Photos from the Beehive Collaborative

Saturday, I spent the day with Joplin area art teachers at the Beehive Collaborative in Carthage. You can read more about what we did here: The Beehive Collaborative 

This was a great experience to open my inner creative channels. After working on the 'Self-to-Synergy' project, all I wanted to do was photograph, draw and explore artistic mediums. I would definitely recommend this experience to you if you have a group of friends or a work group that is interested in opening a creative dialog or team building.

The instructor Josie Mai, led our group through a creative process.

We were instructed to design a symbol to represent ourselves, which we created in silhouette form, and installed in the space. The one above is mine....I created a lamp with many 'lights' as a nod to the pressures of being always 'on' as a teacher, daughter, woman, photographer, artist, etc. Sort of a visual 'don't drop all the balls you juggle'. The posed arms of the light reference Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflower paintings, with drooping sunflowers. The projections sticking out of the lampshades are a nod to Matisse's cut paper designs, sprinkled with a few symbols to directly reflect my personal attributes.

After installing the silhouettes, we went for lunch on the Carthage Square (I post additional photos here)....but first I got out my Lensbaby and started snapping photos!

It was a great day. As a teacher, it is hard to find time to explore my own creative ideas, this was a great opportunity to refresh my passion, and renew my energy to finish out the school year. I also have some new ideas to explore this summer, both for the classroom and for my own personal artwork. This was just what I needed to jump start my creativity.