New & Novel: Inventions

RUBE GOLDBERG CARTOON. - Inventions of Professor Lucifer Butts (orange squeezing machine). Cartoon, 1932, by Reuben Lucius ('Rube') Goldberg.. Fine Art. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/140_1632622/1/140_1632622/cite. Accessed 8 Mar 2017.

We applaud the spirit of invention in the world! Whether it's the spirit of American invention (the skyscraper, subway car, the telephone safety pin, amusement park, MRI, supermarket - all American-born!), explaining a "series of steps anyone can apply to solve the problems we encounter in everyday life,"* looking at "both famous inventors and hundreds of forgotten people," that "indoor plumbing has been around for 4,600 years, but punctuation, capital letters, and the handy spaces between written words only date back to the Dark Ages," or "how pendulum clocks helped trigger the industrial revolution," the following list contains some our latest finds from the library on the subject of the creativity and ingenuity that helped make the modern world what it is today. What's your favorite invention? Let us know in the comments!

Want more titles, including ones for children? Try a subject search of "Inventions."

America the Ingenious: How a Nation of Dreamers, Immigrants, and Tinkerers Changed the World by Kevin Baker

Inventology: How We Dream Up Things That Change the World by Pagan Kennedy

Not Impossible: The Art and Joy of Doing What Couldn't Be Done by Mick Ebeling

The Powerhouse: Inside the Invention of a Battery to Save the World by Steve LeVine

How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery by Kevin Ashton

Who Built That: Awe-Inspiring Stories of American Tinkerpreneurs by Michelle Malkin

The Maker's Manual: A Practical Guide to the New Industrial Revolution by Andrea Maietta and Paolo Aliverti  

Eureka: How Invention Happens by Gavin Weightman

An Uncommon History of Common Things: Volume 1 by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson 

How We Got To Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World by Steven Johnson

 

 *all quotes are from the library catalog, unless otherwise noted

New Year, New You: Creativity

Creativity, conceptual image. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 8 Dec 2015.
http://quest.eb.com/search/132_1250225/1/132_1250225/cite

Making an annual list of New Year's resolutions is a venerable tradition. By some accounts, it dates back to the ancient Romans, who customarily made a show of promising the god Janus that they would behave better over the next 12 months than they had in the past 12 [source: Huchison]. But while Janus was the patron deity of new beginnings, he also provided a convenient excuse. If a citizen of Rome didn't actually follow through with his various self-improvement vows, he could always shrug it off by explaining that it was Janus' will [source: Chicago Institute]. Then, presumably, he could just go on gorging himself at banquets or betting excessively on gladiator fights.
~Patrick J. Kiger, "10 New Year's Resolutions You Might Actually Keep"

Happy New Year! We hope your plans for 2016 include embracing creativity! "You can be creative in math, science, music, dance, cuisine, teaching, running a family, or engineering. Because creativity is a process of having original ideas that have value. A big part of being creative is looking for new ways of doing things within whatever activity you're involved in," creativity expert and author of The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, Sir Ken Robinson, reminds us. He stresses that we need creativity more than ever - because of the challenges facing the world right now; because of the unpredictability we face; and "to promote and teach—collaborating and benefiting from diversity rather than promoting homogeneity". If you are not convinced, try watching some of the TED talks from Steve Jobs, Frank Gehry, and others about the importance of creativity. Or, embrace the theory of some scientists who say international travel and living abroad can enhance creativity! We like that theory.

We have compiled a list of some books that encourage creativity and creative thinking for your perusal. Hope these stimulate you to get innovative! Remember, 

A creative process may begin with a flash of a new idea or with a hunch. It may just start as noodling around with a problem, getting some fresh ideas along the way. It's a process, not a single event, and genuine creative processes involve critical thinking as well as imaginative insights and fresh ideas. But creativity isn't just about coming up with new ideas; some ideas might be completely crazy and impractical. So an essential bit of every creative process is evaluation.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

What We Ache For: Creativity and the Unfolding of Your Soul by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

The Treehouse: Eccentric Wisdom From My Father on How to Live, Love, and See by Naomi Wolf

Make It Mighty Ugly: Exercises & Advice For Getting Creative Even When It Ain't Pretty by Kim Piper Werker

Zigzag: The Surprising Path to Greater Creativity by Keith Sawyer

The Art of Tinkering: Meet 150+ Makers Working at the Intersection of Art, Science & Technology by Karen Wilkinson & Mike Petrich

The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination & Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule 

Caffeine for the Creative Mind: 250 Exercises to Wake Up Your Brain by Stefan Mumaw & Wendy Lee Oldfield

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life: A Practical Guide by Twyla Tharp, with Mark Reiter    

Creative Block: Get Unstuck, Discover New Ideas; Advice and Projects From 50 Successful Artists by Danielle Krysa
   

