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Steven W. Alloway | No Coins for the Well: 10 Artist Dates That Cost Nothing
Steven W. Alloway
No Coins for the Well: 10 Artist Dates That Cost Nothing
I’m currently enjoying a month-and-a-half-long stay in Paso Robles, along the Central Coast of California. For the second time, my friends have asked me to dog sit for them while they go camping. So while they take their vacation, I get to take mine too.
It’s a perfect opportunity to engage myself creatively. If you’re familiar with Julia Cameron and The Artist’s Way, then you know the concept of the Artist Date. For those who don’t, it’s a way of getting in touch with your inner artist and refilling your creative well. You take yourself on a solo outing to do something that interests you. Something big, something small, just anything that sounds fun. In town or out of town, vacation or working, it’s something all artists are encouraged to do regularly.
Last year when I was here, I went to Hearst Castle, I bought fresh produce (and delicious honey) at the local farmers’ market, took a VR tour at a museum, and more. This year, though… I’m broke. I’ve got enough for food and a little gas, but for now, that’s basically it. Not the retreat I was hoping for, but it doesn’t mean I can’t take time for fun and interesting activities to fill the creative well. I know I’m not the only one faced with this situation right now, so for all those in a similar boat, here are 10 Artist Dates you can take yourself on, wherever you are, that cost nothing.
Visit the Library
Browsing the books on a shelf, exploring a section or a subject you don’t ordinarily take time for, can inspire and excite you. But books are just the beginning of what libraries have to offer. Most of them also have CD and DVD sections, so you can browse for music and movies that might not otherwise be on your radar. Many libraries have regular performances, classes, and other events—not just for kids, but for adults, too. Some larger libraries offer 3D printing, genealogical services, and a host of other things. And some, like the L.A. Central Library, just have really cool architecture that’s worth exploring on its own. Call your local library—or one that’s a little further but looks interesting—and find out what they’ve got going on. Or just head over there and experience it for yourself.
Museum Free Day
There are museums dedicated to all sorts of things, from different art styles to different music genres to historical eras to science, engineering, natural history, and more. And most museums have a day, at least once a year (if not oftener), when you can get in free. Research the museums in your area and make a list of the ones that interest you. Then find out when their free days are and plan a trip.
Photo Shoot
What’s worth seeing in your area? Someplace you’ve always wanted to go, or haven’t visited in a while. Head there, bring your phone, and take cool pictures. It can be a park, a local monument, a street corner… whatever you like the look of. For a bonus, put together a cool costume and some props to bring with you and create a character. You can take selfies or flag down random passersby to take your photo for you with different backdrops (you’ll get a few weird looks, but not as many as you think—and you may even make a friend!). Then when you’re done, go through the photos and make up a story about the adventure your character went on.
Window Shopping
Just because you’re broke doesn’t mean you can’t dream. Go to a store you’d never, ever be able to afford. Make a list of the things you’d get if you suddenly achieved great wealth and success. If it’s a clothing store, try on some outfits you’d love to have—or some you’d never actually wear, just to see what they look like. If it’s a food store, look around for free samples.
Walking Tours
A guided tour of the highlights of your city usually costs money. But if you Google self-guided walking tours, you can find them for free in most major metropolitan areas. There are apps you can download or just lists of stops and the route you take to get to each of them, along with a blurb about the historical or cultural significance of each place. There may be different types of tours, too, depending on what you’re interested in. Are you into architecture? The local theater scene? True crime? There’s probably a tour for you—or a list of places that can be turned into a tour, with a little planning.
The Road Not Taken
Whether by car or on foot, you probably have at least a few routes that you take regularly. Do you ever find yourself saying, “What if I turned left instead of right here?” or “What if I got off the freeway at this other exit, just before or just after the one I usually take?” No matter how long you’ve lived in your particular location, there’s probably a road you’ve never gone down or a part of the area you’ve never explored. Go the wrong direction and see what’s there. (If, like me, you have a tendency to get lost, be sure to have your phone on you, to guide you back if need be.)
Experimental Cooking
Take a look at what’s in your fridge and in your pantry. What can you make with these ingredients, without having to go to the store? For a lot of us, this is just called weeknight dinner, but here’s the twist: put some ingredients together that you wouldn’t ordinarily think to combine. What would happen if you put a fresh basil leaf on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? What if you used maple syrup instead of honey in your honey garlic chicken? Or added a dollop of jam? Or some nutmeg? Or that sauce packet you got from a fast food place? I love to cook, but I can be hesitant to experiment, especially if I’m cooking for other people. What if my idea doesn’t work, and I ruin everyone’s dinner—or worse yet, dessert? But right now, it’s just me, so I feel freer to take those risks. Worst case scenario, no one’s dinner is ruined but mine. Best case scenario, I come up with a new recipe that I can impress my friends with when I get back!
Neighborhood Flower Tour
What kind of flowers and other plants are people growing in your area? I’ve lived in my house for years, taken many walks through different parts of the neighborhood, but it was only a few months ago that I started to notice the amazing array of flowers in my neighbors’ front yards, of all different shapes and sizes and splashes of all different colors and color combinations. A few of the flower types I recognize, most of them I don’t. But whether or not you’re a person who knows flowers, it’s something worth exploring. Go around your neighborhood and check out the front yards to see what’s growing—as well as what cool lawn decorations they have. Take photos if you want, try to identify the species if you want… Or just stop and smell the flowers.
Write a Letter
Note that “write” doesn’t have to mean “send.” You can send it if you want. Write a letter to an old friend you haven’t heard from in a while and ask what they’re up to. Or you could write a letter that’s just for you. Write to a loved one who’s passed on. Write to your future or past self—or to your ancestors or descendants. Write to a fictional character or historical figure. Write a letter FROM a fictional character or historical figure. Handwrite it on cool stationery if you have it—or find some cool stationery patterns online, if you don’t. The possibilities are endless.
Make Puppets
You can make puppets out of absolutely anything. My favorite method, which I learned from an old Jim Henson video, is with an envelope. That same video shows how you can make them out of wooden spoons, fruits and vegetables, scraps of cloth, and more—not to mention the old standbys, socks and paper lunch bags. Take whatever you have lying around and make a puppet out of it. Give the puppet a voice. Give them a backstory. Build a love interest for them. Compare yourself to Dr. Frankenstein and wonder if you should be allowed to wield this much power. Realize that there is no one to stop you, and the puppets are yours to build, manipulate, and direct as you wish. Laugh maniacally.
Not having any money can be frustrating. There are so many shows, events, festivals, and outings I would love to go to, but that I end up missing because they’re just too expensive. But there are also so many things that CAN be done, even while broke. The opportunities are there to explore, to discover, to experiment. You can refill your well wherever you are and with whatever you have. It just takes a little creativity.
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