Creative Wink

about creative wink

CREATIVE WINK is part of a bigger picture... 

Based on the edict that 'prevention is better than cure', the idea is to inspire a shift in the way we all live. Starting with the basics and eventually extending into a holistic practice of DIY, I'm talking about rethinking the way we value the products we use everyday. 

Do some research. What's in your body products? How often are you or your children using products with parabens, sls, etc? Do you burn paraffin candles in your home? 

Not only is it often cheaper to make your own cosmetics, candles, greeting cards, and cleaning products when you consider the cost of production on your health and the environment, but there is great satisfaction that comes from knowing how to make your own stuff. 

It's unrealistic to expect an immediate mass societal shift from cheap, harmful lifestyles to something closer to homemade bliss, but we can make a start with the items we use on a regular basis. Creative Wink is a means to that end.

but why?

What's wrong with the ingredients in the products we use everyday? So many of the ingredients and processes involved in food production, cosmetics, and household goods are pretty toxic. Becoming conscious of what we put in and on our bodies, as well as what we throw away on a daily basis is enough to change the world.

http://paulpenders.com.au/index.php?_a=viewDoc&docId=15

http://www.emed.com.au/2091

http://www.healthy-communications.com/isbabysafe2.html

http://www.ellenjay.com.au/about-us.html

I have included these links to tempt you to do your own research. I am not interested in shoulds but in providing an opportunity for true independence. What I am motivated by is the desire for everyone to think for themselves from an informed and self-interested base. Buying cheap goods is not in my interest. Neither is violence, overeating, cruelty, or indifference. When I care about my family, community, and environment, I am looking after my own interests. That's independence!

We become independent when we understand how things are made, how our bodies function, how our brains work, what makes us happy, when to stand firm and when to shift, why we resist and why we don't. This can be a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and it begins with the choices we are conscious of i.e. the words we use, our relationships, and the way we treat ourselves - including food, exercise, sleep, and all the stuff we put on our skin, our clothes, and furniture.

All we can ask of ourselves is that we do the best we can with what we have. No hard line extremist ideals are going to make the world a better place. Let's just focus on achievable goals that bring more joy into our lives.

Life can be simple when we look after ourselves, our community, and our environment. Less pollution, less disease, less stress, less exploitation, less conflict, and more joy! The more we understand and the more intimate our relationship with our environment, the greater our inclination toward self-acceptance and active citizenship. 

what we do...

Creative Wink runs do-it-yourself creative workshops with a focus on natural ingredients and materials. The idea is to promote self-sufficiency on as many levels as possible so that we all become more aware of the choices we make as consumers and citizens. 

As well as workshops, we also offer ‘Artist Assist’ to those in need of a helping hand to get their professional creative career off the ground. This service is available to individuals who have difficulty organising the nascent stages and general promotion of their talents, especially artists with health issues or limitations of some kind.

As an extension of this service, Creative Wink facilitates an annual Eclectic Exhibition on a non-profit basis for art makers and the community. A mini-festival to showcase local talent and promote art beyond pieces on a wall in a white room. Poets, musicians, painters, sculptors, jewellers, film makers, graphic designers, and other artisans take part in a mixed event where the community is encouraged to participate rather than play the part of a consumer audience with nothing more to contribute than purchasing power.

The opportunity to share skills and promote true citizenship is a great honour and I can think of no better way to make my contribution. Creative Wink is just the beginning so why not start your own DIY revolution and be the change you want to see in the world.

what we use...

Wherever possible Creative Wink uses recycled, organic, sustainable, local, and non-toxic materials and equipment.

For example, our CANDLE MAKING workshops use only natural, sustainable waxes such as soy, palm and beeswax. Paraffin is a petroleum by-product which is unsafe to use and toxic to burn. I would be hesitant to let children play with this material and I certainly wouldn't want them breathing it into their developing lungs. There is enough pollution in the air without our contributing to it, so let's make eco-friendly candles.

Apart from the wax, we also use recycled moulds, natural dyes, and local suppliers for many of our projects. There is even a series of candles made from household materials and equipment (apart from the wax) for the serious eco-crafter. 

Once you make your own, you won't buy those cheap and nasty paraffin candles ever again!