Pursuing Your Art and Mini-grants
(column for Iron County Today)
Fold or Flourish?
By Sara Penny, CCAC VP
What is your art form? Do you write, paint, act, dance, or make pottery? Are you taking photographs, playing music in a group, or singing in a choir? Having art as a daily part of your life is healing.
You might write poetry for yourself, do embroidery, or do sketches for family or friends. Art is art and everyone can participate.
When we feel brave enough to share our art that is a bonus.
Having an artistic goal can be exhilarating, but there are commonly frustrating moments. Having a growth mindset helps to proceed. Accepting failures as a learning opportunity is the best response, instead of a stop sign on the project. So flourish rather than fold. The key concept is to keep moving forward.
There are countless examples of books being written over years instead of months. “You can’t use up creativity: the more you use, the more you have,” wrote Maya Angelou. “Too often creativity is smothered rather than nurtured. There has to be a climate in which new ways of thinking, perceiving, questioning are encouraged. People also have to feel they are needed.”
Sometimes health challenges get in the way and are a temporary setback. Yet we have local visual artists and musicians who have continued creating art after cancer chemotherapy and other life disruptions.
As a teacher I have seen the resilience of students who come back to playing violin after broken arms. They keep listening to professional recordings and work with whichever hand is functional until they can play again.
You have probably heard the description of success as ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration. Having the idea is fabulous, but then how do you proceed?
Some people set certain times for practice, painting, or writing. Making the creative process a habit makes it easier to complete projects.
Others find that intense effort in bursts of days or even weeks works for them.
Enjoy the process and work towards your goal even if the execution takes detours.
Resources are available for community art projects through the Cedar City Arts Council mini-grants up to $500. The application is on our website at
cedarcityartscouncil.org under the Support tab. Applications are due Feb. 28 and Aug. 31.
We are excited to see your art. Send us posters on performances and exhibits for the monthly arts newsletter.
You might write poetry for yourself, do embroidery, or do sketches for family or friends. Art is art and everyone can participate.
When we feel brave enough to share our art that is a bonus.
Having an artistic goal can be exhilarating, but there are commonly frustrating moments. Having a growth mindset helps to proceed. Accepting failures as a learning opportunity is the best response, instead of a stop sign on the project. So flourish rather than fold. The key concept is to keep moving forward.
There are countless examples of books being written over years instead of months. “You can’t use up creativity: the more you use, the more you have,” wrote Maya Angelou. “Too often creativity is smothered rather than nurtured. There has to be a climate in which new ways of thinking, perceiving, questioning are encouraged. People also have to feel they are needed.”
Sometimes health challenges get in the way and are a temporary setback. Yet we have local visual artists and musicians who have continued creating art after cancer chemotherapy and other life disruptions.
As a teacher I have seen the resilience of students who come back to playing violin after broken arms. They keep listening to professional recordings and work with whichever hand is functional until they can play again.
You have probably heard the description of success as ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration. Having the idea is fabulous, but then how do you proceed?
Some people set certain times for practice, painting, or writing. Making the creative process a habit makes it easier to complete projects.
Others find that intense effort in bursts of days or even weeks works for them.
Enjoy the process and work towards your goal even if the execution takes detours.
Resources are available for community art projects through the Cedar City Arts Council mini-grants up to $500. The application is on our website at
cedarcityartscouncil.org under the Support tab. Applications are due Feb. 28 and Aug. 31.
We are excited to see your art. Send us posters on performances and exhibits for the monthly arts newsletter.
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