Greetings, dream weavers! Last week, we plunged into the depths of our subconscious, exploring the limitless creative potential of dreams. Did you capture the fleeting images of your dreamscapes in a journal, translate them into a surreal painting, or perhaps reimagine the "American Dream" through a creative lens? Even if all you did was follow the clouds across the sky for several minutes, I hope this dream sequence left you creatively refreshed.
This week marks our return to the material world with a focus on something tangible for your mandible: a piece of hard candy. Yes, those little, brightly colored, often individually wrapped treats are a staple in every grandmother's purse. These candies aren't just for sucking on during a long car ride or keeping hunger at bay between meals. They're also a surprisingly versatile tool for creative exploration. Their textures, flavors, and even the sounds they make can spark a range of artistic and sensory experiences.
Speaking of sensory experiences, I recently pranked myself at my favorite downtown Riverside coffee shop, Back to the Grind. They have this decorative wide-mouthed bowl on the bar top filled with these glass pieces shaped like wrapped candies. It's always amusing to see people, myself included, instinctively reach for one before realizing they're not edible. It's a testament to the power of a simple candy to grab our attention and trigger our senses.
So, go raid your coat pockets or, the corners of your bookbag, or even that stash of treats meant for your kid's Easter basket. Break open a fresh bag of Jolly Ranchers and use the first one you grab, even if it's the yucky green apple kind! Then, give yourself permission to take a flavor break with one or more of these creative morsels:
Creative Exercises:
Candiology: Strap on your propeller hat and conduct some candy experiments; create a triboluminescence effect. That's when you bite Wint-O-Green Life Savers in the dark to produce sparks of light. Give a minty fresh dragon's roar or your best Godzilla for a multi-sensory experience for your co-workers.
Still Life with Lozenge: Use hard candies as a medium for artistic expression. Arrange them on a canvas or plate to create colorful patterns, mosaics, or even portraits. Experiment with different shapes, sizes, and colors to create visually appealing compositions. You could also try dissolving the candies in water or a microwave to create colorful paints.
Ear Delicious: Pay attention to the sounds your hard candy makes as you unwrap it, suck on it, and crunch it. Record these sounds and manipulate them using audio editing software to create a unique soundscape. Add other sounds that complement the candy's sounds, such as the rustling of paper or the clinking of glass.
Candy Land: Explore the tactile qualities of hard candy. Feel the smooth surface, the sharp edges, and the sticky residue. Use these sensations as inspiration for a sculpture or a piece of tactile art. Or perhaps just tacky art.
Trick or Treat: Gather a few different flavors of hard candy. Conduct a blind taste test, focusing on the subtle nuances of each flavor. Do you know the difference between peppermint and spearmint? Write down your observations and compare them with the flavor descriptions on the wrappers.
As we engage with these creative exercises, let's remember that even the simplest things can spark our imaginations and lead to unexpected creative discoveries. Hard candy, with its vibrant colors, sweet flavors, and varied textures, is a perfect example of how everyday objects can become tools for artistic expression and sensory exploration.
From the nostalgic charm of a classic peppermint to the exotic flavors of a tropical fruit candy, these little treats have the power to evoke memories, stimulate our senses, and inspire our creativity. So, savor the moment, let your imagination run wild, and enjoy the sweet surrender of a hard candy creative spark.
This column was written with the help of Google's Gemini Advanced, a powerful generative AI writing tool.
