MetaChat - Are you a creative person?

I compose music, but right now I am limited to Fruity Loops Studio. Once I get my finances straightened out, I will get my guitars, keyboards and recording gear shipped to me, and I'll be able to post some stuff here.

posted by mischief 02 November | 14:33

However, with xmas coming up, that may not be until January.

posted by mischief 02 November | 14:34

my X-rated dreams are indeed very elaborate

posted by matteo 02 November | 14:36

I write blog entries, compose mix cd's and music posts, crack jokes. i guess that's creative.

posted by jonmc 02 November | 14:36

Draw, paint, write, do crafty stuff, ah yes I did make a fake stained glass window in a former apartment, that was fun, act, photograph, I love building sets, I was on stage crew in high school, I admit it. I took drum lessons for three months but then had to move here to start school and never had the time to start again. Someday. My latest thing is embroidering stuff. I recently embroidered a purse.

posted by amro 02 November | 14:39

I draw/paint/misc visual endeavours. I knit. I cook and bake. I am a bad banjo player, and sometimes when I am home alone bored I do myself up in monster makeup.

posted by Mrs.Pants 02 November | 14:41

I talk shit. I talk shit well.

posted by Divine_Wino 02 November | 14:47

My creativity is vast. Vast, I tell you!

My current projects include: making a huge collage of boobies that will eventually cover one entire (small) wall of my bathroom, knitting a baby blanket (in the most beautiful colors: rust, pumpkin, robin's egg blue, eggplant), singing with (and more recently directing so exciting for me!) the Dahoo Chorus, making a piece of postcard art for Jessamyn for the MeFi mail art swap. Cooking is an ongoing experiment.

Long term projects include: designing my own house, learning/brushing up on bhajans (mostly northern Indian devotional songs), finishing up an amazing recording project (think: hip hop meets Indian classical with lots of soaring vocals), salsa dancing.

Things I hope to do: learn gypsy fiddle (actually know someone in town who does this), participate in NaNoWriMo, learn how to knit sweaters, learn how to do life drawing again, find someone with whom to memorize "Who's On First"... and lotsa other stuff.

posted by Specklet 02 November | 14:50

You people have too much free time. My creativity is all job related.

posted by brainwidth 02 November | 14:54

I write stuff.

posted by dame 02 November | 15:17

No, I don't knit fuzzy monsters.

posted by Fuzzy Monster 02 November | 15:17

I knit and crochet and cross stitch (none really creative, cos I'm following patterns). I'm a good cook. and a very experimental one

posted by gaspode 02 November | 15:17

There's the blog, and there's nanowrimo, and there's the posters I design every month for the bar I used to work for, who pay me in beer (sweet!) Then there's the mosaics, the artrage digital painting stuff I'm working on a lot lately, the photography, the occasional drawing or painting or linoleum cut and more and more various odd things like decoupaging my file cabinet in Zen calendar quotes.

posted by mygothlaundry 02 November | 15:24

I used to write a lot, most of it during the darker periods of my life. Now I wrote all the time for work (I am a, ahem, communications analyst!!), so I funnel that creativity into cooking, gardening, and home projects.

But now I shall envy Specklet's wall 'o boobies. I want one too (somehow I think the better half wouldn't appreciate it as much as I, but then again she has great boobs so there you go . . .)

posted by tr33hggr 02 November | 15:31

I make fractal art, with dreams of selling huge wall-sized posters of it for college-aged stoners to stare at for hours on end.

I also write, with dreams of writing the definitive sci-fi saga and/or a novel about being a sexual male. The latter will be titled 79 Men. However, I'll probably come to an untimely and unusual end before any of these dreams are realized. Writers and artists are fucked up people. And I'm both. Hee hee.

I want a Speck-blank-let

posted by WolfDaddy 02 November | 15:42

wolfdaddy
Have you read Samuel R. Delany or are you more into *cough cough* hard science fiction? In other words what about both?

Sci-fi sex is usually extra bad, there's a place for good or better sex in the genre.

posted by Divine_Wino 02 November | 15:46

The usual mad-scientist / hardboiled detective sort of stuff. And I write. And make sausage. Oh, and trouble. I make lots of trouble. "In this town, I'm the leper with the most fingers." I don't make nearly enough love, but I'm kinda too old for that -- except in a rather kinky mode.

posted by warbaby 02 November | 15:55

Wino: "and/or" was misleading. I'm either going to write both about things (but not contained within the same work, you're right; sci-fi sex is usually pretty awful) or only one of those things.

I tend to avoid, um, "hard" science fiction. Except for Bob Forward. I love the cheela ;-)

posted by WolfDaddy 02 November | 16:02

I play piano and write songs. I have one coming out on a CD the beginning of next month-heard the final mix today, as a matter of fact. Somebody else did the singing and playing, (even had a penny whistle in the mix) but that made it mo' better.

I used to paint and draw too but now mostly doodle. And I am pretty good about throwing things together in the kitchen and coming out with something edible when the cupboard is somewhat skimpy.(No cilantro.)

posted by bunnyfire 02 November | 16:02

"both about"

Strike that. Reverse it. Good day, sir!

posted by WolfDaddy 02 November | 16:02

I'm arty/crafty.

