In this issue...

• The Enemy of Art
• Instructor Spotlight
• Upcoming Workshops
• Creativity Circles
• Other Happenings

The more of the details of our daily life we can hand over to the effortless custody of automatism, the more our higher powers of mind will be set free for their own proper work. —William James (1842-1910)

Before I retired (if you consider managing Purple Crayon “retired!”), my days seemed to be on autopilot. I’d wake up, have breakfast, go to work, work, have lunch, work, go home, have dinner, prepare for the next day’s work, and go to bed. I suspect it wasn’t too different from how most professionals structure their lives. My life was very productive, but not terribly meaningful.

After I quit my corporate job and started working as a coach, I loved the feeling of freedom my new life provided. I no longer had to get up at a certain time, eat at a certain time, go to work at a certain time, etc. It was thrilling to have so much control over my day! And, yet, I felt a bit lost.

One would think that my new schedule, or lack of schedule, would have encouraged creativity and feelings of purposefulness, but it was just the opposite. Because I had so few restrictions on my time, I found myself wasting much of it. That, in and of itself, wouldn’t have been a problem, as boredom often fosters creativity, but I was so worried about wasting time that I blocked any inspiration that, likely, came my way. “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations,” Orson Wells once said, and I found it to be true.

This struggle between wanting and not wanting freedom was a constant bane, until I opened Purple Crayon and, by necessity, brought structure back into my life. The difference now is that I’ve scheduled play time into my days. My walks, while providing exercise (a have-to, not a want-to, for me), have become idea incubation periods; my studio time, while, technically, an "appointment," is spent making stuff.

It took me 30 years, but I finally figured out how to create a life of freedom within the bounds of structure. And I’ve never felt so complete!

If you’re struggling to find time to create, I encourage you to drop commitments that aren’t adding to your life and bring more structure into your day. While it may sound counter-productive, plan to play—and I mean literally schedule the time, if necessary.

For some of you, planning to spend time at your studio, whether it’s in your home, at Purple Crayon, or at another location, will add just the right amount of structure. For others, registering for a workshop is a better option, as it requires you to, literally, commit to playing.

One last thought: It’s not all that important what type of workshops you attend, as long as they’re interesting enough to hold your attention. The point is to create—anything!

If you’re fortunate enough to live near Purple Crayon, we’ve got lots of great offerings coming up this summer. I hope you'll consider penciling one (or more!) of them into your schedule!

I look forward to playing with you!

​—​​​​​​Pam Robbins, Owner

Instructor Spotlight

Upcoming Workshops

Creativity Circles (Members-Only)

Other Happenings