Drawing used to be where my art heart was most wounded. Healing that part of my creativity over the past few years has been such a blessing. Getting comfortable with drawing has opened up a whole new world to me, allowing me to experience the meditative joy available when putting pen to page. Now I doodle and draw in my Studio Yearbook just about every day! Maybe now is your time to find a bit of fun and solace drawing too.

Perhaps a free drawing class is just the bit of inspiration and instruction you need. Artist Johanna Basford offers a free 10-class series you might enjoy called Inky Art School. You can check out the lessons here.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. 

During difficult times, it can be calming to turn our attention to a doable task, to focus on a project or challenge, to practice the art of channeling our experience into creative expression. For 30 days, Nicole Gulotta, author of Wild Words, is encouraging us to do just that with haiku.

What’s a haiku? According to Merriam-Webster

A haiku is an unrhymed Japanese poetic form that consists of 17 syllables arranged in three lines containing five, seven, and five syllables, respectively. A haiku expresses much and suggests more in the fewest possible words.

Nicole’s providing 30-days of prompts to get you inspired and encouraging us to share on Instagram. So why not spend some time each day creating a moment of beauty in the world? Share it with @nicolegulotta and others with the hashtag #30DaysOfHaikuChallenge.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. 

Jeanne Oliver is a gifted and generous creative who runs a vibrant online space for art and learning. In support of our need to be home during this pandemic, she is generously gifting her course Art of Home (regularly $82) until Friday night at 11:59pm MT. Simply use the code HOME at checkout. May your home and this course nourish you at this time!

Get Art of Home here.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. 

The members of Prairie Voices were heartbroken when they had to cancel their concert so they decided to channel their heartbreak with creativity into this soulful video. They perform Ilus Ta Ei Ole (Pärt Uusberg), a song that reflects the unfolding discovery of beauty in the coming together of the mundane.

This seems just right as right now, like you, I am missing so many precious things that used to be the norm, like going to a coffee shop or meeting with friends. At the same time, I am treasuring every bit of the ordinary that is still on offer, like an egg for breakfast or sitting down to do my work.

There is beauty in every day. May we find it all around us.

Thank you to Sabina for sharing this treasure in her smart, savvy and insightful newsletter, The Generalist.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. 

In the midst of the heightened intensity and information overload of the COVID-19 pandemic, how are we all doing?

That’s the question that inspired by dear friend Kim LeClair to start the How Are You Doing podcast, where she talks to ordinary people about their daily lives in this extraordinary time.

I was honoured to be one of her first guests and in our episode, we chatted about everything from the behind the scenes reality of the studio right now to what I hope will change when we come out the other side.

Listen in on our conversation here.

I am episode 3, the March 26 episode.

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. 

Please Note: The original event has passed and is no longer available online.  I’ve put up a similar event. It is a fundraiser but gives you a sense of what a sing-a-long would be like. As of the time of this writing, Choir! Choir! Choir! is still holding regular online events.

Yesterday in this series, I encouraged you to dance.* Today, I’m going to invite you to sing.

I’ve been attending Choir! Choir! Choir! events in Toronto for years now. Each week they host a gathering (or two) at a bar in Toronto where whoever shows up learns an always stellar arrangement of a chosen song. By the end of the night, the ragtag group of people that walked in the door are singing in harmony and having a memorable night.

Right now, as we isolate ourselves for the health of everyone, events like this are put on hold but with the creativity of Daveed and Nobu, who run C!C!C!, we can still sing together! They have been hosting live streamed Social Distan-Sing Alongs. What a joy to be belting out a tune at home knowing people around the world are doing the same.

I shared a recent recording at the top of this post and there’s another event this coming Sunday, March 29th at 3:00 pm EST. The theme is “springtime”

Join in and sing these songs on Sunday:

1. Here Comes The Sun
2. Walkin’ On Sunshine
3. I Can See Clearly Now
4. Steal My Sunshine
5. Tomorrow (from Annie)
6. Summer Breeze
7. Lovely Day
8. Easy (Like Sunday Morning)
9. 59th St Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)

To join the live stream, “Like” Choir! Choir! Choir!’s Facebook page and at 3:00 PM EST you’ll get a notification about the live feed. Alternatively, you can go here on YouTube and singalong there! (I have been going to both and when I see which one is running more stably, I choose it). Choir provides a link to the lyrics on their Facebook page.

I hope you’ll come out. I’d love to know that we’re singing together on Sunday!

*BTW, I went to yesterday’s live stream dance event with The Get Down and it was brilliant! It was 2 hours of good energy, being connected to our bodies and in community. I recommend it!

On the New Moon, I began a new blog series: 40 Days of Beauty, Goodness & Love, little moments of light to get us through a difficult time. If you get solace, peace and inspiration from this, please share with others who need the same. (And if you’re gathering goodness too, please share resources in the comments!)