The Intersection of Creativity & Self Expression

by Lisa Hartsgrove

“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” – Twyla Tharp

As we met on Zoom to discuss an art and writing program collaboration, Domenica Donna read this quote to me, one of her favorites, and then added, “It’s not really running away from your problems, though. It’s more like getting away from them.”

And I knew exactly what she meant.

When I find myself immersed in my writing, everything around me fades away. I’m not trying to run away, I just happen to get away. My writing brings me into a new space without ever having to take one step. And my students report similar experiences.

Through the Zoom screen, Domenica Donna told me that in her watercolor classes, she usually asks the question, “In the last 30 minutes, have you thought about your problems?” She told me she has never, to date, gotten a yes.

Domenica Donna teaches watercolor art. I teach creative writing. But when we first met through the Creative Aging program in Monmouth Arts, we realized we were both teaching the same thing, just through different mediums.

Art, in any form, can be a vacation. It’s a break from reality. It’s a place to connect, to balance, to rest. The process of creating art, without pressure or expectation, is very good for your health.

And there are countless studies about the benefits of expressive writing—studies showing that writing creatively can reduce stress and boost your mood. And creative writing is a form of art.

I was immediately taken by Domenica Donna. When I listened to her teach watercolor techniques, she would explain her process and then invite and encourage each student to make the art their own. She wasn’t trying to get them to make copies of what she had done; she wanted them to find their own style. She was giving them the tools and then allowing them to create what they wanted with those tools. So when they “ran away” to a new place, it was a place of their own making, not a copy of Domenica Donna’s.

That kind of freedom of expression is what I believe art is all about. It’s also how I teach my writing classes. Or really, I don’t teach—I facilitate. I give my students room and ideas. And then they are then free to do what they want with that [informed] time and space.

On Zoom, I asked Domenica Donna what it is she has enjoyed most about our work together so far.

“When I met you [in Creative Aging],” Domenica Donna said, “I was impressed with your creativity and your energy and the way you presented the program. You had something for everyone. You shared writing and prompts that everyone connected to.”

But it wasn’t just my energy that Domenica Donna had felt. It was the charge of the group. It was the electricity that we all created—the buzz of collective imagination.

The Creative Aging program came to an end, but my relationship with Domenica Donna has only just begun. I know we have something special. And I know she knows it, too.

So we got together, and we came up with another program to co-facilitate:

Watercolor Weaving & Writing on Friday, March 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. at ColorChips Studio.

Domenica Donna and I met at the intersection of creativity and self expression. And now we hope to meet YOU at the same crossroads!

Watercolor Weaving & Writing is for anyone at any point in their life. You do not have to be an “artist” or a “writer” to join us. Anyone and everyone is welcome.

Weave into our world and join us for an art-filled afternoon. We look forward to seeing you there!

Domenica Donna Como has been teaching art for over 30 years. She is a Monmouth County based art teacher, artist, and owner of ColorChips. Domenica Donna enjoys teaching students how to look at the world in new and creative ways and how to translate their visions into art. With a special focus and interest in watercolor, various water-based mediums, fiber arts, papers, art journaling, and mixed-media, her pieces tell a story and invite viewers to become a part of and interact with her art. Domenica Donna holds a BA in Visual Arts with a minor in Art History from Douglass College/Rutgers University. She has also earned her NJ State Certification as a Recreation Supervisor and her NJ State Teacher of Art, and Elementary Education Certifications.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/domenicadonnacomo_colorchips
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/domenica.como

Lisa Hartsgrove is program coordinator & writing instructor for Project Write Now. She has an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College. Lisa encourages writers to be confident in their work, believing that we all have a story to tell and we all have the right to be heard. She loves storytelling in all forms, including visual art. Lisa is currently working on a YA novel-in-verse as well as keeping up with a daily “One Sentence a Day” writing project she began in March of 2016.