Creative Play & The Goonies
Starling: A Look At The Edge Between Work & Play
Playtime
All work and no play makes us dull...uninspired, bored and boring. In this episode, I share some characteristics of play meant to help us notice the difference between work and play. It is important to think about what the difference is between work and play, and how we can allow creative play to guide us to personal treasure for our creative process. Metaphorically, the American classic film, The Goonies, is a guide to finding the right orientation towards play and I share my own ideas about how it communicates to us.Listen to the episode at the link below, and then check out the curated content around this episode.
Continue this conversation about the importance of monsters on Thursday 01/07/2021 at 7pm CST at our Artist Meetup. RSVP HERE to get the Zoom link to join and chat about play and The Goonies as a metaphor.
Suggested Practices
- Start by assessing your own relationship with play. When is the last time you truly played for pleasure…with no product in mind or worry about being productive at all. Play that was about discovery or exploration not amusement or recreation.
- How do you know the difference between play and work? Can you name some characteristics to each of those things?
- Think back in your mind to your earliest memories of play…and follow that threw different ages and time periods…how did you play? How did the quality of play change? Is there a thread that connects these memories of play? What was the passion that guided you? Is that passion still active in your spirit? Why or why not?
- In your creative practice…do you allow yourself to play? Or…are you always trying to be productive?
- Do you believe that you have to have a product or work that comes out of your creative efforts?
- What has come out of your creativity that is not a product?
- How do you transition into play? Or even, how did you do this as a kid? Did you have a favorite toy that picking up helped you feel more imaginative? Were there dress up clothes to pretend with? How can you have a transition into creative play now? It can be simple or subtle? Like a song you listen to as you prepare your materials, a smock you put on or something silly like special socks you wear. Think about your transition activities.
- Dedicate some time each week to play without a goal, without an intention or expectation. Clear your mind and create. Allow curiosity to guide you or maybe a question. It might be good to listen to the fundamental questions episode about how that can guide creative process…but make sure to move into that experimentation with no preconceptions about results…just play…
- Give yourself space away from the play, let it ruminate and then review what that playtime lead you towards. You may be surprised at how many ah ha moments actually originate in play.
- Metaphorical play…I used the goonies as a metaphor for the adventure of play as a process. What other examples can you find? How can you play with metaphorical thinking? Maybe pick your favorite childhood movie and watch it for metaphorical discovery and see how it speaks to you.
- And when all else fails….do the truffle shuffle…
Fundamental Questions
Ways To Connect
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Starting In February: Starling Coalition
Creative Meditations
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