Ten Ways to Enjoy Social Distancing
Okay, I can see that after a few weeks of this, I’ll be busting out to have lunch with friends, resume book club and our weekly Pour @ 4 block gathering, have the postponed St. Pat’s celebration, and go to the library and bookstore. And coffee shop. And, well, a baseball game, for crying out loud!
I read a recent article written by a Gen X-er who argues that finding one’s own entertainment is not a problem for their generation since they, the first to be coined latchkey kids, were often left home alone or to care for siblings while both parents worked. They spent less time with their parents than any generation before and were as a result, less coddled in general. I would also argue that many baby boomers grew up figuring out childhood by paper dolls, neighborhood games in the street, jump rope, Old Maid, and all the other pre-TV, pre-internet, pre-iPhone activities of a weekend or summer day. (If you’d like a reminder of that time, jump to my preview videos (and here) of the 2018 calendar, Hula Hoops and Howdy Doodies. )
So I will say that now I am enjoying this forced downtime. (And, to be fair, I have no kiddoes or work requirements to be juggling also.) I have art, lots of it that I’ve been wanting to do. I have books. Piles of them. I have board and card games; we have a cupboard full of them. I never tire of Plants vs. Zombies, Mexican Train Dominoes, Words with Friends, Pup Rummy, Ticket to Ride…just to name a few on my iPad that keep me interested (often way beyond my bedtime.)
So while I’m gathering bits and pieces about the March artist, Mr. Mucha himself, to post soon, indulge me in this sharing of some mostly-arts-focused ideas for you that should last way beyond these limited (fingers-crossed here) weeks of social distancing.
Be entertained by these…
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I’ve heard you say it. “I can’t draw.” “I wish I could draw.” Now’s the time to learn. (Yes, you. Everyone can learn how to draw, but it’s like every other skill: it takes practice.) Draw Tip Tuesday is one way you might enjoy learning while sequestered indoors. For seven years and about 350 videos, this series has appeared every Tuesday, all short and focused, friendly demonstrations you can easily follow along with this friendly and open artist from Netherlands in perfect English. I chose a few you might enjoy if you are a beginner, but by all means, look the list over for some that sound like fun.
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Skillshare.com has unlimited short and focused videos on a huge collection of topics. Go for a free trial and , if you succumb to its pleasures, can be had for about $10 a month, the best bargain in town, IMHO.
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Brainpickings.org is the brainchild of Maria Popova that I’ve shared with you before. In its twelfth year as a weekly digest of books, quotes, videos, essays, and thoughts around the timeless and provoking ideas of life. She writes beautifully, an added attraction. Here’s a sample beginning from one post. (Each red phrase is an active link; she is well-researched.)
A note added afterward, seems fitting for our time!
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In response to Social Distancing, and begun only yesterday: Lunch Doodles Mo Willems (author of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus) has a series of fun doodling, talking about books, sharing some playing around with doodling and hanging around a crayon or marker. I don’t know…perhaps it’s intended for children, but I sure as heck am enjoying it.
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50 Hand lettering ideas and Cute Ways to Draw a Title
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Doodle!
Mountain doodles for beginners. (Where I live, we have a mountain in our backyard, practically, so that’s why I picked that subject. Live in the desert? there are cacti doodles. Live in the city? OMG, city doodling is rampant.)
Learn how to draw Leaves by doodling.
Flower doodles! All over the place on YouTube! For instance, here, here, and here. There are many more: some simpler, some more sophisticated or complex; just search YouTube for doodle flowers to find them. Start somewhere and draw some flowers! It’s fun and rewarding. You can even do it while streaming. Which brings me to:
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Suggestions for streaming you might have missed or never had time for, from the Seattle Times and the NYTimes.
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12 famous museums offer virtual tours: including VanGogh and Rijskmuseum in Amsterdam, Musée d’Orsay in Paris, Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the J. Paul Getty Museum in LA and the National Gallery of Art in DC.
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This is definitely the time to round up my growing collection of things-I’ve-been-wanting-to-post-but-something-else-needed-attention first. There’s a lot of cool things out there, but here are a few.
Notre-Dame came far closer to collapsing than people knew. This is how it was saved. An interactive piece.
21 Gravity-Defying Sculptures That Messed with Our Heads.
“Here we have a collection of sculptures that challenges the laws of gravity and physics and surely, they would give you something to think about. It is really hard to imagine how some of these sculptures are actually made and if you are someone who is good in science, then surely you would know the logic behind all these creations.”
Art Lovers Recreate Georges Seurat’s Famous Painting
Jenny Kendler's Storm King Installation Sends a Message. Inspired by Audubon science, the new outdoor artwork features the eyes of 100 bird species threatened by climate change.
A museum devoted entirely to words and language.
Great news for the lovers of words and the sounds of language. Planet Word, a museum dedicated to languages and words in Washington D.C. has announced that it will open May 31, 2020. The museum will feature 11 immersive galleries that will showcase and explore language in interesting and entertaining ways. (Note: although now the opening may be delayed - since everything else is - this is definitely on MY bucket list1)
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Finally, I’d love to remind you that i have a section on this website called the Daily Amazing that I am certain will entertain you for a few hours. Although I no longer keep it up (it was, really, almost Daily for awhile and still could be, there’s so much incredible work out there by various artists and hobbyists), I still go over ever once in awhile to renew my motivation and enjoy all their efforts. There are videos, interviews, lots of photos, and several collections. Bring popcorn.
