Dabbling Is My Creative Process

Dabble. Onomatopoeia? I think so. I like that… a term that blends writing and the sound of painting. Not having thought about this for more than it takes to brew a Moka pot of espresso, I declare I am a serial dabbler. And, I am good with that.

To dabble for me follows in a vein like the stages of grief... only different. I try something like, non work-related writing at a class at Taos Summer Writers Conference.  I deny talent. I write more stuff, get workshopped and then get frustrated… I am not as good,

as creative, nor as grammatically correct. I take a class, try a different style, a different length, a different genre. I chafe (more onomatopoeia?). I cycle back to frustration and take another class, join another group. A couple people respond to an odd piece that resembles a poem but, in my mind needs an illustration. I try something – plein air watercolor painting at Madeline Island School of Art in Lake Superior. I deny talent. I paint more stuff, get workshopped and frustrated… I am not as good, as creative, nor realistically correct. I take a class at the Palette and Chisel and on line at Sketch Book Skool. I try a different style, a different medium, a different process and chafe some more. I stop and blog about my process. I put words to my painting. I paint scenes to my words.  I'm blogging... while the paint dries.

I declare acceptance of my process - Dabbling. 

Lexicons - Things Writers Can Do in a Tattoo Parlor

Originally published February 2, 2013. 

Readers return when they find treasures in postings. As writers, we rarely know what motivates a blog reader’s hunt, so we use categories and tags like sparkly bread crumbs to lead them to our idea mine. A one time visit is a tick on the stats, but mutual value is gained when a reader finds what they need and returns to find more. A consistent use of words and accurate use of terms creates trust in the content and loyalty in the reader.

When writing a blog, a lexicon is a simple tool to track and use consistent terms to engage the reader, keep the writer focused and to optimize searches.

In 2009, at the University of New Mexico’s Taos Summer  Writer’s Conference, Pricilla Long, our creative and masterful seminar instructor proffered a simple, unpolished gem of an idea that generates returns – the build out of a lexicon of authentic, accurate terms on a subject. Using correct words makes meaning clear and tightly hooks a thought into the reader’s mind. Different from a thesaurus of words of similar meanings, a lexicon is a collection of words and phrases about a subject. Each subject in a blog may have its own lexicon, Reusing certain words from one posting to another unites the postings, using unique, more precise words as the quantity of blog postings grows, enhances the value of the blog to the reader.

While an Excel or Word doc could be used to hold a lexicon, Pricilla recommended that we keep a small book to list what we see and add the real names or precise words for what we observe. I use a small black spiral sketchbook from Blick, an art supply store, for my collection of lexicons. The book is easy to pull out when I am observing something new, or when I confirm the proper name for something I previously listed in vague or lay terms. The book I use is unlined. I found it not with journals, but in art supplies as a sketch book. I like the possibility of the open sheet and the thickness of the paper to keep hard pressed words from interrupting another page. While I am no artist, I permit myself to draw what I see when I don’t know the correct word. My primitive lines help me remember how to describe it later. I have sketches and scribblings along with a couple photos stuck in my lexicon book now, to keep for the same reason.

In a morning writing session before class in Taos,  accessorized  only by a steaming cup of coffee, I listed the word shrub in my lexicon. On a tour later that afternoon, our guide, a native New Mexican confirmed that I saw a Cholla Cactus. I wasn’t wrong in saying shrub, but naming it cactus, clues the reader that I saw prickly spines and not evergreens. Naming the cactus, Cholla Cactus further hooks readers who relate to the name. In my lexicon book, I start a new page for each topic. On the inside front cover, I run a list, like a table of contents, of the lexicons I have created.

I am not afraid to ask “experts,” to interpret what I am seeing. A couple years ago, I accompanied my niece to get a tattoo. Once she was settled and Chris, the tattoo artist was at work, I pulled out my lexicon journal to jot the items surrounding us. CD player; CDs (Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Garth Brooks???); books on butterflies, history of tattoos, flowers, religious tattoos, how to draw people; inks in jewel tones, earth tones on a stair step display. With Chris chatting as he developed the design, I felt comfortable asking him to provide specific names of tools that he used without turning her sea horse into a unicorn. “So, what’s the correct name for the tattoo machine you’re using?” “Tattoo machine” he replied.

In the years, since originally writing this blog post, I've focused my time on becoming a visual artist and  I moved my lexicons completely online. It's faster for me to assemble a new list, it's easier to organize, reorganize categories, add to it, and search through. I continue to keep a sketchbook with me, but now more for, well, sketching. I sketch as studies for paintings. Sometimes, I write notes about the light in a scene or the emotion it evokes. Sometimes, I sketch to remember every element of the scene... that's where a lexicon comes in. 

