Positive Energy

Looking for a boost of Positive Energy? Enjoy! 

 

CREATIVITY: 
Jon Burgerman is a NYC based artist, originally from the UK. His playful approach to art making encourages others to experiment creatively. It is his belief that art can act as an agent to change the world, by being the catalysis to allow people to change their worlds. This video by LikeKnowsLike provides insight into inside his creative process.

Color can have a big impact on our emotional state. Carly Monardo collaborated with Pantone to show how specific colors can portray emotions. Spoiler alert! Superheroes are involved.

Good design can have long lasting effects on both you and your environment. Dieter Rams, a German product designer outlined his standards of what "good design" means. His "Ten Principles of Good Design" have become a touchstone  for designers around the world.

Joseph Campbell, the American author wrote the book The Power of Myth alongside Bill Moyers. Campbell described the value of creating a "bliss station", a sacred space that invites creativity and self reflection. 

If you love typography, you are going to love the designer and letterpress printer Jack Stauffacher. He often spent his Saturdays experimenting with a pile of mismatched vintage wood type and colorful inks.

Bold statements come easily to Barbara Stauffacher Solomon. When the design of the Moonraker Athletic Center at The Sea Ranch was nearing completion, funds had run dry to finish off the interior. Barbara explained, "I just hired a couple of sign painters and we drove up in the truck and painted it in three days." These large scale, brightly colored architectural graphics became known as Supergraphics.

The artist Josef Albers started one of his most influential bodies of work when he was 62. His Homage to the Square series of paintings were multi-colored sets of three or four nested squares where he explored the interaction of colors.

Corita Kent was an artist, activist, and educator working in Los Angeles in the socially and politically tumultuous 1960's. She was also a nun who created colorful screen prints combining song lyrics, advertising slogans, and bible verses. Busy, busy!

The Dutch designer Hella Jongerius is a color lover. Her "Colour Wheel" studies play a commanding role in her product development process.

CreativeMornings was started by Tina Roth Eisenberg as way to gather her local creative community together. This one chapter multiplied and now there are creative people gathering in cities all over the world to share their creativity. Join them. Everyone is welcome!

Emory Douglas amplified his creative skills as the Minister of Culture and Revolutionary Artist for the Black Panther Party. His bold graphics addressing social inequity were captured in the newspaper distributed by the Black Panthers. Check out his thoughts on the current protests and how they differ from the activism of the 1960's.
MINDFULNESS: 
If you are ready to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine, Sylvia Boorstein can show you how. Anyone who lists mindfulness and political activism in her bio deserves your attention. For an instant dose of calm, watch Sylvia's smile filled talk hosted by Tricycle Magazine.
Pema Chodron is an all time fav. She explains how to meditate in a very accessible manner and introduces the teachings of the Buddha as she goes along. Her sense of humor keeps the practice grounded. The book and audiobook How to Meditate - A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind is a good place to learn the basics of meditation.
Music has the ability to affect your mood and influence your behavior. Different states of relaxation, focus, and intensity can be accessed by listening to music and sound. This podcast from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management discusses the relationship between certain songs and our emotions.
Looking for some guidance on embracing all of your feelings, including the tough ones? Lama Rod Owens, author, Buddhist educator, and activist, is the one for you. Start with his conversation on the value of sitting with difficult emotions on the Ten Percent Happier podcast titled An Uncomfortable (But Meaningful) Conversation About Race. 
Thich Nhat Hanh was a Buddhist monk, peace activist, poet and artist. His calligraphy features words and phrases that act as reminders to cultivate mindfulness. Watch this video explaining his meditative painting process while offering a glimpse of this Zen Master's welcoming nature.
Do you have five seconds to experience the benefits of metacognition? Mel Robbins explains her 5 Second Rule and shows you how to train your brain to stop negative thought patterns and step towards positive action. I use this all the time.
Have you ever wanted to create a holiday? Now is the time to start your own recurring ritual. Caspar ter Kuile defines ritual as "a visible expression of an invisible value". Pick an activity that brings you joy and design a celebration around that practice. 
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