The Artist Date

The best excursions I’ve ever had have been those with myself.

That is, I regularly take myself out on artist dates, a term coined by Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way. Basically, the artist date involves doing a fun, inspiring activity – alone. Such an activity helps foster a sense of play and encourage our inner creativity.

While one can invest a good amount of money on an artist date, incurred from such activities as a weekend at a resort or having a spa day, many activities are inexpensive or free. The amount of time and location spent on such a date can vary. Whether indoors or outdoors, such activities encourage a sense of play, abandon, and creativity.

Once a week, I go to a cafe to sketch while sipping on a beverage. I also can be found at my favorite art supplies store, Blick Art Materials, where I make a purchase or just enjoy looking at the amazing art supplies. At bookstores, the waft of books greets me. Sometimes I make one or more purchases, but other times, I just hang out and look at the merchandise. My local library has an amazing array of literary treasures – and a cozy fireplace near which I enjoy reading. Other great sources of inspiration are art galleries and museums.

I used to employ artist dates only once a week, but now I have my dates daily. A watercolor artist I follow on YouTube has recommended honing one’s drawing and observation skills by drawing something – anything – for just 10 minutes a day. One can produce something imperfect and incomplete within 10 minutes. This small action has had a huge impact on me, as I begin each morning with a dose of calm and flow. A couple of my recent sketches are below:

Some artist dates take place at nature centers for scenic hikes and for taking photos that might eventually inspire paintings. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I’ve joined a local botanic garden and visit when I can, immersing myself in nature and creating a calm day, where relaxation feeds my creativity and gives me ideas for future artwork. Musicians sometimes perform at the garden, giving me an opportunity to experience nature and music together.

I also turn routine tasks into fun excursions, listening to music while watering the plants in my garden, making what used to feel like a chore a nice simultaneous venture into music and nature.

These are just a few of my inspirational activities. The key is to have fun, promote a sense of adventure and play, and feed our curiosity. The artist date allows for meaningful interaction with others and the environment – and, most importantly, a sound interaction with oneself.

Here is the most recent draft of my painting:

I moved down the greenery in order to give more room in the sky. I outlined the clouds, which I will re-work when this piece dries. The large tree in the middle will serve as a sort of anchor in the artwork. So far, so good.

What are some activities you do for inspiration?

What might be a good artist date activity for you?