An Ordinary Life

Susan Korrel in Brisbane, Australia is creating “An Ordinary Life”. She explains "I am following the Creativity Journal, although not creating something every day because life, work, study, family all have a habit of interrupting. My themes are: words and/or fabric, and must not create clutter. Some days I use both themes in two separate items; some days they are combined and some days the “must not create clutter” is the only theme I adhere to. My catch phrase is “my creativity, my rules”. As a recovering perfectionist I try very hard not to let the journal become a unwieldy law book."...



Why did you decide to do this project? I am a creative being, as I believe we all are. It is very easy; however, for the other priorities of life to overtake and chew up all my time. When that happens I end up stressed and edgy. Although I am not 100% committed to physically creating something every single day, I am committed to eventually finishing all 365 days (only on Day 10 at the moment).


How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I try to read the journal idea for the next day so I can sleep on it. I find myself looking at the world and my daily routine through a different lense when I’m conscious of the challenge for the day. Instead of seeing just ordinary objects I’m constantly thinking “Can I use that? Can I manipulate it? Is it relevant?” Even on days when I have no tangible creativity to record or blog about, I am actively being more creative, simply by viewing my world differently.

In blogging about my activities I am also trying to look at the challenge a little deeper than just the creative output. One of my themes is words. Although not a writer, I am an editor and I am concerned with not just the readability of words (what words are chosen and how they are ordered) but also with the legibility of words (the look and structure and physicality). My creative efforts are often focused on the legibility – how can I use words as an art form. In many ways, my blog is an opportunity to develop the former - what can I write about the theme today? For example, Day 10 was work with or be inspired by water. The link between water and poverty has been a pet topic for me for a long time. Although that topic was only linked to my creative efforts by the ‘water’, that’s what I blogged about.


See all of Susan's projects HERE.

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