Design the Life You Love: A Guide to Thinking About Your Life Playfully and With Optimism by Ayse Birsel

The Artisan Soul: Crafting Your Life Into a Work of Art by Erwin Raphael [eBook]

Living and Sustaining a Creative Life: Essays by 40 Working Artists edited by Sharon Louden  
 

Coloring for Grownups

Coloring not only evokes happy memories of childhood; the act can also foster a sense of well-being and offer a relaxing respite from our digital world. Crafters have known this intuitively for years... Coloring is a great way to explore your creativity — it’s easy, inexpensive and you don’t have to know how to draw. The 10 to 20 minutes you spend coloring  an image that gives you a sense of satisfaction can have a positive ripple effect throughout your day.
~Nancy Monson, "Why the latest coloring-book craze can be good for you"

Adults have taken up coloring, as a form of meditation, relaxation, or therapy, and it has caught on like wildfire this year - perhaps because this activity, traditionally the province of children, reminds adults of a more carefree time in their lives. Psychologists say "The relaxation that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress" and "The repetition and predictable outcome — much like when a person knits or embroiders — is soothing, almost like meditation." It's a recommended activity for "...adults [who] have given up on creating art as a means of expression by early adolescence. There is a great deal of fear involved, with people thinking they are 'not good enough' at creating art... It's a great starting point...starting with these coloring pages can build self-esteem and confidence with art materials, and then people can be guided to use more sophisticated art materials and create their own artistic expressions that extend far beyond coloring book pages." It's also great for retirees: "...researchers found that adults 65 or older who engaged in creative activities such as making jewelry, painting or writing had better overall health, made fewer visits to the doctor, used less medication and had fewer health problems than non-crafters."

Some people are getting together to color the way they might for a book club and others are sharing their work on social media. Even Crayola has gotten into the act, selling "adult coloring kits" - they include colored pencils and markers, so you don't have to share your kid's (helpful, too, if you don't have any children).

There are more adult coloring books than you can shake a stick at - mehndi designs, mandalas, mindfulness, Outlander, Game of Thrones, paisley, ocean designs, flowers, birds, stained glass, kaleidoscope - so whatever your pleasure, you can probably find something to color.

We can't stock coloring books in the library catalog, but we do feature several books on Zentangle. The Zentangle Method is "an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Creating Zentangle art provides a fun and lighthearted way to relax and intentionally facilitate a shift in focus and perspective."

Zentangle: The Inspiring and Mindful Drawing Method by Jane Marbaix CZT

Zentangle Basics 1 by Suzanne McNeill 

One Zentangle a Day: A 6-Week Course in Creative Drawing for Relaxation, Inspiration, and Fun by Beckah Krahula, CZT 

The Art of Zentangle: 50 Inspiring Drawings, Designs & Ideas For the Meditative Artist by 

Totally Tangled: Zentangle and Beyond by Sandy Steen Bartholomew 

Creative Tangle: Creating Your Own Patterns For Zen-Inspired Art by Trish Reinhart 


Check out some upcoming library events featuring coloring for grownups, and don't forget National Coloring Book Day is August 2nd!


Family Coloring Club @ Alamosa Library
Calling all coloring book fans, young and not so young! Join us every first Tuesday of the month for some stress-relieving coloring. We'll provide coloring tools and coloring pages appropriate for all age groups.

Adult Coloring@ Cherry Hills Library
Join us the First Saturday at 1 p.m. and Third Tuesday at 6 p.m. for our new adult coloring group. Drop in and express your creativity in a relaxed environment.We provide the materials, you bring the fun. Meets in the Squaretunda.

Coloring for Grown-Ups @ Erna Fergusson Library
A exciting new program  reoccurring on the first Sunday of every month.  Bring your friends, de-stress and relax while coloring beautiful designs and patterns.  All material will be provided.  Adults only.  Take some time for yourself-leave the kids at home.

Zentangle for Adults @ Lomas Tramway Library
Do you Zentangle?  Come and enjoy this relaxing art and practice with other folks who would love to share their projects with you.  If you are new to this art, we will go over the basics and practice a couple of new tangles each month. For adults.  No registration required.

San Pedro Colors! @ San Pedro Library
Come color with us! Relieve stress and make friends. All materials provided and all ages welcome. 

Links

Free Adult Coloring Pages [Art Is Fun]

Coloring Pages for Adults: Free to Download & Print! [Coloring Pages for Adults]

Free Coloring Pages for Adults [Easy Peasy and Fun]

Free Adult Coloring Pages [Crayola]

Paisley, Hearts & Flowers, Anti-Stress Design Coloring Page [Hello Kids]

Adult Coloring on Pinterest

The Sketchbook Project

My fascination with community art projects has found a new object!  It is called the Sketchbook Project.  The book that introduced me, The Sketchbook Project World Tour, was recommended to me by a customer who loved it.  I always love hearing what my customers have enjoyed reading, and even better when I have the chance to look into their favorites, as I did with this one.  

