I have a dream...

       This past week marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous, "I Have a Dream" speech. 50 years later we have achieved much of his dream-BUT not all. I would like to move his dream forward by seeing all children have access to empowering, inspiring and creative schools-not dependent on the home address that children occupy. I don't think our nation has achieved this.....we have work to do-that's my day job.
       BUT-that is not my dream-that is an extension of his dream. My dream is much less loft....Many of you even know my dream-it is to own my own shop. The space even has a name, "The Creativity Shop." In my mind my shop has long wooden tables with stools and benches-allowing creativity classes to be led and individuals to work on all kinds of projects. The walls will be lined with shelves filled with bolts of fabric, bins of interesting papers and art supplies, bottles and jars containing buttons, ribbons, doodads of all kinds. There will be a comfortable place for collaboration and people to gather to connect. The front of the shop will be a gallery space and retail for local/regional artists and interesting funky art supplies.
         Why do I think this dream is worth pursuing? Because when I have presented my wacky creative/art ideas to my friends and family (who remembers the Shakespeare garden?!) most times I get rolled eyed responses which read, " WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THAT BE A GOOD IDEA?!" But I have found time and time again that those same people who I have roped into doing these wacky projects get lost in the process and I have witnessed much smiling, laughter and even sometimes learning a life lesson about themselves. I believe that does make our world a better place!
         I am not sure when my dream will become a reality-until then I will be dragging anyone who wants to through the seeds of "The Creativity Shop." Here are some of the adventures we have had so far....

This motley crew are some of my nieces, nephews and my sisters and brother in law in our ice dyed t-shirts this past summer
 

This was my wacky yarn bomb which I talked all kinds of people into. Those are knit birds in paper mache nests. They went all over our town-April 1, 2012.

My family doing projects at the Art Barn in Saugatuck, MI.

 

 

Picking-up our art pieces 2 days later.

My BFF whom I can talk into ANYTHING! (Lucy on the left and Eileen on the right)
We created ceramic birds at Lilstreet Arts Center in Chicago. Never mind that they turned out more like dinosaur than birds!

So glad I have such willing family members and friends that I can talk into following my dream!
Lucy