Draw/sketch and paint fairly well.. sell some, throw some away. I sell a lot of rocks that I clean and paint with an iconic glyph and are cheap enough that tourists snap them up. I'm learning how to use the computer to make "art".

Fiber arts.. I design a lot of my own clothes, and sew for myself, my daughter, and friends. Knit, crochet, quilt, embroider.. all the usual stuff. My quilting is done with a hoop rather than a huge frame. I'm proudest of the basketmaking: I harvest the inner bark of cedar trees (respectfully and sparingly) and use the bark along with spruce roots to make containers in the Coastal Salish tradition. There's a waiting list for my basketry.

I play music, mostly with a local jam band "Veering Wildly". Play the bass (with a touch-point technique because my hands aren't very big), the dulcimer (pickup duct-taped to the body) and sing like an angel with a low voice. I also sing with the local "Peace Choir". My specialty is being able to harmonize with anything, and skat with the best of 'em,; I like accapella more than any other style.

Dance is limited to fun these days, but have studied ballet and "modern dance". I have acrobat skills, as well.

I'm a decent actress. Write poetry and lyrics, and can whip out a technical paper that's useable.

I consider all the arty stuff as recreation.. even when i sell a piece or get paid for a performance or save money by making things I'd otherwise have to buy. I like having a steady income, and prefer not having too many deadlines related to creativity.

posted by reflecked 02 November | 16:13

I write, shoot and edit film/video, and dabble at music. In that order. Though I'm inclined to swap positions on the film/video and music in the near term.

posted by pliskie 02 November | 16:20

I wrote this and this recently.

posted by Wolfdog 02 November | 16:21

I write write write edit edit write edit write write edit edit edit.

I also cook, photograph and play with photoshop. Occasionally, I draw or paint. I no longer act.

posted by me3dia 02 November | 16:23

Sometimes I am and sometimes, not so much. I'm having a streak of not so much. In fact feeling very cave-ish.

I made these images and had 11 shirts printed today for people (very rare, and only my second batch to be printed.). And I made some silly sculptures out of those standard boring styrofoam head displays you see in stores. I sent one to Ellen Degeneres but I don't think she ever got it. Cost me $60 to ship it, too.

I designed some of the furniture in my house. Like the coffee table in this pic.

This is my xmas tree every year. It started 7 years ago when we had a holiday open house and I wasn't done with some construction yet, and had no place to put the ladder.

Making things is cathartic for me. But evasive - have to strike while the iron is hot. ARe you guys like that too?

posted by chewatadistance 02 November | 16:37

Oooh...pictures everyone! Pictures of the things you make! (Especially reflecked baskets. That's cool.)

I do stained glass. But it's all from patterns--I'm not artsy enough to come up with my own.

I used to do a lot of acting in local productions, but got sick of not being able to go out with my friends on the weekends. (Plus, the backstage drama wore me out.)

Right now I'm learning pottery, but I really, really suck at it. Truly.

I write for a living, but it's not very creative.

posted by jrossi4r 02 November | 16:39

I also wrote this quite some time ago. There's a new recording somewhere with real drums, but no vocals on it yet. Anyway, it's apropos given my nickname.

posted by Wolfdog 02 November | 17:10

I'm making a short film about a man who uncovers an evil plot by construction cranes to kill him.

posted by goatdog 02 November | 17:33

I make sawdust. I am currently working on a couple of steel string guitars. I've just started the planning phase on a mandolin and an archtop guitar, and I want to build a cello for my niece. I'm not very good, but that's ok. It's fun. I write now and again. Actually, thinking about this is depressing since I used to do a LOT more of the the creative thing when I was younger. I don't know if factory life sucks it out of me or if I'm just old and cranky.

posted by eekacat 02 November | 17:38

Good christ I hate it when I accidentally close a tab, especially after I've written an 8 paragraph comment. The gist of it was that this thread rocks, and everyone's stuff is wonderful.

But with a lot more meat, you know?

posted by iconomy 02 November | 17:55

mmmmmm Meat

posted by eekacat 02 November | 18:03

Write.
Code.

posted by seanyboy 02 November | 18:04

Write, play a few instruments now and again (djembe, saxophone, tin whistle), learn new unicycle and juggling tricks (but not together), and take some fairly nice photos if I do say myself. The major thing missing is a bit of community theatre. That would be lovely.

posted by dreamsign 02 November | 18:04

I write, I do crafty things around the house and garden. I also keep a graphic's journal on live journal, with a connected deviant art account.

posted by FunkyHelix 02 November | 18:15

Oh. My. God.

That is the coolest Christmas tree I have ever ever ever seen, yoga. It's actually magical. Why is it magical??

(love the tree topper...hee)

posted by iconomy 02 November | 19:31

write...poems/prose., i doodle a bit, and well, thats about it. i design experiments...does that count?

posted by dhruva 02 November | 19:37

Creative? Nah... I'm more of a parasite. Most of what I write is half-assed criticism and blog entries. Although I am a decent cook.

posted by bmarkey 02 November | 20:24

I've been taking basic wheel pottery for the past six weeks. It's so much fun, I'm really sorry I haven't done it before. I'm actually really fascinated by the whole process and by whatever it is to be doing something creative. I like the throwing, but glazing is also completely fun.

