A Blog Hop Around the World?

Why not!?  I was invited by my online friend, Vicki Ross at Axully to participate in this round robin. The basis for her blog is solid (knowledge), useful (things to read) and beautiful (gallery), and it's all of that, and more.  Do check it out - you'll be glad you did.

'White Rose' © Vicki Ross

You'll find more of her work on this page.

I've invited my good friends Alice Saltiel to join this hop,

'Midnight Magic' 12 x 9 © by Alice Saltiel

along with Eileen Gidman,

'Autumn Waters of Kootenay Lake'  Mug rug (or wine mat? :D) © Eileen Gidman

and you'll find the answers to the same questions on their blog posts next Monday, November 17.  However, you won't want  to wait until then to check out their blogs - there's so much to see!

The premise of this world-wide blog hop is to answer four questions (thank goodness it wasn't more - this took a LOT of thought!  If you're not into answers, just skip to the end for some more colour!

1.  What am I working on?  Right now I`m working on about twenty projects, including mixed media paintings, altered childrens' board books, folded books, enhanced Gelli plate monoprints and creation of new playshops.

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?  Because I tend to approach everything in my studio from a point of view of play, I feel like I am open and receptive to the unexpected.  Process driven, I am constantly making stamps, stencils and prints that are uniquely created from my play-brain.  Like a child, I allow my curiosity about methods and materials to have free rein, following the 'what if' question constantly.

3.  Why do I create what I do?  I believe that as children we are highly creative, imaginative creatures. Yet it is a rare thing to find those traits carrying into the adult phase of our lives.  However, a sense of playfulness is what feeds a living connection between the physical body and its soul, rather like the umbilical cord feeds a baby in uterus.  My studio time and the playshops I share with adults are both designed to foster that re-creation of childlike curiosity and creativity.  I love paper, books, texture, and any and all variations of colour, so I'll follow them anywhere.

4.  How does my creative process work?  My play-brain is wide ranging, and I follow where it leads.  'What if' I take this material (house wrap, for example) and use it for something else entirely (like burning it as a stencil)?  'What if' I use drywall compound to create a texture plate?  'What if' I recycle dryer sheets?  'What if', what if, what if?  I'm up for some crazy challenges, like creating a spotted pony with my husband John for a silent auction (Horsefeathers), doing a head piece, curling papers until my hands fall off and anything else that makes me wonder what would happen if...  I want to know how new products work, although not always do I care what they are supposed to do.  I'm more interested in what I can do with them, regardless of the original intention.  I had alcohol inks for over a year before I actually tried them on metal, which is what they're really designed to do.

This has been more verbose than my usual post, so I'll end with some more colour just to brighten it up a bit!

À Case for Gardening` altered book   © Win Dinn

`The Eye of Ra` © Win Dinn

`Wingding` © Win Dinn

`Wingding` © Win Dinn

`Alien Portal` mixed media on mat board  © Win Dinn

Tell me, what drives you and your creativity?