"It is important that we create and it is also important that we relate. Many artists have discovered that even though their creating feels supremely meaningful to them, creating alone does not alleviate depression." — An Interview with Eric Maisel on "The Van Gogh Blues"

Workshop Tested, Kid-Approved: You Can Draw Cartoony Things!
By Chris Dunmire, Publisher

YCDCT Workshop Thank You's:
Because this is one of the most profound steps in my creative-dream evolution, I'd like to express my deepest appreciation to the encouraging staff at Womanspace (womanspace-rockford.org): Dorothy Bock, Elaine Hirschenberger, Gale Ketteler, and Pat Lai for their enthusiasm and support in making this creativity-inspiring dream come true.

Thank you also to my mentor and friend, Pam Lonsway, for her ever-timely words of wisdom in support of my creative life. I'm also grateful to both Lilly Fluger (lillyarts.com) and Angela Hook (wireInspire.com) for responding with such affirming testimonials for the workshop playbook, which you can read on the book's promo page by clicking on the YCDCT book cover above.

Last but not least, thank you to the parents and kids who showed up to my workshop and indulged me by sharing in all the creative play and cartoony fun I presented. We enjoyed a super time together. Thank you all!

Interview with Eric Maisel on The Van Gogh Blues
If you enjoyed the spotlight on Eric Maisel and his book, "The Van Gogh Blues" in the last newsletter, you can't miss his follow-up interview about the book published on the Creativity Portal. Details are in the book spotlight further down in this newsletter.

Introducing Rock Painting Artist Ernestina Gallina
I'm pleased to introduce Ernestina Gallina, a self-taught artist living in Italy, as Creativity Portal's newest Author Series project contributor. Ernestina’s artwork has been exhibited within Italy and is currently in various private collections.

Ernestina is also a rock-painting teacher and her Web site, Pietrevive (www.pietrevive.it), features an art gallery and a number of how-to rock painting tutorials. Several of her projects including the Stone Cactus and new Valentine Love Bugs are exclusive Creativity Portal projects you can try out to acquaint yourself with this whimsical art form. Ernestina welcomes custom-made requests for her work, so you can contact her via her Web site to learn more. Welcome, Ernestina!

Chris Dunmire
Creative Director and Publisher

Creativity & Wellness
A New Phase, A New Year, New Moons
By Jill Badonsky
Number two in the Body Blissmas and a Happy New Rear Series: The Marriage of Creativity and Wellness/Weight Loss (Expand your mind, reduce your thighs).

2008 Photo Calendar Printables
February Photo Gift Tag/Note Card
By Chris Dunmire
The sample February 2008 photo card is now available for download from the Creative Slush "Nature Sentiments" set.

Multicultural Muses
A Treatise on the Light: A Return to Joy After Walking the Dark Road Alone
By Molly Anderson-Childers
As we discussed in last month’s article, my tastes can run to the dramatic, and I do enjoy traveling in the scary and dark places of the heart. But, as I soon discovered, my soul also yearns for the light — a balance of joy and pain, happiness and sorrow, laughter and bitter tears.

Eric Maisel Interview — The Van Gogh Blues
Q: What is The Van Gogh Blues about?

A: For more than 25 years I’ve been looking at the realities of the creative life and the make-up of the creative person in books like Fearless Creating, Creativity for Life, Coaching the Artist Within, and lots of others. A certain theme or idea began to emerge: that creative people are people who stand in relation to life in a certain way — they see themselves as active meaning-makers rather than as passive folks with no stake in the world and no inner potential to realize. This orientation makes meaning a certain kind of problem for them — if, in their own estimation, they aren’t making sufficient meaning, they get down. I began to see that this “simple” dynamic helped explain why so many creative people — I would say all of us at one time or another time — get the blues. More »

More Features on Eric Maisel's The Van Gogh Blues:

• An Excerpt from Chapter 3 of The Van Gogh Blues
• A Self-Coaching Guide through Eric Maisel's The Van Gogh Blues

Intuitive Painting and the Wild Ride of Risk and Change
By Chris Zydel
When you take the chance and paint the scary thing you regain your freedom. The block just disappears. You are back to trusting your creative energy and connected again to what is fun and satisfying and enlivening.

7 Reasons Why Supporting Others Increases Your Own Creativity
By Dan Goodwin
Sometimes we get so absorbed and tangled in trying to be more creative ourselves that we forget one of the simplest and most effective ways to increase our creativity.

Photo Writing Prompts: Displays of Tree-mendous Growth
By Chris Dunmire
A writing prompt essay to accompany the picture and quote from the printable February 2008 calendar page.

Sweet Valentine's Day Art & Craftivities

Valentine's Day Self-Folding Printable Valentine's
By Chris Dunmire
Heart-shaped creative fun for everyone! Choose from two card sizes: The Self-Mailing Valentine or the Valentine Mini-Cards.

Rock Painting Creativity: Valentine Love Bugs Project
By Ernestina Gallina
Perfect for Valentine's Day! Choose the model and color combination you wish, photos will guide you every step of the way, happy rock painting!

Printable Valentine's Day Word Find Puzzle
By Chris Dunmire
A sweet, mind-sharpening printable word search puzzle just in time for Valentine's Day. Permission is granted for teachers to reproduce the puzzle for classroom use.