I just got the first batch of completed pots yesterday, complete with glaze and everything. They're pretty small pots, but I've already started using more clay and I should have some useable ones before too long...and mugs.

Here and here are shot of the pots.

posted by omiewise 02 November | 20:38

omiewise, those are absolutely beautiful - truly. I tried throwing last year, and was really bad at it.

I'd love to buy one, someday, when you have some to sell.

posted by iconomy 02 November | 21:08

Me, too, omie. I want a cup. Something with blue in it. I love the blue and green cup in your first photo.

We really have a lot of creative people here, which doesn't surprise me. I hardly do anything that isn't digital anymore, and that's kind of a shame. In the past I've made jewelry, embroidered, crocheted, done macrame, art collage, writing. (Of those I've sold jewelry, art collage and writing!) I can't sew to save my life, which is really very sad; I would be really happy to have fabrics printed with my own patterns and create my own clothes, or clothes for other people.

I'm also very attracted to what omiewise is doing, though it's very unlikely I'll ever get the chance to try it. To me it seems like the perfect meditative activity... And working with form, color and texture all in the same project is very cool.

posted by taz 03 November | 02:19

I'm hoping to learn to throw pots some day. omiewise, I really like your clay work.

That Xmas laddertree is just the best ever. :)

for jrossi4r: I don't have a camera, but here's a pic taken a few years ago; it's a little basket i made for my daughter. she keeps her hair ribbons in it. I don't advertise the baskets, as it is, I think I'm about 3 years behind on orders. Each one takes a very long time. The teeny basket in the pic represents about 20 hours of labour.

lori's basket

posted by reflecked 03 November | 06:26

That basket! That is such a perfect little thing! Argh. I can't take all of these beautiful, unique intimate things. I'm gonna blubber like Daisy when she saw all of the perfect, beautiful shirts in Jay Gatsby's closet.

Except that she was crying out of regret, whereas I will cry out of admiration. And a little jealousy ;)

posted by iconomy 03 November | 06:59

Thanks guys, you're on the list of coming recipients as soon as I can get enough stuff.

posted by omiewise 03 November | 07:06

Also... Someone here needs to be a weaver - or become one! I am filled with awe at weavers. I bought one gorgeous, expensive handwoven shawl many years ago that I still stroke and adore, even though I couldn't really afford it when I bought it. or even now, come to think of it. :)

posted by taz 03 November | 07:22

What a great thread! Omie those pots are indeed beautiful. As are reflecked's baskets. Nice to be in the company of so many other makers! :D I think you guys may have teased me out of my not so much phase. LOL @ eekacat's "I make sawdust" - and having fun is the most important part! Any activity where things are combined to make another thing is creative, in my book. That includes writing.

And thanks for the props on the xmas ladder. I shall post an updated pic of this year's, which goes up in a couple of weeks.

posted by chewatadistance 03 November | 07:37

Can you make it desktop wallpaper-sized ;)

posted by iconomy 03 November | 07:48

second that!

posted by taz 03 November | 07:49

noted! the thing weighs a ton. It's a 10' fiberglass. I always time the changing of the smoke detector battery with the ladder raising season. heh.

posted by chewatadistance 03 November | 08:45

Someone here needs to be a weaver

That would be me! My favorite blankey/shawl/throw is something I wove on my grandmother's loom when I was 17.

posted by Specklet 03 November | 12:49

I have done:
- Needlework (crewel, needlepoint, cross-stitch)
- Watercolours
- Cloth covered photo albums
- Wreaths
- Dollhouses
- Photography
- Web page design and graphics for same
- Jewelry (beadwork)
- Singing (never really thought of it as creative, but I was in choirs through all of my schooling)

I recently took a knitting class but haven't managed to do any practicing yet.

posted by deborah 03 November | 13:07

sometimes.

posted by safetyfork 03 November | 13:50

BTW the basket is beautiful.

posted by omiewise 03 November | 13:54

In between classes I do web design to pay for textbooks, knit, and make jewelry that needs to be sold because I never wear any of it myself. I'm also technical/musical advisor to these people because I don't have time to play piano anymore.

You ceramics people really impress me.

posted by casarkos 03 November | 14:53

Thx for the kind words about basketry. :)

I weave a bit, too... and card and spin, when I can get the wool I want. I've got a home-made single-heddle loom that makes pieces 1 meter wide. Fringed shawls are fun to make on that loom, but it involves joining 2 pieces for a full garment. I've mostly made blankets and throw rugs out of scrap wool. I make guitar straps by "card" weaving, and still have my old Navajo back-strap loom. That doesn't get much use these days, as it's not easy to put away with work only partially done. I learned all my weaving skills when I lived in Santa Fe; my roommate was a fiber artist and she gave me lessons in return for helping out with her classes at the community college.

I'll reiterate my admiration for potters. I have a thing for utilitarian objects made from beautiful porcelain.

posted by reflecked 03 November | 17:31

02 November 2005