#cmpdx

[creativemorningsportland]

Our theme for October is SOFT.

The world feels hard in so many ways. Couldn’t we all use more softness? 

Soft is gentle, empathic, and vulnerable. But being soft is not a weakness. It is a sign of deeper strength. Having the courage to walk through life without armor. A willingness to listen before speaking. Welcoming whatever comes with open palms. Pulling someone close for a hug. 

What if our work was softer? What would we make with a little tenderness? Art that truly resonates. Innovations that heal instead of harm. Communities that hold one another instead of tearing other people down. 

Soft can be a quiet form of resistance. Practice subtlety, trust, and intimacy in a world that celebrates loud braggadocio, knee-jerk reactions, and blunt force. 

Let’s snuggle up and let down our guard. Soft can be our salvation. 

This theme was chosen by our Victoria chapter in British Columbia, Canada and illustrated by Leah McInnis.

[creativemorningsportland]

#CMblossom

Our theme for September is BLOSSOM.

Every blossom is an act of becoming. The quiet force of roots pushing through the dark, the slow unfurling of a bud, a sudden burst of color. But plants don’t blossom on command. Each flower requires the right amount of sunlight, water, and nourishment across the cycle of the seasons. 

It’s the same for creativity. Our next idea lies dormant, while we fertilize our mind. With attention, protection, and space to play, our work becomes what it is meant to be. Petal by petal, the passion inside us bursts into a glorious bouquet.

But remember that flowers don’t bloom purely for their own sake. They share their fragrance, attract pollinators, and serve the larger ecosystem. Your creativity needs to pollinate as well. So, share your gift. Spread more ideas, more beauty, and more courage. 

To truly blossom, you must take the risk of opening up. This is your season. You deserve to be seen. Offer your abundance of color to the world! 

Ask yourself, “what within me is ready to blossom?” “What can I nurture to help others do the same?”

This theme was chosen by our Pereira chapter in Colombia, illustrated by Edwin Morales, and is presented by Adobe.  

[creativemorningsportland]

#CMnomad

Some people feel compelled to travel from place to place. To live outside the confines and constraints of a permanent address. Others have no choice but to leave home in search of a better life. A nomad embraces discomfort, welcomes the unknown, and sees every detour as a new adventure.  

Have you heard the call of the open road? Ever dream of being a digital nomad working from exotic locales? Crossing borders and time zones to discover fresh inspiration and share-worthy views. But following your nomadic spirit doesn’t require collecting stamps in your passport. 

The act of creating is its own journey. So, meander through your ideas. Roam between different styles. The most important thing is to take the first step. It doesn’t matter where it leads, because the joy is suddenly finding yourself somewhere unexpected.

Whether you’re racking up frequent flyer miles or navigating a change in your creative career, remember that motion fuels imagination. Wander. Wonder. Repeat.

Our theme for August is NOMAD. It was chosen by our Ulaanbaatar chapter in Mongolia and illustrated by Oyuna Bold.

[creativemorningsportland]

#CMmentor

Our theme for July is MENTOR.

No one is born with all the knowledge and skills they’ll need to thrive in life. That’s why kids go to school. But we shouldn’t stop learning once we graduate. We need to find new teachers. 

A mentor doesn’t have to be an expert or the top of their field. Just someone who’s been there and done that before. Someone to show you the way and offer a bit of advice and encouragement. Ideally, they’re willing to make introductions and mention your name when you’re not in the room. 

Being a mentor is considered a way of giving back. But mentors get just as much out of the relationship, if not more. Beyond the satisfaction of helping, mentors also learn from their mentees. From a fresh way of looking at established practices to tackling new problems with a beginner’s mind. 

So, ask for help. We all could use a guide as we climb. Find your mentors and be a mentor in return. Your plans for growth are more likely to succeed if they include lifting others up as you rise.

This theme was chosen by our Glasgow chapter in Scotland, illustrated by Molly Hankinson, and is presented by Adobe.  

[creativemorningsportland]

#CMpunk

Our theme for June is PUNK.

🎸The description for this month’s theme is written in the style of lyrics to a punk rock song. If you know a band that wants to put them to music, we’ll feature their cover song of our punk rock anthem on the CreativeMornings blog and social. 🎵

Does the system feel broken 

Staring at our screens

Not hearing the screams

Wake up wake up wake up

We’re not meant to go it alone 

Find your people lift them up

Do what you can with what you got

Wake up wake up wake up

Your creativity can save you

What you gonna make

What you gonna change

Wake up wake up wake up

🎸🎵🧷

This theme was chosen by our Bologna chapter in Italy and illustrated by Cristina Portolano.

[creativemorningsportland]

#CMrevival

Our theme for May is REVIVAL.

“Everything old is new again” sums up the revivals that bubble up throughout culture. Clothing styles, art movements, and all kinds of things come back into fashion decades after their original popularity waned. It’s a useful paradigm. Take something old, dust it off, and adapt it to suit the present moment. 

But are there really no original ideas left? Has everything been done? Does it matter? New context adds new meaning. You can recycle whatever you want, just make it your own. Lots of things from the past are worth saving from obscurity. 

What we need is a few more revivals. 

A revival of empathy and understanding. 

Kindness and caring.

A revival of handwritten notes and holding open doors for strangers. 

Let’s pursue hobbies and join clubs instead of optimizing and monetizing every hour. 

Bring back boredom and curiosity. 

It’s time for a revival of the golden rule. 

It’s up to you to distill the best of the past and create a better future.

This theme was chosen by our Fort Worth chapter in Texas and illustrated by Mariell Guzman.

[creativemorningsportland]

#CMcrossroads

Our theme for April is CROSSROADS.

We all reach turning points in life that change the course of our destiny. Should you break up or give your relationship another chance? Accept that job offer or strike out on your own? 

What’s the best way to go? Continue straight ahead? Or turn left? When you’re faced with a crucial decision, there’s no map that shows where the consequences lead. And sometimes, you only recognize a crossroads when you see it in the rearview mirror. 

No wonder that in folklore and mythology, crossroads represent a gateway between our mortal coil and the supernatural realm. An in-between place of transition, where worlds collide, and anything can happen next. 

Legend has it that the greatest blues guitarist in the world, Robert Johnson, met the devil at the crossroads of two dirt roads at midnight and struck a bargain to trade his everlasting soul for masterful skill. But there was no deal with the devil. In reality, he practiced like hell.

So, how do you decide which way to go next? Just pick what feels right. Because there’s no wrong choice. Only different journeys to where you’re meant to be.

This theme was chosen by our Wroclaw chapter in Poland, illustrated by Joanna Gniady, and is presented by Adobe.

[creativemorningsportland]

#CMlayers

Our theme for February is LAYERS.

Simplicity provides clarity, but layers give our work a richer complexity and depth. 

Musicians fuse melodies, harmonies, and rhythms to create more dynamic compositions. While other artists use a juxtaposition of colors, textures, images or materials for greater visual impact. The creative magic happens when those choices conjure different interpretations and emotions. 

Because people have layers too. Just like a collage is created by overlapping layers of found materials, we pile up experiences that form our beliefs and reactions. 

The cliché “beauty is only skin deep” means that a pleasant appearance does not guarantee a virtuous character. We are a mess of competing emotions and personality traits. So how we act to the outside world doesn’t always reflect how we feel inside. We make polite chit chat when it takes vulnerable conversations to form meaningful connections. 

Surface level pleasantries and superficial decoration have their place. But it is the layers that give life meaning. We must peel them away to discover our deeper truths.

LAYERS was chosen by our Lausanne chapter in Switzerland and illustrated by Catherine Olivia Pearson.