The project this book is based on is a really neat thing.  I don't know how to not understate it.  And although it reminds me of other community cultivating projects I've posted about, such as Storycorps, Humans of New York, and PostSecret (links are to my posts), I'll try not to do it disservice by just repeating the super cool similarities. The book is a sampling of sketches from the crowd-sourced Brooklyn Art Library, which houses 33,868 sketchbooks by people from 135 countries who paid an entry fee to participate in the project and received blank Sketchbook Project notebooks (currently priced at $28 for non-digitized or $63 for digitized) to fill with their art and send back to become permanent pieces in the library.  Each piece of art featured in the book is only one spread from the sketchbook that it came from, but if you visit the library in Brooklyn, you can browse all of the sketchbooks!  You can also search for and check out sketchbooks online, and when you do, the artist whose work you are viewing is notified.

In reading about the Sketchbook Project, I discovered that the founders started it because they did not like the way that normal art places were so exclusive.  Therefore, anybody of any age or experience can join in on the project - it is not just for professional artists.  That being said, most of the art in The Sketchbook Project World Tour could've fooled me.  The creative capacity that we've been endowed with and how much breadth and depth there is in the variety of art that we can create, even as novices, takes my breath away. 

Just in case anybody decides they are going to enter the Sketchbook Project and needs some inspiration or instruction, I'm tacking on to this post another fascinating book that I found - Zendoodle: Oodles of Doodles.  (By the way, please let me know if you do enter, I would be so excited to hear about it!)  This book offers unique approaches to Zentangle® and it, too, includes examples of artwork in many types of media and with lots of unique approaches.  Even if you don't pick up pen (colored pencil, paint, or chalk) and paper to try it out, this book is beautiful and great fun to browse through. 


Links

10 Incredible Journals From the Brooklyn Art Library

A Home for Sketchbooks of the World

Inside the Brooklyn Art Library and the Sketchbook Project 2012

Inside a Stranger's Sketchbook

DIY is Elementary!

...the maker movement is inspiring educators to hark back to hands-on learning, tinkering, and puttering. It is recognizing the power of kids learning through their hands, naturally iterating and updating designs until they are just the way that the kids want them to be... In this feature, we suggest books that can help your elementary learners find role models and inspiration as they work toward their own maker mind-sets.
~Kristin Fontichiaro & Mollie Hall, "Maker Minds", BookLinks April 2015

Do you have a junior inventor on your hands?  Someone who likes to know how things tick, taking them apart and putting them back together? Do you know someone who likes to experiment? Is there someone whose creativity you'd like to encourage? Why not help your child or friend get inspired with some children's books that are all about people who got their hands dirty? From the true story a boy who grew up inventing pulleys to feed chickens in the coop and making marionettes to a story about a girl who loves to sew, from a girl who wants to create "the most magnificent thing" to a girl whose ingenuity turns a drab world into a magical kingdom of color, from the brothers who invented fluorescent paint to an unsung creator of hip-hop, we bet you can find something in the library catalog to spark a young mind!

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

Crafty Chloe by Kelly DiPucchio

The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors by Chris Barton

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett

Lunch Walks Among Us by Jim Benton

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

Mouse and Mole, Fine Feathered Friends by Wong Herbert Yee

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty

The Scraps Book: Notes From a Colorful Life by Lois Ehlert

A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant

Violet the Pilot by Steve Breen

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill 

Summer Project: Drawing, Painting, and More!

Summertime...and the living is easy.
~George Gershwin

The seeds of creativity live in everyone. Some individuals are fortunate that their sprouting imagination was nurtured and grown into strong creative thinking abilities...Creative people invent, imagine, problem-solve, create, and communicate in fresh, new ways... Those with the ability to "think outside of the box" will lead the future and make special things happen.
~"Importance of Creativity" from Crayola.com

What are you doing to unwind this summer? Well, you might be doing extra reading to take part in our Summer Reading Program, or taking a trip somewhere, or taking part in outdoor activities (Zoo Music?  Farmers' Market? Summerfest? Isotopes? Check out the City of Albuquerque's Summer page for more).  But if you are at a loose end, and looking for something a little different, why not try taking up art?  Whether you are a newbie or someone looking to hone your drawing or painting skills, the library catalog is chock-full of suggestions of how to get more creative!