Sometimes, a word is just a word. And, a list of words can be a gold mine.

Bra Straps

As the noon presenter pointed out, few authors are celebrities, but at the Taos Writers Workshop, if you are faculty you are anointed and worthy of the respect. The early evening readings allow the author-faculty to share their skills which sell books and recruit participants for next year’s program. 

Focusing on four readings after a long day and before dinner challenges my attention. In defense of mind wondering, I brought along the last few sips of a caffeinated iced coffee, sat flat footed on a hard straight chair and determined to keep an attentive posture.  The first reader’s story left me wanting more... excellent start! With the second one I shifted in my seat, took sips of coffee without a slurp and straightened the items on the chair next to me… Celestine Prophesy, sunglasses, wallet and cup. The book, a gift, I found in a resale shop right after we discussed it in a class of spiritual memoir writing. The cup would soon be tossed. The rest... contents of a purse I don't like carrying. The reader’s ten minutes continued and I noticed bra straps. 

Four women, situated one up and one over, one up and one over, one up and one over, one up and one over are all dressed in black with skin showing. In order they wear, a collared sleeveless blouse, an oval boat neck, a square neck dress and a jet black cammie, A brassiere strap escaped from beneath the garment.

“And, finally” the author declared as I examined the forms and shapes created with the fabrics intersecting on the wearer’s arm and back. Parallel sexy black lines along the strap of the camisole, a half-moon shortening the boat neck, a fashion faux paux screamed from the fancy five o’clock dress and the sleeveless midnight blouse ablaze with the unexpected hot pink brought me back to the author noting a child wondering what caused the trailer to rock with her parents inside. 

Lexicons - Connecting the Words

Readers return when they find treasures in postings. As writers, we rarely know what motivates a blog reader’s hunt, so we use categories and tags like sparkly bread crumbs to lead them to our idea mine. A one time visit is a tick on the stats, but mutual value is gained when a reader finds what they need and returns to find more. A consistent use of words and accurate use of terms creates trust in the content and loyalty in the reader.

When writing a blog, a lexicon is a simple tool to track and use consistent terms to engage the reader, keep the writer focused and to optimize searches.

In 2009, at the University of New Mexico’s Taos Summer  Writer’s Conference, Pricilla Long, our creative and masterful seminar instructor proffered a simple, unpolished gem of an idea that generates returns – the build out of a lexicon of authentic, accurate terms on a subject. Using correct words makes meaning clear and tightly hooks a thought into the reader’s mind. Different from a thesaurus of words of similar meanings, a lexicon is a collection of words and phrases about a subject. Each subject in a blog may have its own lexicon, Reusing certain words from one posting to another unites the postings, using unique, more precise words as the quantity of blog postings grows, enhances the value of the blog to the reader.

Developing a lexicon generates more avenues, more topics for postings. While an Excel or Word doc could be used, Pricilla recommended that we keep a small book to list what we see and add the real names or precise words for what we observe. I use a small black spiral sketchbook from Blick, an art supply store, for my collection of lexicons. The book is easy to pull out when I am observing something new, or when I confirm the proper name for something I previously listed in vague or lay terms.

In a morning writing session before class in Taos,  accessorized  only by a steaming cup of coffee, I listed the word shrub in my lexicon. On a tour later that afternoon, our guide, a native New Mexican confirmed that I saw a Cholla Cactus. I wasn’t wrong in saying shrub, but naming it cactus, clues the reader that I saw prickly spines and not evergreens. Naming the cactus, Cholla Cactus further hooks readers who relate to the name. In my lexicon book, I start a new page for each topic. On the inside front cover, I run a list, like a table of contents, of the lexicons I have created.

I like that the book is unlined and a sketch book. While I am no artist, I permit myself to draw what I see when I don’t know the correct word. My primitive lines help me remember how to describe it later. I have a couple photos stuck in my lexicon book now, to keep for the same reason.

I am not afraid to ask “experts,” to interpret what I am seeing. A couple years ago, I accompanied my niece to get a tattoo. Once she was settled and Chris, the tattoo artist was at work, I pulled out my lexicon journal to jot the items surrounding us. CD player; CDs (Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Garth Brooks???); books on butterflies, history of tattoos, flowers, religious tattoos, how to draw people; inks in jewel tones, earth tones on a stair step display. With Chris chatting as he developed the design, I felt comfortable asking him to provide specific names of tools that he used without turning her sea horse into a unicorn. “So, what’s the correct name for the tattoo machine you’re using?” “Tattoo machine” he replied.

Sometimes, a word is just a word. And, a list of words can be a gold mine.