Artist Date Ideas

Artist Dates: A Listing of My Experiences and Plans

When it comes to artist dates, Julia Cameron suggests that we think of mystery or mischief instead of mastery. To that I would add, I know I'm on the right track when I'm a little uncomfortable because what I'm doing feels too indulgent, too frivolous, too luxuriant, too absurd, too unproductive, too selfish, too new or so not me.

Favorite Artist Dates

  1. Spending time with the sea dragons at the National Aquarium in Baltimore while everybody else was off looking at other fish.
  2. Marking the 5th anniversary of my Wordhound business by taking myself out for sushi downtown and then going to a double feature at RagTag: The Namesake and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Once More With Feeling singalong.
  3. Making a flourless chocolate-hazelnut torte entirely from scratch (a 5-hour process) and eating the first piece standing in the kitchen alone at midnight.
  4. Reading Looking for Alaska by John Greene, all in one sitting, most of that on a relatively uncomfortable bench that I simply refused to leave because that would mean having to put down the book and break the spell.
  5. Going online to the Art Institute of Chicago and looking at all the Matisses and Van Goghs.

Other Artist Dates I've Enjoyed

Visiting a quilting shop and explaining to the befuddled salesladies that I didn't know how to quilt, I just wanted to look around.

Going bowling alone in the middle of the day and doing it very badly.

Going to the movies alone in the middle of the week.

Laying in my hammock reading Food and Wine.

Taking a hot bath and listening to the Barbara Kingsolver interview about Animal, Vegetable, Miracle on NPR's Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett.

Making chestnut bisque.

Reading The Tale of Desperaux by Kate Dicamillo.

Watching Vanity Fair with Reese Witherspoon.

Attending the Orr Street Series!

Playing my clarinet at the park.

Listening to the entire Wicked soundtrack while doing nothing else.

Browsing the Farmer's Market.

Doing yoga while listening to music or to a downloaded yoga routine.

Listening to Steve Eley's Escape Pod podcast.

Going to the Emmy Lou Harris concert at Jesse Hall.

Planned Artist Dates

Seeking out and reading some materials in French.

Working with my sign-language flash cards.

More clarinet or saxophone playing.

Learning to read jazz charts, maybe try doing some improvisation?

Starting a garden.

Walking around downtown to look at all the public art.

Watching Ken Burns' PBS History of Jazz.

Going swimming.

Leafing through my French impressionist book.

Sketching, drawing or coloring.

Finding some dog time.

Sitting down with my daughter's art supplies and creating something.

Rereading some of my high-school writing.

Listening to a recording of Maria Callas as Medea.

Doing a crossword puzzle.

Doing a jigsaw puzzle.

Visiting the telescope on campus.