Community Spotlight: Creative Minds

April 9, 2020 | Posted in FC Creates, FC Creates: Culture, FC Creates: Residents, FC Creates: Staff | Keywords: , , ,

Anyone who’s been to Garden Terrace, one of our properties in South Austin, can’t help but notice that creativity abounds. There are painters, poets, musicians, writers performers, and crafters of all kinds!
 
Resident artwork is always on display at Garden Terrace!

Resident artwork is always on display at Garden Terrace!

For years, they’ve been supported by FC staff through a group called “Creative Minds.” It’s a safe space for anyone to share creative projects they’ve been working on, ask questions about others’ creative processes, or just sit back and enjoy the creativity of their neighbors. This group has inspired several of our other properties to start their own creative sharing groups.

 
Now that we’re physically isolated, we can’t gather all together, so we’ve been forced to use those creative minds of ours to find new ways to connect. This blog is one of them. We’ve had artists from different properties on conference calls, sharing ideas and giving updates on works-in-progress. Staff members are sharing their creative activities and practices, and maybe even trying new ones!
 

In non-distancing times, this is a space to gather, read and relax.

In these strange times, I’ve been inspired to start groups like this with my friends, some of whom are in other cities or states– we get together on a video chat and share a creative project we’re working on. Or we’ll decorate cards or postcards to mail so we can stay connected. Or sometime’s we’ll just text a quick photo– “made this today!”– and be met with encouragement and emojis.

 
How are you staying connected to your creative community? Have you returned to an old creative practice or started a new one? How has your creative mind been finding solutions to the unique conditions we’re in? Do you have a favorite DIY or project you’ve been working on?