For a look at the video and process for this project check out our Instagram Story Highlight.

It was such a joy to work on this mural in Downtown Woodstock. The mural is at the entrance of the Downtown Woodstock playground. This magical woodland playground enables free play. There is music making, building materials, rock scrambles, tunnels and a huge climbing structure. It’s all set into a stand of trees. I can appreciate this playground both as a mom and a creative. The colors are so natural and there is shade. (Can I get an AMEN!) I love that the table are kid sized - it’s obvious that this play space is made for kids to play with kids. There is adult sized seating on the edges and the playground has pretty great visibility - something you look out for when you have more than one kiddo to mind.

The mural was designed by Dusty Beaulieu. It includes a quote from Magda Gerber and icons that reflect Elm Street’s many creative programs. Theater, music, and art are all represented in playful illustrations. The mural was painted in white over a natural concrete texture. We wanted to keep with the natural tone of the playground, so instead of painting the quote in over a white background, we painted around the quote letting the concrete shine through.

We really enjoyed this project and the chance to pick up our paint brushes and get outside. I love any opportunity to take our work out from behind a computer. Our business allows us to both design and bring our work to life.

We would love to do more mural and sign painting work, so hit us up if you have a project in mind! Till then, see ya on the playground!

Again, for a peek at the video and process for this project check out our Instagram Story Highlight.

2016, Here we go! Dustin and I have had some amazing time for reflection on what we want to do with our business in 2016. One thing we want to do this year is hone our personal style and eventually update our brand to match. I’m working on building a practice around how I create. The only way to hone a personal style is to create relentlessly.

Let me tell you about a designer’s dilemma. Starting a project, brainstorming, building mood boards on Pinterest - super fun. The edits, revisions, tweaking, and translating feedback - not always super fun. When you get down to it, the work that pays your bills and feeds your family, is not always what your creative mind wants to do. How to sidestep this dilemma? I take my mind to the playground. Every morning before work I spend 2 hours drawing, reading, dreaming, and writing. This is the hour that I build my creative practice and release any creative energy or tension. Then I shower and get ready for work. I find I am much more focused and disciplined with myself after my practice hour.

We all know a good relationship takes work. You have to look at your work and understand that it takes relationship.

How do you build a good relationship? You show up, a lot. How do you build a good relationship with your work? You practice. You show up even when we don’t feel like it and create things just for the sake of creating things. Over time, you will build strength, clarity and focus. Practice makes a professional.

(There are so many yoga parallels in this post, I just can’t even.)

Tips on Building your Creative Practice

ONE:

You can’t treat your creative practice as a performance. Ever sat down to create and thought, “I can't wait to post this to Instagram?!” Just having that thought cross your mind takes you to an entirely different place. I don’t know about you, but I can't make anything wonderful in that place. It's the place where I start stressing out about shit that doesn’t really matter. I repeat, it’s a practice, not a performance.

TWO:

Have intentions, but not goals for this time. So my intention is to write a blog post per week and illustrate a little every day. But one morning last week, I wasn’t feeling it. I read Rumi poems instead. Listen to yourself and give your mind what it needs.

THREE:

Practice with frequency and keep showing up. Try to practice when you have the most energy. I’m a morning person, so I do first thing from 6-8 am. Do this everyday.

FOUR:

Use mental cues to teach your brain what this time is all about. I always start with coffee, chill music and my journal. It’s my little warm up. Experiment and find what works for you.

FIVE:

Stick to your end time. Unfortunately I can’t let myself dream all day. At the end of my practice, I review my calendar for the day and get ready to do billable work. Sticking to your start and end time will help you build boundaries around your work. It will also help you build strength at setting boundaries in other areas of your life. Cheers to that.

Let's make 2016 the year that we constantly showed up for ourselves. Yeah?

Hugs!
Mads

Side note: Should I make coloring pages / screen graphics from these illustrations? Leave a comment below if you'd want one!

Update 1/19: Coloring pages available here!