Oct

1

Cooking up Creativity

October 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Cooking is one of the few creative activities that I engage in pretty much everyday. However, I realized recently that somewhere along the line I stopped giving cooking the respect it deserves.
I have always enjoyed cooking but I guess my children—over time—with their penchant for the bland and the familiar, ate away at […]

Sep

28

Legitimate Distractions

September 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment

“Mount Desert Dragons” acrylic on canvas 16″ x 20″ © 2007 Tyler Darvintyne; all rights reserved

It’s wonderful to think that The PCQ has enough history and pure BULK to it that I can be distracted for so many weeks and still have new and renewable readers drop by everyday. Welcome to you all!
Over […]

Sep

7

Changing Seasons

September 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment

[process, essay]

by Nancy S.M. Waldman
Hi everyone. Welcome to September. Summer here in North America is fast waning—even though where I am in Nova Scotia, September is one of the best weather months.
I’ve been feeling quite ambivalent about the PCQ over the summer. There are lots of new visitors and subscribers and readers which is […]

Jun

29

Working From Abundance

June 29, 2007 | 3 Comments

[-process, essay-]
by Nancy S.M. Waldman
As we create, we use up media, materials, tools, ideas, time, and our own creative energy. Working from abundance means having a well of resources—more than we need—to create what we want.
My son used this expression in a conversation about the new songs he had […]

May

3

Being Practically Creative

May 3, 2007 | Leave a Comment

[-essay-]

by Nancy S.M. Waldman

I have a close friend who has compared herself unfavorably to me in terms of creativity ever since we were girls. According to her, I’m creative and she isn’t.
But I never bought it.
She’s a elementary school teacher and I’ve seen the way she tackles a challenging situation in her […]

May

3

Metaphors: creating illusions

May 3, 2007 | Leave a Comment

[-writing, technique-]

by Nancy Waldman
“…the successful use of metaphor is a matter of perceiving similarities.” ~ Poetics, Aristotle
Metaphors are magic. The right metaphor in the right place transforms a felt hat into a black rabbit, a silk scarf into a flower, solid reality into illusion. In magic, however, tricks can be spoiled […]

May

3

The Nature Journal: chronicling climate change

May 3, 2007 | Leave a Comment

[-journaling, nature, process-]

by Nancy S.M. Waldman

3/1 The crocuses are coming up.
Is it early?

Is the natural world around you different from the way it was when you were a child? Perhaps it has even changed since you were a young adult. It has for me and I know it is so for many people. Climate change […]

Apr

27

Making your Mark

April 27, 2007 | Leave a Comment

[-essay, self-evolution, process-]
by Nancy Waldman

I make marks, therefore I am.

Durham Dr. & Center St. (Houston, TX)

Originally uploaded by Mr. Waldo.

Since the days men lived in caves, human beings have demonstrated the need to make their mark on this world.
From those cave paintings, to […]

Apr

12

reNEWals

April 12, 2007 | Leave a Comment

[-commentary, writing, process-]
by Nancy S.M. Waldman

When I was a
child, going to the library was about third on the ‘as good as it gets’ list for an activity that had the chance of coming along often. Only swimming and playing outside after dark could beat the joy of coming home with an armload of new books.
Libraries […]

Apr

9

New Again: an alterations challenge

April 9, 2007 | Leave a Comment

[-essay, creative challenge-]
by Nancy S.M. Waldman
My grandmother, Polly Mahala Reed was a talented seamstress. When I think of the word “Alterations” I think of her.
She, like many of her generation, made most of her family’s clothes. My mother can describe in detail the colors and fabrics of the outfits she and her sister are […]

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