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THE ARTISAN WINTER 2024 • 3 " Creativity is suspended between memory and forgetting." —Jorge Luis Borges Those who are in this business working as a make-up artist or hair stylist are creative. Some have boundless imagination and come up with the most unique ideas and creations. If one is not working or creating and instead is becoming sedentary and preoccupying their time with mindless entertainment, this can affect both memory and creativity. There are a variety of ways to help sharpen your mind and break out of mental rut and some are both easy and inexpensive. It has been chronicled that one of the best things you can do for better cognition is physical exercise. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain which in turn helps reduce medical issues and also helps stimulate and jog your memory. A better memory in turn leads to more creativity. Working out is also one of the easiest and cheapest way to help your memory and snap out of any sort of creative block. Another great reason to get up and start moving is the correlation between exercise such as walking, dancing, swimming, yoga, etc., and how it can lower your risk for developing cognitive diseases such as dementia. Engage both sides of your brain. The left side is generally responsible for logic and language while the right for creativity and intuition. This is the most basic of definition, but the general idea is to use both thinking and feeling to communicate and create. A great way to work on your memory and keeping your brain active is to think of something new you have always wanted to try. For example, learning how to play the piano, speak a different language, painting, sculpting or even trying a new sport such as golf or tennis. For the artists who are already highly skilled in the arts like painting or drawing, maybe taking a class in robotics or engineering would be an asset. A fun practice is to do something with your non-dominant hand. When doing something with your non-dominant hand, both hemispheres in your brain are activated. This is a real skill and may result in causing you to think differently. When your brain is engaging in reflection of new areas, this ultimately leads to becoming more creative. Many all across our country regardless of profession have had to tighten their belts due to rapidly rising cost of living but that should not stop anyone from trying new things. With the advent of YouTube and the internet, almost anything you want to learn is online, on Instagram, or on a streaming platform. For example, you don't need a full piano to learn how to play as there are many portable keyboards you can acquire that are not too expensive. With our virtual world, you can practice or learn how to swing a golf club or tennis racket from the comfort of your own home and paying a lot less money. Another thing to keep in mind is you are at your highest level of creatively when you think and work "outside the box." Inventors, artists, even some scientists, move away from the conventional and have experimented in ways others cannot even think of. We would not have much of the art or even practical creations that are available if everyone followed a teacher or expert and did everything the exact same way. The point is to allow yourself to learn and create however and in whatever way you think best. The bottom line is to take action and start to move even if you don't know where you are going. Getting rid of any fear of lack of success or failure is key. It doesn't matter how you start or where you end up, as long as you simply give it a try. Who knows, you may be the one who does end up reinventing the wheel and changing the world. Julie Socash President Managing Editor Adam Brandy Contributing Writers Luisa Abel Nicole Artmont Brenda Blatt Daniel Curet Lawrence Davis Alexei Dmitriew Claire Alexandra Doyle Carla Farmer Shana Furman Siân Grigg Teressa Hill Kazu Hiro Jani Kleinbard Patrice K. Madrigal Lori Mccoy-Bell Jaime Leigh Mcintosh Thomas Nellen Sarah Rubano Cassie Russek Ally Vickers Kristin Wahl Michael White Publisher IngleDodd Media Office Manager Kathy Sain Mailing List Manager Kathy Sain The Artisan is published quarterly by Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists, I.A.T.S.E. Local 706, 828 No. Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 Phone (818) 295-3933 Fax 818-295-3930 All editorial and photo submissions should be sent to email address: hllywdmkupartist@yahoo.com To update member information, email to: dispatch@ialocal706.org Advertising: IngleDodd Media (310) 207-4410 muahs@IngleDodd.com www.IngleDoddMedia.com Officers of I.A.T.S.E. Local 706 President Julie Socash Vice President Kim M. Ferry Recording Secretary Daniel Curet Secretary-Treasurer David Abbott Sergeant-at-Arms Sherrita Cole Business Representative Karen J. Westerfield Official Magazine of Hollywood Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists. Published in the Interest of ALL the Members of Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists I.A.T.S.E. Local 706 FROM THE PRESIDENT