I am always researching notable days! It helps with planning my content for social media and I am always amazed by the sheer number of notable days, the variety of things that they celebrate, as well as the absurdity of some of the celebrations!
When I came across "Call of The Horizon Day", I was intrigued to learn more, and what I discovered did not disappoint, truly capturing my imagination. With strong links to creativity and inspiration, I wanted to share what I have found out, to hopefully inspire and motivate you too.
Photographs from a family trip to Northumberland to celebrate my Mum's 80th Birthday. Literally a "Call Of The Horizon" for my creative inspiration. It is always remarkable how a change of scenery, big or small, can spark new ideas. Read on to find out more about how differences are the fundamental building blocks for creativity.
What Is Call of The Horizon Day?
Call of the Horizon Day is celebrated annually on the 9th of July. It encourages us to seize the day, unlock our spirit of adventure, to consider and discover new possibilities, reaching out for what lies just beyond the horizon. It reminds us to be brave and seek out different experiences and aims to empower and motivate us to follow our dreams.
As every individual's dreams will be different, so the Call of The Horizon is unique for every one of us. This really resonates with me; a reminder that we are responsible for our own destiny and working out the next best step for us on our personal journey, following our dreams.
History of Call of The Horizon Day
Call of The Horizon Day has reportedly been celebrated since 2011. While the exact origins of the day itself are unclear, the concept of the horizon as a place of discovery and imagination is embedded deep in the human psyche, symbolising hopes, dreams and opportunities. From an evolutionary perspective, perhaps the vastness and openness of the horizon allowed early humans to see approaching predators and threats and, from this place of relative safety, there may have been space and opportunity for the beginnings of thinking, imagination and creativity.
"New Horizons" is often used when we embark on something new, encouraging us to positively embrace new challenges, explore different possibilities and venture into the unknown. Historically, explorers wondered what was beyond the horizon and sailed in search of new lands. This metaphor holds true for discoveries to this day: scientific and creative breakthroughs, however big or small, come from exploration, imaging what might be possible - what lies beyond the horizon - then taking brave steps to realise that dream.
New Horizons, Differences & Creative Inspiration
New and different experiences excite and inspire us as human beings, they are the cornerstone of creativity and imagination. As a visual artist I am always looking for differences. Art we love is made up off differences; the more differences there are, the more we are inextricably drawn to a piece. The principle of Design is powered by differences.
Take the three examples above, which become more interesting as you move across from left to right, dialling up the differences. This example just looks at differences in size and then shape, but the principles hold true for value (light & dark), colour, saturation, texture... and pretty much anything else you can think of.
In life, as in art, differences inspire and excite us. Seeking out new experiences and doing things differently fuels our creative flow. My recent trip to Northumberland has inspired new abstract and semi-abstract pieces that I am working on in the studio at the moment. Similarly outings with my daughter, live music, reading and conversations with friends all fuel my inspiration and imagination and feed into my creative flow when I am back in the studio.
On the other side of the coin, creative block can often be overcome by time away from the work. Allowing a problem to incubate when our mind is not actively trying to solve often provides the next breakthrough. I find switching tasks, moving from one painting to the next, or taking a break to walk the dog can often provide a breakthrough, or at least get me unstuck.
So, for all the reasons above, Call of The Horizon Day is an inspiring reminder to look above the parapet (aka the daily grind) dare to dream, seek out differences and be inspired!
Some Ideas of How To Celebrate
As I mentioned earlier, everyone's "Call of The Horizon" will be different and individual, so the below are just a few of my ideas.... I would love to hear how you plan to mark the day!
I hope that you have found this interesting and that this unusual notable day has inspired you too. I would love to know what you think!
Louise x
Blog Sources
Web
Books
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Yuval Noah Harari
Life Finds A Way: What Evolution Teaches Us About Creativity
Andreas Wagner
Comments