Try A Creative Exercise
Exercise: Making an Identity Collage
Time
About one hour.
Concept
Just as our fingerprints give us a separte physical identity from anyone else each of us has a unique creative identity. The colors, shapes, and symbols we are drawn to, the textures that catch our eye or feel good to our touch, and the sounds, words or gestures that calm or energize us are all part of that identity.
Materials
A sheet of poster board or heavyweight paper at least 12 inches by 18 inches; a stack of magazines you don't mind cutting up; construction paper in a variety of colors; items you've been collecting in a miscellaneous drawer, such as scraps of wrapping paper, old photos, ribbons, feathers, greeting cards, cotton balls, sequins - anything small and light enough to be glued onto paper, and that looks interesting to you. You'll also need scissors and a glue stick.
Set-up
Choose a workplace where you can spread out. If you're working on a good table, cover it with something that will protect it from the glue. Position the poster board where you want it and then group your materials around it so that you can pick and choose them easily.Select some music that you like listening to while working around your house or studio. Consider switching off the ringer on your telephone. Make sure you have a notebook and pen nearby for any interesting thoughts that come up while you're working on your collage. Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea. Relax! This is going to be fun.
Warm-up
Sit quietly for a few minutes and reflect on what prompted you to try this exercise. Close your eyes if it helps you concentrate; take a mind-clearing deep breath or two. What are your expectations? What are you hoping for?Then think about your daily life. Think about today. Remember getting up, having breakfast, perhaps visualizing yourself at work. Then let an image of being with your family emerge. Sit with that for a few minutes. Did you have lunch with a friend? Or take a walk?
Allow your mind to play with these memories. What were you wearing? How did you feel? What did you hear? Just imagine in whatever way works for you what it has been like to be you today. There is no wrong way to do this.
Evoke a full feeling of "you-ness". Fully inhabit yourself as you - the person you are today - right now. Now think about your current view of yourself as a creative person. How do you express yourself creatively? What attitudes and feelings rise to the surface as you ask yourself that question? Notice any words or images that flash through your mind. How does your body respond? Perhaps you feel a tightening of the muscles in your shoulder, or a sudden dull pain behind your eyebrows. Open your notebook and write down any ideas or feelings that come up for yoiu when you contemplate the questions. Don't worry about making complete sentences or even making literate sense. Just let the words flow. This is you talking to yourself.
Creating Your Collage
Thumb through your stack of magazines, hunting for images or colors that catch your eye. Tear or cut out pictures, words, symbols, etc. that appeal to you. Work quickly, without looking long or hard at any one page. When in doubt, tear! You can decide later wether or not to use the image. You might include images related to your interests or life experiences, or others that symbolize high and low points in your life. Images that remind you of family our friends are another good theme. Favorite foods or movies might be appealing. You're free to include images for no expressible reason other than that they just caught your eye. Go through the same intuitive process with the colored construction paper, greeting cards and the other materials arrayed around your poster board.None of your decisions has to make sense. There is no wrong way to do this exercise. Respond to the materials with your gut and your heart. Let go and enjoy yourself! Have fun with the process. Let your intuition take over for a few minutes.
Once you have assembled a nice stockpile of images, colors, items, etc. it is time to start composing them on the poster board. Cut out images, words, shapes, from the colored papers and play around with the placement of these things, trying different arrangements. Swap that photograph of a world leader on the left side of the composition with the zebra on the right. Move those affirming words closer to the center. Move things farther apart, or push them together until they overlap. Create recognizable patterns and combinations of words that make sense, or make it all random. Whatever gives you the most pleasure, whatever seems right or ok. The idea is to listen to your inner voice - your intuition. And to shake free of the advice or criticism you may have received from teachers, bosses, significant others and parents, or the need to "make it good." This collage is for you right now. Go to town with it!
When you're ready, start gluing things down. Take as long as you need, and make sure every piece of material is fixed in it's place. Then add a finishing touch or two if you like - a pink feather sticking out of the pretty young mother's hair, sequins covering the eyes of the world leader... After you're completely finished with the collage, tidy up your work area a little. Now, sit back and take a deep breath. Admire youre work. Congratulations! You've made a giant step toward recovering your creative identity.
Things to Think About
As you were composing the collage, what did you notice about your decision-making process? What were you thinking or feeling as you chose materials and placed them on the poster board?Now that your collage is complete, what do you notice about what was not included? What materials or images were left on the table - or in the magazines?
Before going on with your day, try dialoguing with your collage. Gaze at it and imagine that it has something to say to you -- about you. Imagine that you can talk to it, ask it questions, etc. and that it can talk back. You can do this in your mind, out loud, or by writing it as dialogue.
Going Deeper
Over the next few days, respond to the questions below. If you write the answers in your notebook or journal you'll have a record of your process and your progress.1. What parts of the day do you most look forward to? Which people, activities and thoughts give you the most positive energy?
2. What did you do today that you're proud of, feel satisfied about or that gave you pleasure?
3. How are you different from your colleagues at work? Members of your family? What is special or unique about you?
4. If you were being interviewed by someone you had never met before, what would you tell that person if they asked, "What matters most to you?"
©Copyright 2003-2008 Karen McLaughlin Gallant