Color Therapy: The Emotional Impact of Tones

COLOR THERAPY:
THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF TONES

Article by Jeannine Chanin Penn
Photo Credit: Ready Gypset Go
Magazine: Issue #41

Color Therapy

“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.,

Reflections on the Orlando tragedy and love winning over hate.

I see rainbows all over Facebook, on the Eiffel tower, in the streets of London and rainbow flags peppered throughout the U.S.

As an artist, color has a huge impact on my mood, my choices and my world.  

With the tragedy of Orlando, Florida and the frequent chaos we live with, I encourage you to find your color of love and let it paint your world and lift you, your loved ones and those around you up.

What is the color of love? 

For some it is Red – fiery yet pure, filled with hearts and roses... sometimes intense but always courageous.

For some it is Violet – luxurious, exotic, spiritual and vibrant. It is amethyst and irises and fields of lilacs.

For some it is Blue – Calming, cool and reflective ... it is the deep sea and the sprawling sky.

For some it is Green – Reassuring and refreshing, wealthy and healthy ... it is emerald forests, fertile and lush.

For some it is Yellow – optimistic and confident, the joy of sunshine and light... yellow feels expansive, warm and welcoming.

For some it is Orange – Enthusiastic and fun...succulent citrus and leaves in the fall... it is energy and warmth for your soul.

For some it is Red, Violet, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange... a RAINBOW

What is your color and how can you bring color and light to your life and the world around you?

4 Strategies for Creating a Balanced Business Life

4 STRATEGIES FOR
CREATING A BALANCED BUSINESS LIFE

Article by Jeannine Chanin Penn
Photo Credit: Spell & the Gypsy Collective
Magazine: Issue #33

I am in the process of looking at High School’s for my son next year. I didn’t grow up in Los Angeles but in suburban NJ where there was one HS for all. In sprawling Los Angeles there are many. On one of the tours of a private HS, the Head of Schools said: “This generation is not just going to have multiple jobs but multiple careers.”

The truth is that doesn’t just apply to the up and coming generation but to anyone these days. A path to a career is great but it often leads to many other things along that path and being open to the possibilities may often bring you to an unexpected and happy place.

A great deal of my life I have been working as a Creative Director | Graphic Designer. But along the way, I have taken what I like to call “entrepreneurial side trips.” I co-created a playspace for familes with young children, worked as an event planner and dabbled in other things. For various reasons, I ultimately came back to Creative Direction as an entrepreneur and it was a very different picture than working for a big company. Here are some of the things I’ve learned in the process:

Know your strengths and weaknesses.

There are a lot of things I’m good at and there are some I’m really not. For me, doing more of what I love and excel at fuel me the most so I try and get help for the rest. The choices are to get better at the things you’re not good at (for me accounting) or build a team and find resources for those things you don’t excel at.

Work. Breathe. Play.

Be prepared to work hard, really hard, but remember to take time to play, meditate, exercise, paint, breathe or whatever will keep you sane and balanced. (see link below and download to help you ‘play’)

Stay informed.

One of the biggest ‘ah-has’ for me is how quickly things change now because of technology, social media and the internet. Make sure you are tapped in, sign-up for webinars, get into groups, attend workshops and keep up with what’s going on.

Know when to walk away.

Are you making money? You may have put a lot of time and energy into a business path that isn’t really a business. At some point, you may just want to cut your losses and rethink your path. Devastating as it may be, staying too long at something that just isn’t working is not only a time suck but life sucking.

Artists, Photographers, and the Creative Inspiration of the Muse

ARTISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND
THE CREATIVE INSPIRATION OF THE MUSE

Article by Jeannine Chanin-Penn
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #30

Artists, Photographers, And The Creative Inspiration Of The Muse

If you look up the definition of a Muse you will find:
myo͞oz/noun
(In Greek and Roman mythology) each of nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.
A woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.
synonyms: inspiration, creative influence, stimulus; formal afflatus

In more modern times, a muse has evolved to include a variety of individuals that profoundly inspires and influences one’s creative work. Quite typically we think of a muse as an exceptionally beautiful woman like Audrey Hepburn was to Givenchy, the can-can dancer Jane Avril was to artist Toulouse Lautrec or model and heiress Edie Sedgwick was to Andy Warhol. 

Often these are very complex, intimate relationships sometimes resulting in great love, great heartache, or both. With actress Mia Farrow, Woody Allen created a feminine young, innocent and their relationship went from a seemingly strong love to a very complicated mess that ended their relationship personally and professionally. 

Photographer Alfred Stieglitz fell in love with Georgia O’Keeffe’s artwork before falling in love with her. Stieglitz photographed her nude and exhibited the pictures, which caused a sensation. After divorcing his wife and marrying O’Keeffe, the photographer took hundreds more pictures of her.

Though they had their ups and downs, they continued to share their passion for art and each other until Stieglitz’s death in 1946.

And then there are the non-sexual, not classically beautiful women only muses. Martin Scorsese has a unique bond with Robert De Niro a man who he sees as his alter ego. Their collaboration has resulted in numerous award winning movies including “Raging Bull” and “Goodfellas” two of the greatest films of all times. 

