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December 2008: I'm in the conference room at a hotel on Cape Cod with a hundred other employees from my department. We take turns announcing something we are proud of--a small accomplishment, a challenge we faced, a quality we liked about ourselves--and the rest of the group responds with a standing ovation. Not gentle golf claps. Our simple statements are met with enthusiastic, full blown cheers.
As I was reflecting on my creative practice from the last year and planning the year ahead, I realized I've been looking for simplicity and sustainability. I wanted more joy. When I started asking myself what, exactly, that meant--how to make the qualities of joy actionable as behaviors or habits--I remembered I was actually trained on the subject over ten years ago. When I was a program assistant at an after school program, Project Joy (now known as the Life Is Good Playmakers) offered a training on inclusive childhood games that prevent bullying. The rules of the games and methods for leading them created a safe space for kids to take risks, cooperate with each other, and cultivate self-confidence. When I think back on the principles for these games, it's not all that different from creating art:
Challenge: What do you want to create?
Community: Who will you create your art with?
Safety: What are the boundaries that make it safe to take risks?
Recognition: How will you celebrate?
I've been reflecting on ways to incorporate these elements in my writing and wanted to share them if you're looking to create more joy in your creative practice, too. I also wanted to include you in my process with a couple invitations:
- I'd love for The Beautiful Worst to be a place where we gather to talk about our creative journeys. Are there any aspects of your creative practice that frustrates or fascinates you? Are there any regular segments like "Your Turn!" or topics you'd like the zine to explore? Reply to this email to let me know.
- Join my Discord server to chat with me and other creators about art and life. I'll include some more details about the server and how to join below!
Wishing you a safe and joyful end of 2021.
I'll see you in 2022!
xo.Katie
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