One of the best ways to boost your creative inspiration is to take an “artist’s date” — a term coined by artist and teacher Julia Cameron in the ’90s, where you take yourself out on an outing to enhance creative energy. Here at Glitter Guide, we call them “creative field trips.” Before the pandemic, I planned one big creative field trip a month and lots of little ones throughout the week. They are the most important part of my creative process, and since they have been become hard to come by, my creativity has suffered. Now that spring is here, I plan to find ways to start incorporating them back into my routine safely. These ideas may seem simple and obvious, but you would be surprised how much impact they have.
The Park
For me, a daily walk and a visit to a park are the easiest and simplest ways to give myself a serotonin boost. Plus, they’re totally free! What makes them so fantastic for your creativity is all of the different activities you can do. If I’m going for a short visit, I like to bring my camera with me and snap photos of plants and flowers that inspire me. As much as I’d like to go without my phone and camera, I find that going with the intention of documenting beauty helps me get more creative. I will try to take photos from different angles, film videos in slow motion, capture light in unique ways — this never fails to inspire me. Other times, I will go to the park with a book and a blanket. I will search for a generous tree and take a breather under its glory. Or I will go to the park with my family and have a picnic. We often people-watch and play games. These activities help break up the monotony of our daily routine at home.
The Beach
The ocean is my happy place. There is nothing that connects me more to this earth and the magnificence of Mother Nature. Thankfully, we live a short drive to tons of beaches. However, when I really want to feel inspired, it’s best to go alone or when the beach is less crowded. I love to walk on the beach in the early morning or at sunset, collecting seashells, driftwood and pretty rocks to add to my collection.
Explore Your City
When I have more time, I like to explore my city. It’s still tough to do this to the full extent that I like (i.e., visiting museums, bookstores, new restaurants, etc.), but there are still ways to make it happen. For one, simply taking a drive in a new neighborhood can be really fun. I love looking at the houses, the different trees, how different neighborhoods paint their homes — really looking for anything that stands out to me. Recently, I decided to get lost in a nearby neighborhood that I don’t usually have any reason to visit. What I discovered was it was full of amazing Eichler homes. It left me eager to come home and work on my interiors (and look up house prices in that neighborhood, ha!).
Outdoor Markets
I adore outdoor markets — especially farmers’ markets. We have a great one in my town, and it’s finally back up and running. Seeing all the local, organic vegetables and fruits that are grown around here is inspiring. I love talking to the farmers about the seasonal foods that I should be eating right now and what types of recipes they recommend. And I never fail to leave without a bunch of incredible flowers.
These easy creative field trips will not only be safe during the pandemic (wear your mask!) but also become part of your routine that gets you outside and keen on paying attention to the wonders that are all around you.
