http://www.mydarlinganodyne.com

[Cath]

This has been realy good for me thanks Michelle - just what I needed. http://cathsheard.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/crusade-33-back-to-school/

[Kathryn - Collage Diva]

Hi Michelle, Here is my entry for this challenge.
http://collagediva.typepad.com/collagediva/2009/09/gpp33.html

I love learning new things and playing "show and tell."

xoxo k

[Regina]

I'm always learning something (or at least trying). I wrote a lengthy post about my latest learning project. Hopefully it makes sense. ;)

[Lay Hoon]

My submission
http://mescrap.blogspot.com/2009/09/crusade-33-back-to-school.html

Thank you Michelle for this great challenge. I've learn so much from you.

[Regina]

I forgot to give you the link for my submission!
http://rgrdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/09/back-to-school-gpp-crusade-no-33.html
Regina

[Cathy Mendola]

Talk about waiting until the last minute... Oh well, I've been busy learning new things!
Here's the link to my blog.
Thanks Michelle and kudos to you for learning Finnish and the bass guitar.Amazing.
www.cmendola.blogspot.com

[Cathy Mendola]

OK, try this link-
http://cmendola.blogspot.com/

[Angelique]

Hi Michelle this is my first time doing this. Thanks for the open door. While my learning experience is not exactly a thing. I still wanted to share what I am learning this particular season. And it was a hard lesson. So here it is in installments I used pictures to help tell the story.

http://akereshabayis.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-1st-artist-date-part-1.html
http://akereshabayis.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-1st-artist-date-part-2.html

Thanks again Angelique

[Megan Warren]

Hopefully I'm not too late with this post!
http://4ravens.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/learning-something-new/

[Kathy McCreedy]

Hey Michelle,
Man, am I sorry I missed this Challenge! What a terrific post, thanks for challenging us and for sharing your other passions with us... it's fun to learn more about my favorite mixed media artist! Hope you are doing well and best wishes for a wonderful workshop at Valley Ridge, wish I could be there to share in what I know will be an excellent, wonderful, totally cool experience. Have a safe trip, all my best, Kathy.