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp are another iconic duo in Hollywood whose list of films includes “Edward Scissorhands” and “Alice in Wonderland.” According to Burton, they communicate in a way that "wouldn't really make sense to the normal person." “It’s very nice to have someone that you can have a completely abstract conversation with and leave the room, feel like everything’s fine, and then realize that if you pick it apart, you have absolutely no idea what either of you said.”

The list of muses is endless especially among artists/photographers and their subjects, directors and actors, choreographers and dancers, writers and their characters and fashion designers and their models.

Who is or could be your muse? Is there someone whose style, face, essence inspires you? Could they be your model, your protégé…your constant inspiration? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

For now my greatest muse (who is my muse, and doesn’t know it) is my son. Besides being in love with his face, I think the relationship of parent and child is so intense that it is easy to find inspiration in so much of what they do, the expressions they make and in them just being a mirror of ourselves. 

8 Tips to Developing Your Creative Practice

Developing Your Creative Practice

8 TIPS TO DEVELOPING YOUR CREATIVE PRACTICE

Article by Jeannine Chanin Penn
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #29

Have you noticed that creativity and creative thinking has been popping up more and more in articles and books from scientists, psychologists, teachers and artists? From Fortune 500 Companies to schools to your own personal pursuits, embracing innovation and creativity is essential. 

“Creativity is not an option, it’s an absolute necessity.” - Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D

Are you someone who loves being or wants to be creative? Do you think you have to be born with it? Are you a practicing artist that often feels stuck? The truth is anyone can learn to hone the mindset of thinking and expanding creatively. 

The following is a short list of what I have found to be essential in my practice and relatively easy to incorporate even in some small way into your life. By developing these habits, you will foster greater creativity in your work, your life and your art.

1| Be Curious… about everything. Ask questions. Learn something new. “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” ~Albert Einstein
2| Be Observant. Look around. Look down. Look up. People watch. Take a walk.
3| Be Playful. Play like a kid. Play with a kid. Play, be playful, be silly and joyful.
4| Be Spontaneous. Allow spontaneity in your life. Ditch the plans once in a while and just go with the flow.
5| Be quiet. Find your quiet. Your solitude. Practice mindfulness and take that time for you. “Without great solitude no serious work is possible.”  ~ Pablo Picasso
6| Be a Dreamer. Daydream. When you’re in the shower, your car and anywhere else your mind wanders. Give your imagination free reign to think from the brilliant to the bizarre to the ridiculous!
7| Be courageous. I’m not talking the jumping out of airplane kind of courageous (although that counts!) I mean the risk taking, willing to fail kind of courageous. 
8| Be consistent. Make it a habit. Make it a practice. Fine tune and repeat.

---

It’s a Sign is a compilation of self-improvement articles written by entrepreneurs seeking to bring holistic solutions to everyday problems. Read more articles from this feature.

---

Jeannine (j9) Chanin Penn Owner + Chief Creative Counsel of xoj9Creative Creative Direction | Visual Design | Marketing. Jeannine has worked more than 20 yrs as a CD including work for HBO & TBWA Chiat/Day and currently focuses on small businesses and entrepreneurs. Jeannine believes that "creativity is a birthright". Click Here to sign-up and download your FREE Creative Playpenn© Starter Kit: Tips and Tools to Creative Expression and Expansion in Your Daily Life.

3 Simple Ways to Spark Your Creativity

3 SIMPLE WAYS TO SPARK YOUR CREATIVITY

Article by Jeannine Chanin Penn
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #26

“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.”— Pablo Picasso

When you watch a child approaching a creative project it’s a great reminder of how NOT to overthink something. As adults, professionals, people with responsibility, it is so easy to meticulously plan, over think and get very stuck in the process. Below, I’m going to share 3 seemingly simple things that you can do at least once a day to inspire creative thinking. Why do I say “seemingly simple?” Because, the majority of adults have a list of why they can’t. There really aren’t any good excuses. There are just excuses. I know. I’ve often made those excuses.  “I don’t have the time” is the number one excuse. “I’m not creative” is another common excuse people share with me.

I believe that Creativity is a Birthright. I say it, I practice it, I teach it and I believe it.

And here’s the thing, creativity and creative play increases productivity at work, stimulates your mind, reduces stress, deepens self-awareness, increases problem-solving skills and brings greater joy. All good reasons to justify the time you take for a little creative play.

3 Simple Ways To Act More Like A Child And Spark Your Creativity!

1. Play. Really play. From playing a game like Twister to inviting friends over for a home facial party with temporary tattoos and candy apples to taking out paint and painting with your fingers. Besides the fun factor, you will de-stress and feel connected to others which will absolutely re-energize you when you go back to the more serious business of life. 

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -George Bernard Shaw

2. Get outside! When asked about a happy memory as a child, everyone, and I mean everyone, in the Creative Playpenn workshops I lead mentioned being with Nature! Walking, going to the beach, riding your bicycle, gardening… literally, stopping to smell the flowers can clear your mind and benefit your mental and physical health. 

“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”- Frank Lloyd Wright

3. Make something. Whether you sit down and paint, sew a pillow, draw a picture or cook a new recipe… create something fresh and new at least once a week.  It will lead to self-discovery, expand your sense of freedom and self- expression. It may not be the thing that makes you rich or famous but it will absolutely bring joy to your life.

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." - Maya Angelou