Drawing and Painting Beautiful Faces: A Mixed-Media Portrait Workshop by Jane Davenport 

Advanced Airbrush Art: How To Secrets From the Masters by Timothy Remus

Mixed Media Portraits: Techniques for Drawing and Painting Faces by Pam Carriker

Daily Painting: Paint Small and Often to Become a More Creative, Productive, and Successful Artist by Carol Marine

Painting Brilliant Skies and Water in Pastel by Liz Haywood-Sullivan

Joy of Zentangle: Drawing Your Way to Increased Creativity, Focus, and Well-Being by Suzanne McNeill et al.

20 Ways to Draw a Tree: And 44 Other Nifty Things From Nature - A Sketchbook for Artists, Designers, and Doodlers by Eloise Renouf

The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing On Location Aroundthe World by Gabriel Campanario

The Wrinklies' Guide to Drawing: New Pursuits For Old Hands by Richard Pomfret

Fast Sketching Techniques: Capture theFundamental Essence of Elusive Subjects by David Rankin [eBook]

One Drawing a Day: A 6-Week Course Exploring Creativity with Illustration and Mixed Media by Veronica Lawlor [eBook]

Painting Your Way Out of a Corner: The Art of Getting Unstuck by Barbara Diane Barr

The Art of Mistakes: Unexpected Painting Techniques & the Practice of Creative Thinking by Melanie Rothschild 

A-Z of Painting Bird Portraits: An Illustrated Guide to Painting Beautiful Birds in Acrylics by Andrew Forkner 

IPad for Artists by Dani Jones 

Electronics for Artists: Adding Light, Motion, and Sound to Your Artwork by Simon Quellen Field
 
Street Scene: How to Draw Graffiti-Style by John Le [eBook]


Amp up your creative game with these exercises!

Craft-a-Doodle: 75 Creative Exercises From 18 Artists by Jenny Doh  

Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to Be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are by Danny Gregory

 Know a kid who likes to draw...sports?  Try the Drawing with Sports Illustrated Kids series! 

 

Summer Project: Journaling

Keep the journal idea, but ditch the length and write down just a sentence or two each day to record your most prominent memories. You might think such short entries aren’t enough to make any difference in your life, but [author Gretchen] Rubin insists that this idea is both manageable and impactful. “One sentence is enough. When I look back on it years later, that one sentence really does keep memories vivid—it really does bring back the past—which is one of the things you really want a journal to do,” she says.
~ Jessica Stillman, "The One-Minute Writing Activity That Will Make You Happier Every Day"

As for the health benefits of journaling, they've been scientifically proven. Research shows the following:

• Journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma, arthritis, and other health conditions.
• It improves cognitive functioning.
• It strengthens the immune system, preventing a host of illnesses.
• It counteracts many of the negative effects of stress.

~Elizabeth Scott, "The Benefits of Journaling for Stress Management"

Are you looking for something to do this summer in your spare time? Of course, we're a library blog, so our first recommendation is reading (have you signed up for our Summer Reading Program yet?  It's not just for kids!). But, maybe you want something more. Maybe you are looking for a project. Something to take up for the short term, that may or may not grow into a long term occupation. Something you can do indoors, because summer is here with a vengeance!

How about journaling? Keeping a journal is recommended for a variety of reasons, including stress relief. And it doesn't have to run into volumes, like Virginia Woolf's, unless you are so inspired!  In fact, many items in the library catalog lean towards creative journaling, making your own book or journaling with art.

Would you consider taking up journaling, for pleasure, as an aide-mémoire, to encourage creativity, or for stress relief? Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way recommends what she calls "Morning Pages", which is a great idea to get yourself started and get into the habit - we have employed this model in the past.

Inner Hero Creative Art Journal: Mixed Media Messages to Silence Your Inner Critic by Quinn McDonald [eBook]

No Excuses Art Journaling: Making Time For Creativity by Gina Rossi Armfield [eBook]

Journal Your Way: Designing & Using Handmade Books by Gwen Diehn  

The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make It Your Own by Traci Bunkers [eBook]

How to Keep a Sketchbook Journal by Claudia Nice  [eBook] 

Artist's Journal Workshop: Creating Your Life in Words and Pictures by Cathy Johnson [eBook] 

Raw Art Journaling by Quinn McDonald [eBook] 

Writing Yoga: A Guide to Keeping a Practice Journal by Bruce Black [eBook] 

Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You by Clare Walker Leslie & Charles E. Roth   

How to Make a Journal of Your Life by D. Price [eBook]

Creating a Birdwatcher's Journal by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth [eBook] 

Creative Wildfire: An Introduction to Art Journaling--Basics and Beyond by L.K. Ludwig [eBook]  

365: A Daily Creativity Journal - Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life! by Noah Scalin [eBook]

Links


6 Ways Journaling Will Change Your Life [Lifehack]

10 Journaling Tips to Help You Heal, Grow, and Thrive [Tiny Buddha]