We recently connected with Linda Bonner and have shared our conversation below.
Linda, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I believe that creativity is born out of curiosity. Add in some inspiration and willingness to experiment and maybe even fail and you can expand creativity into your life. I always make sure people understand the creativity and artistry are two separate things. You can be a creative without any artistic talent!
Creativity takes many forms such as knitting or crocheting, writing books, poetry, or articles, creating beautiful meals, putting together the perfect outfit or even maintaining a beautiful home for you and your family. Everyone has the ability to be creativity.
I have been expressing creativity since I was a young child, encouraged by my mom who was a great cook, a seamstress, a painter, and a lover of crafts. We always had some kind of creative project going, even if it was just a puzzle. At age 95 she’s still involved in crafts, she loves to read, and does crossword puzzle and word search books.
She is a great example of nurturing creativity! Being a creative soul, I”m always looking for ways to keep that spark alive. Here are a few of the things I do:
– I journal every day.. It’s amazing what comes out of my pen! It’s a place where I brainstorm new creative ideas, celebrate my wins (big and small), process and solve problems and dream. This process keeps my creative brain engaged and curious. I usually end up with a to-do list at the end of each journaling session with new ideas!
– I engage in something creative every day. In addition to being an artist I’m also an author. One day I might write a blog or article to share online and another I might be making up samples for summer art camp that I’m teaching this year. I love to cook and bake, so I’m always creating in the kitchen as well!
I love that I always have my Art-O-Mat projects to work on. Art-O-Mat is a refurbished ,vintage cigarette machine that can be found around the world. As an Art-O-Mat artist I create miniature works for art that then get distributed to the Art-O-Mat owners. My art has been all over the world, with my latest piece going to Panama.
– I attend classes and workshops with other creatives to learn new skills. It gives me an opportunity to try something new and stay connected to my peers. I am so inspired by what others are creating and how they do it. Each of these adventures opens my eyes to new possibilities!
– I share my creative skills and gifts with others through teaching. I love sharing my process especially for miniature art. I also teach art to children during summer art camp at a local studio. Talk about curious! They look at all the possibilities and have fun experimenting. It’s fun and playful, which reminds me to be the same way when I’m creating.
– I hang out with other creatives. Social events, gallery openings, art shows and more give me a chance to know the artist better, understand they’re process and experience, and really appreciate different types of art and creative project.
– I push myself to improve and innovate. I’m continually coming across new ideas, tools, and elements that allow me to get a fresh take on a current project. During this process I allow myself to consider new designs and even develop a brand new version or my art. There’s nothing like the joy that comes when you experiment and get an unexpected and joyful result.
– I take breaks. This is one of the toughest things for me to do. I feel like my brain is always engaged but I also know the feeling of weariness and lack of interest. That’s my sign to step away, hydrate, and decide “do I move to another project or just let my brain rest?”. A break might be spending time just listening to music, drinking a cup of hot tea (my emotional support beverage) or even closing my eyes for a few minites. It’s really whatever helps me feel recharged.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m very blessed to be able to pursue my various creative interests as a multi-passionate creative. This includes being an artist and an author.
Linda Bonner Studios is my creative company where I help businesses and individuals connect in a more meaningful way so they can encourage and celebrate their families, customers, employees and volunteers. The way I help is with handcrafted and artisan greeting and note cards customized to reflect their sentiments, occasion and recipient. The process of pulling together color, texture and design to create something unique is something I truly love. From full-sized cards to an exclusive line of Little Love Notes, I get to watch people make meaningful connections, encourage others and celebrate moments big and small.
Another big part of my creative expression is miniature art. I began making these 2″ x 3″ art pieces for Art-O-Mat (r) in 2018 and have made thousands of pieces since then. Tiny Dresses, Artful Cottages, Birds of Encouragement and Petite Notes can be found in Art-O-Mat machines around the world! I also make custom miniature art pieces to help people encourage, celebrate and connect with the special people in their lives.
One of my passions is daily journaling. That inspired me to create Hand-Embellished Pocket Journals so individuals would always have a place to record ideas, inspiration, and little notes. These 5 x 7 journals are designed for purse, tote, briefcase or travel.
You can find out about Linda Bonner Studios and my product offerings at www.lindabonnerstudios.com.
As an author I work with families and caregivers that want to build a fulfilling and beautiful life for their loved ones with Down Syndrome so they can experience hope, joy, and possibilities.
In my book I share my personal story, practical resources, empowering tools, and a lifelong roadmap to help parents forge a clear path to a life of opportunities for them and their child. To help parents build a personal plan, I have created a companion workbook so you can record important information from contact numbers for caregivers and self-care tips to life planning, celebrations, and government resources.
Want to learn more? Visit my website, www.blessedwithextraordinary.com for the book, workbook, and related products. And, check out my blog covering information communities can use.
I love talking with and mentoring parents and caregivers and providing hope and encouragement on their journey.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
One quality that is important in any life journey is belief in yourself. Having a solid sense of what you really want is critical. Without it you can be easily swayed or even doubt yourself with just a few words from others. Developing a strong sense of self-worth makes you ready to take on the world and pursue your passions.
Another element I’ve found incredibly powerful is a “Statement of Purpose”. This is the underlying “why” for your life. Documenting what makes life rich for you can be your guide no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. It’s a statement that says what you stand for and what you want to accomplish. The book “Keys to Success” by Napoleon Hill is a great resource for building your statement of purpose.
Last but not least another key skill is practicing gratitude. Once I realized that gratitude was an action word, it changed my perspective on being grateful. It is the art of expressing our gratitude for our gifts and talents, the people in our life, and the special moments we encounter.
Gratitude is shown to help people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. It provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joys of life.
Practicing gratitude may not prevent us from experiencing disappointments, sadness, or pain, but it can help us look forward with hope.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’m looking for businesses and individuals to partner and collaborate with so they can reach their audience in a personal and meaningful way.
For Linda Bonner Studios I would like to collaborate or partner with:
-Children’s Shops for my Love Notes for Little Ones. These notes support positive parenting and help parents connect in a meaningful way with their children through expression of love, congratulations and encouragement.
-Small businesses that want to personal way of celebrating and engaging with their staff, clients, and volunteers. Handwritten notes are brilliant for business and I create custom notecards and miniature notes to help them stand out among the competition.
-Realtors, Title Companies, Loan Officers and others in the home industry who want to say thank you and celebrate their customers in a personal and meaningful way with custom notecards and miniature notes. I create custom designs to reflect the client and allow them to share their exact sentiments.
For my book, Blessed with Extraordinary, I am looking to partner or collaborate with:
-Down Syndrome guilds and support organizations through public speaking, article writing, and encouragement for the clients they serve.
– Attorney’s, Financial Planners, and Insurance Companies that serve their communities. I provide resources to help them better understand the Down Syndrome and disability community. This includes training, public speaking, and presentations to help them better serve families of loved ones with Down Syndrome or other disabilities.
– Disability publications both online and in print. I write articles focusing on various aspects of Down Syndrome and the disability community to empower families, educate communities, and celebrate the beauty, abilities, and contributions of individuals with Down Syndrome in our communities and around the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blessedwithextraordinary.com/
- Instagram: @more_extraordinary_days
- Facebook: @Linda Bonner
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-bonner-4953211a7/
- Other: https://lindabonnerstudios.com/
@lindabonnerstudios FB/IG
Image Credits
Allison Amores
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