Change and creativity go hand in hand.
If you know someone who “hates change” and never likes to entertain new ideas, that person is probably not very creative. Not that he doesn’t have the potential to be creative because everyone does, but he is just not open to the experience.
My family is very creative and there are a lot of people in it, and at family gatherings, they pretty much drive me nuts with an agenda that seems to change every 15 minutes or so. Don’t pay attention, and you’ll surely be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The internet has affected more CHANGE than anything in human history and consequently, affected CREATIVITY more than anything ever has.
And that brings me to why I am thinking about this subject this morning.
When I conceived the duration and schedule for my new “Outside the Box” creativity workshop, I knew that I would need a substantial minimum enrollment in order to make a commitment for a year’s worth of work.
One of the big changes I have made in my life is that I no longer short-change or undervalue my time and talent. I think the concept of free everything on the internet has done as much harm to artists as good, but that is a topic for another day.
There was a time, just a short while ago, when making the quota I set would have been easy. But that has changed too. There are “workshops” on every blog and every website now and many potential students are over committed. The slow economy doesn’t help either.
So I have been driving my friends and family nuts for the last week or so about whether I should cancel this workshop and disappoint those who did sign-up, or go ahead and commit to a lot of work that won’t be properly compensated.
The decision was made more difficult by the fact that I have most of the lessons for the first three months done, and I KNOW what a special workshop it is.
One great friend suggested a schedule CHANGE as a compromise. (Thanks, Betsy!) Maybe if we took this three months at a time. If that works well, we can always go on to the next Quarter.
I liked this idea and decided to expand upon it by offering each month individually as well, so those with income/outgo restraints could proceed month by month.
Therefore, Outside the Box is officially changed to a three month workshop with 12 lessons for $60, running January 15 through March 15, 2015. Four Lessons will be emailed on the 15th of each month for you to work through at whatever pace you want.
Also, as of their release on the 15th of each month, each set of 4 Lessons will be available for $25 – like a mini workshop.
You can sign up now for either one or three months here. First set of Lessons will go out on Thursday.
http://www.cre8it.com/outsidethebox.html
IMPORTANT:
If you have registered for the year long course, you will be charged only for the Jan-March session ($60). If you used PayPal, a refund ($140) will be issued before the 15th.
I hope these changes expand the audience for this workshop because it is one that can change your whole approach to creative thinking. And . . . it’s really fun.
In order to reach everyone, I have to double post this to Whatever Blog as well. Sorry for the inconvenience of a repeat.
Jessica this new approach or change is more appealing to me. The long-term commitment seems to intimidate my psyche. I have a question, however in looking at my sketch journal from previous online workshops: Will this initial set of classes duplicate or overlap the Sketch Journal Workshops 1 and 2 ? I took those in Jan and Feb or 2014.
Excellent compromise! Something that is definitely needed out there. I’m glad to see that you’re moving forward rather than shutting it down. I’d also recommend posting this over on the Artist Journal Workshop page on Facebook to reach more folks that would have an interest in this. Good luck!!
HI Diana – No overlap. None of my workshops overlap except for the obvious fact that the basics of drawing and watercolor are the same and you run into them in different ways – but that is as it should be – hear those things again and again and finally, it sticks!
This workshop is more playful and more about IDEAS of things to draw and pages to make. The drawing and painting styles are kept simple ob purpose so everyone can succeed.
Thanks, Laure. I will do that.
Sometimes I think without compromise, nobody would ever get anywhere!
$200 and a whole year did sound like a committment but I love getting new lessons in my inbox and so didn’t mind. I also buy yearly subscriptions to things like Evernote, Icloud and so on so am used to it. Hope this works out better. If people want my two cents, think of how much you spend on Starbucks (yes, mine costs more than $200 a year) or hair styling with cuts and dying jobs. $200 to boost your creativity sounds better now doesn’t it? Or how much do you pay to eat at fa(s)t food places? Hmmm, if you add it up everyone spends tons there so again, what is $200 for creativity???
You are such a neat person, Timaree, Always thinking. Thank you.
My heart sank as I started reading the post….just when I FINALLY signed up for one of your workshops. So, needless to say, I feel tremendous relief and gratitude that you thought of a way to honor the worth and value of your time AND still make it work for those of us already registered. Yay! I am really looking forward to the creativity boost!
Hi Jessica. Will this workshop be offered again, perhaps as a Whenever workshop? I would love to take it but I’m not sure that I can right now (building a new house this year!). Thanks!!
Just signed up for the 1st quarter. Will there be the ability to discuss/share with other participants?