TWM Walking as a Creative Principle

WEEK FOUR - SENSATION ASSIGNMENT: In this week’s walk you will focus on physical sensations. Pay attention to what your body is feeling as you walk. What is the sensation like of each footstep against the ground? Heavy or light, fast or slow? Is temperature a factor? Do you feel warm or cool? Does you skin feel dry or wet? Can you feel the wind on your skin? Are you experiencing any other bodily sensations like pain, numbness, heaviness, lightness etc.? Think about tempo or pacing - the speed at which you walk - try to vary your pace by slowing down and then speeding up. What effect does this have on your walk? How might you translate this aspect into your creative exercise this week? Recreate a physical sensation you experienced during your walk using a visual medium - drawing, photography, sculpture, digital media, or other This week's walk was welcome. Having spent 4 months in Cali in relative isolation (other than grocery runs and this walk each week), we made a decision to exi...

WEEK THREE:   On this week’s walk you will focus on sights and sounds simultaneously.  Another walk on the charming Balboa Island. It is the Monday after the July 4th weekend, and I decide to brave the crowds and go for a walk expecting elbow room only. But to my surprise, the main street was very lightly populated. The beaches were closed for the long weekend, and seems to have had significant effect. I felt sad for the retailers who had hoped to make some revenue at the peak time in the summer. Instead, the village seemed so relaxed, and slowed down. Southern California climate was on full display with a blazing sun, high heat and a welcome ocean breeze.  Take note of the following:  Do you find it easier or more difficult to focus on more than one sense at a time?  I found it more difficult. I was worried about capturing something interesting enough to post, and felt that this took me out of the "noticing" moment. So much so, that I re...

WEEK TWO: Walking as a Creative Practice, SOUND What kinds of sounds do you hear?  ·          I heard everything in a way that I had not allowed myself to hear before. On this walk I (eventually) did not edit, I just listened to hear. I found I quickly became fascinated by how interesting sounds are to experience unto themselves. The sound of cars driving by, parking, locking up. The greetings of eager store owners looking to re-engage consumers. Families walking and chatting to each other  in a casual summer holiday way. The lapping of the ocean.  Moms and kids playing at the beach chirping out safety instructions. Carpenters working on dock repairs. Boat owners preparing their boats for a day on the ocean. Flip flops snapping. Shoes on sand on the boardwalk. Motorboats cruising in the bay. Water fountains tinkling in yards. Dogs barking, birds chirping. Flags flapping in the breeze. Cumulatively it was the sound of a relaxed summe...

ASSIGNMENT: On this week’s first walk were there any things you noticed as repeating or re-occuring? M ake a short photographic series of these elements (10-20 photos) RESPONSE: I choose a favorite spot for my creative walk. Before I got there I had already decided to walk beyond the main drag and into where people live. I have always been drawn to architectural photos, and Balboa is known for its doors. I decided that is what I wanted to focus on. Metaphorically the idea of closed doors was interesting to me as a starting point to opening the door to creativity.  I went in with a plan to keep me focused in my observances. I feel it worked for me as I am a purpose driven person. But I wondered if it cut me off to noticing other things as well. 

WEEK ONE: Senses What did I see? I went to a small island village called Balboa. I love this place for its quaint beach cottages, owner run retail all located right on the ocean. I went early to “avoid” the usual congestion. But it was shockingly busy for an early morning. Lots of car traffic and people walking. But what I really saw was community. Neighbors talking to each other, families and friends getting in a morning walk and visit. It was cloudy but the energy was electric. What did I hear?   Cars, horns (racing for parking spots), lots of chatter, the ocean, construction from renovations, people using hoses to water their gardens. People saying hello (which is actually quite rare in Southern California). What did I smell? The bakeries and juice bars on the main drag were in high gear getting ready for the day. The distinct umami smell of the ocean.  What physical sensations did I experience? Energy, happiness, peppiness. What did I notice that I hadn’t no...