Tips on Getting Creative During Quarantine

I suppose now is as good a time as any to write about current events.

By now I'm certain that everyone in the entire world is aware of history's latest outbreak of illness, our spotlight pandemic: The Corona Virus (aka COVID-19). This, of course, has led to many sudden developments that have affected the human race on a global scale. And I just need to take a step back and say, "Yikes."

I've been focusing almost all of my time and energy into my student teaching that was taking place this semester. I loved nothing more than being in that classroom with the students learning more from them more than they could ever learn from me (as cliche as that sounds). My mentor teacher who I am forever grateful to open up her class and taking the time to show me the ropes that go into teaching how to manage the fulfilling, yet exhausting work that comes with the job of loving 200+ students on a daily basis. However it was cut short due to the outbreak from the virus and my teaching program has suspended all student teaching, clinicals and practicums since March 12th. Meanwhile classes were to move to remote instruction for both my university and for the public school systems by the following week. It has been anything but easy to plan entire curriculum based lessons for students to participate in using their virtual student portal. How do you teach art effectively online with students who don't have access to the studio space or the materials required for art making?

Anyway all this to say that inn spite of the hard times we face as a global society, there has been one major positive I've seen so far come out of this situation. For many who are doing the right thing by staying home and observing social distancing, there has been a spike in artistic activities. I'm seeing people dipping into creative outlets to relieve stress and keep the boredom and insanity of quarantine at bay. While this might not be a luxury for everyone, it is heartwarming to see others turning to arts and the humanities in order to cope and get through this situation.

Naturally, as your resident teaching artist, I have some resources to share that could possibly help anyone who has that innate urge to make something. Here are some tips on how to get creative while in quarantine.

1. GIVE YOUR HANDS SOMETHING TO DO

You can only twiddle your thumbs for so long before your rub your skin raw. This is a more meticulous task, but what it does is distract your thoughts by focusing on developing your fine motor skills. This can be accomplished through a series of ways.

Knitting/crocheting

Cross stitching

Embroidering

Latch hook

Sewing

Shuffling Cards

Doodling a pattern

Folding clothes

Tying friendship bracelets

Carving into wood

The focus is on using repetition of movements. I, for one, cannot sit still to watch a show. I always have to be doing something. Knitting is a mindless task for me, it doesn't require much effort or attention. This is also true when I am on the phone and talking to someone, I will often bring up a game of Solitaire or Minesweeper to keep myself occupied and focused. The end result is always something cool. This is also a great way to listen to an audio book in case you need to look at your hands, but still listen to a story at the same time.

2. PICK UP A NEW HOBBY

Hobbies are a great way to get creative without committing to a full on project. They don't have to be big or grand unless you want them to be. Start small and with materials available at your disposal. This is a perfect opportunity to learn a new skill and with a little bit of internet research and tutorials, they can be done at home and you can go at your own pace.

Cooking with a limited recipe

Make a collage out of old magazines and newspapers

Design scrapbook pages for photos

Search "How to draw _______"

Finish that book series you had on the back burner for a while

Practice a dance from Tik Tok

Start keeping a journal

Complete a coloring/activity book

Video Games

Origami

No joke when I didn't feel like working on my own big art projects I would collect coloring books just so I don't fee obligated to finish them or make them look nice. Focusing on someone else's art like a color by number or diamond art took my mind off the stress. It's also healthy to find a hobby that isn't related to your work or other hobbies. For example if you like cooking and do it all the time, that's awesome, but too much for too long will eventually wear you down and become exhausting or a chore rather than something relaxing. Take breaks and focus on a different task for a set amount of time.

3. REORGANIZE YOUR SPACE

Fam, listen. A few nights ago I was going stir crazy. The cabin fever was setting in and I could not stand it. Somewhere around 3:00 in the morning I sat in the dark of my room, complete silence, absolutely HATING the color of my walls. I had the urge to just move everything out of the way just so I could repaint them and do something, anything to make it different. I wanted to throw out my desk, move my bed, my dresser, all of it. I am unable to change the furniture in my room, but I can still find a way to change the space.

Arranging the books on the shelf

Change up the wall decorations

Move any lighting fixtures if possible

Reorganize the storage space in the closet

Moving small display items like trinkets to another area

Open the blinds to let in natural light

For inspiration on how to arrange a room look to interior designers for homes. I have a new found appreciation for their expertise as I was going crazy just by looking at the walls. There is a lot of creativity that goes into designing a room, especially domestic rooms like bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms and kitchens. A little change can go a long way, especially in a situation like this where the majority of people are confined to a single indoor area.

4. FOUND OBJECT ART

During my student teaching there was some talk in the faculty lounge about how teachers of different subject areas would move their classes online if they had to (spoiler alert: they did have to). One of the other art teachers that specializes in 3D art such as sculpture, pottery and jewelry suggested an idea where students would make sculptures out of objects they had lying around their homes. It could be things like a toothbrush, a stack of books, a blanket, a pair of pants and like a cooking pot or the like. It was actually a great idea since it forced the students to be resourceful in using only the materials they had on hand. This can be translated into other areas of creativity. One of my professors actually assigned us to make a sculpture out of recycled materials.

Make a costume out of clothes in the closet

Write a short story using only magazine/newspaper clippings

Create a black-out poem using an old book and draw something in the margins

Play a song using only spoons, knives and bowls

Make a piece of furniture using cardboard boxes and plastic/paper bags

I've done things like this before when I was making cosplay on a budget of $3 for conventions. The latest trend I'm noticing is recreating classical works of art using household items and the clothes in a closet. It's a fun idea that I also remember doing as an assignment for a photography class where my team and I staged a recreation of a painting with props we brought or were on hand in the studio.

5. JOIN A CREATIVE COMMUNITY

Obviously since I'm posting this to Deviant Art this counts as a creative community. There are other communities to join as well to see what other creatives are up to. Take inspiration from them and see what their ideas are for getting through this. Just like any other tool, social media has positive and negative uses. In this case, it can be useful to connect with people that bring a positive energy and are willing to share it with others. Art making and creative activities is a social experience and because of the limitations for social interactions it would be helpful to find these safe spaces to look to for inspiration and encouragement.

Join a Facebook group dedicated to a specific art like character design or knitting or cooking

Search tags such as #quarantinecreatives and #funartprojects and #homemade and #crafters

Join online challenges that look fun and provide all the information necessary to participate

Host a challenge and share it with friends, family and followers if you have an idea

Browse "How to" sites to find easy tutorials that don't need many materials to complete

For as scary and uncertain as this pandemic is, it's important to find ways to have fun and keep our chins up. Do the medical professionals that are putting their lives on the line to fight this Goliath of a virus a favor by following their advice, staying home, washing your hands properly and frequently, practicing social distancing and only going out if absolutely necessary. They are the ones who are out there doing the best they can to help those in need, just like they always have. Stay safe, stay home, stay sane. Happy crafting!