Last Friday I flew to Chicago for the sole purpose of attending a screening of a short film my younger daughter Nastasya, an aspiring filmmaker, wrote and directed. Moreover, my older daughter Mia, an aspiring actress, played the main character in it. For both of them, this project is an epic achievement on many levels….
Thanks to my daughters, I have charted a career path of an architect whose main objective is to foster creativity. I have included them in my experiments. And they have validated my efforts time and time again. Building our dream home is a good example of the collaboration.
In case you’ve been wondering why I am all of a sudden talking so much about my daughters, I’d like to explain. The reason is my new e-how-to-book DIY Like a Hummingbird: 10 Steps to Naturally Well-designed Kids’ Spaces.
Setting up my daughter’s space was the first thing I did as an architect-expectant mother. It was the framework, and the standards were intuitive: clean lines, not too cute, and nothing overpowering. I couldn’t possibly know exactly what was needed for support and engagement.
The key to any creative pursuit, whether it’s writing the artist’s prayer or parenting, is willingness to make a commitment. It’s critical to give undivided attention.
My younger daughter’s senior year of high school. She is leaving for college in a few months. As I am used to involving kids in the decision-making process, we’re discussing my next career move. The idea of providing online architectural services that support DIY home improvement enthusiasts came to mind when I was walking through…
I have been preoccupied with how to nurture my kids’ creativity ever since they were born. Recently my daughter Mia told me that a toy I made for her when she was approximately five years old is the inspiration for a collection of handbags she is designing: “Your favorite handbag as a transitional object.”