A few years ago I read the book “The Artist Way” by Julia Cameron and many of her work tools have been a part of my own artist work since.

One of the best new way of working for me has been inviting myself on an artist date more or less every week.
And what is this artist date you may wonder??

Actually it is very simple…take out time every week (it can be a great help to put this date in your calendar) to go on a small walk or visit a place you love and see it all with curiosity and open mind. 
When I am stroll around in the local second hand shop, at the beach or in a museum with plenty of time and no haste the inspiration and new ideas are coming in a wonderful kind of flow.

Earlier this month I went to one of Copenhagen’s museums with a special exhibition from the 1800th century – we call it ‘The golden Age’. At this time our famous poet Hans Christian Andersen was living and writing all his well known fairy tales. One of my favorites is “The little Mermaid” and that is why my first book is about this story.

But back at the museum I discovered something new about the time of H.C.Andersen. One of the female and good painters Elisabeth Jerichau Baumann, she was a good friend of Mr Andersen and just like me fascinated about ‘the little mermaid’ world and personality. 
I do embroidery to express my version of the tale, Elisabeth J.B. painted the mermaid in her way of mystery and female power.

The fairy tale is now a bestseller world wide, but the fact that the story also was popular in the 1800th was new to me and another layer of learning during that artist date and it open new part of the danish history I want to dive deeper into….

When did you last invite yourself in an artist date??
If you never have tried it or it is long time ago – take the first step now and visit to the undersea world of the mermaids. You will find new details in the old story and find inspiration to begin or continue your work of embroidery.

Here is the doorway: