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Welcome to Pairings
Creative Pairings by Jann Alexander include inspiration, books, writing, photography, art, history, film, travel, Texana, life, lore, and more
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Where You Look Is Where You'll Go
Life provides obstacles, but you can choose what you focus on
Jann Alexander
May 19, 20232 min read
Renewed Inspiration In An Artist’s Poem
In 2006 I wrote this ode to my creative spirit, "Artist's Poem," and found renewed inspiration.
Jann Alexander
Apr 20, 20231 min read
Where Inspiration Comes From
Inspiration comes from many places. No use pretending it all comes out of our heads with no other stimulation. We rely on influences.
Jann Alexander
Mar 15, 20222 min read
When The Narrow View Widens Out, It Becomes Universal
The Narrow View | iPhoneography by Jann Alexander © 2016 Behind the camera lens, you’ve got a choice. Your view can be narrow, focused...
Jann Alexander
Jul 31, 20162 min read
Ordinary Actions And Memorable Reactions
For every action, there is a reaction. Which makes choosing the right actions pretty important, even when the actions are pretty...
Jann Alexander
Jan 29, 20162 min read
Why Your First Novel Will Always Be Your Favorite
Click to Tweet This Your first novel will always be your favorite, because of your innocence when you wrote it, though it is unlikely to...
Jann Alexander
Jan 28, 20153 min read
Does Weather Influence Your Creativity?
The Rain on the Plains by Jann Alexander ©2015 On an especially rainy, chill day (where the view from my window echoes the one...
Jann Alexander
Jan 22, 20151 min read
What’s Everyone Got Against Adverbs?
16 Dreaded Adverbs , According to the Hemingway Editor Adverbs are terribly out of favor , and I frankly cannot understand why. I...
Jann Alexander
Jan 17, 20153 min read
A Year to Measure by the Numbers
Beachgoers by Jann Alexander ©2014 When I look back upon a year , I look at it in terms of numbers. Numbers of photographs, that is. And...
Jann Alexander
Dec 31, 20142 min read
All On Board With Minimalism
All On Board by Jann Alexander ©2014 A minimalist on board a Florida yacht finds a cool drink and some shade and not much else beneath...
Jann Alexander
Nov 7, 20141 min read
Unintended Redundancies
Do you believe in signs? Sometimes they really speak to me. Other times, they’re . . . well, they may have a modicum of truth, but they...
Jann Alexander
Oct 7, 20141 min read
Does Beer Make Others More Interesting?
Drink Miller by Jann Alexander ©2014 Pop Beer Quiz! Pop a beer to answer a few questions about it on this holiest of beer-drinking days....
Jann Alexander
Oct 4, 20141 min read
How to Create Just to Create
Having trouble getting into the studio to create? Here are a few tried-and-true tricks I’ve developed. Trot these out when you need that...
Jann Alexander
Sep 3, 20143 min read
Blogging Rocked My World—And Showed Me the Greater Good
Tell a lifelong news junkie she can’t read the morning news? Anathema. Since high school, as newspaper editor, my wakeup routine was...
Jann Alexander
Aug 27, 20143 min read
Shooting the Perfect Mexican Martini
Shooting The Perfect Mexican Martini by Jann Alexander ©2014 How to Shake the Perfect Mexican Martini: 1 part 100% agave blanco tequila...
Jann Alexander
Aug 25, 20142 min read
Practice Awareness to Tap Your Creativity
Finding Zen by Jann Alexander ©2014 The benefits of being mindful are many and well-noted. But perhaps not so acknowledged is the way...
Jann Alexander
Aug 19, 20143 min read
How Collecting Art Is Also Collecting Stories—Yours
Maine Pattern by Jann Alexander ©2013 What does a photograph mean to me? To you? Photographs, like all art, elicit our emotions and our...
Jann Alexander
Jun 11, 20142 min read
Yes, Ideas Flow from Life—And Also from Inspirational Aids
“My ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living.” ― Anaïs Nin Anais Nin by Elsa Dorfman , c. 1970s Though she...
Jann Alexander
May 19, 20142 min read
Finding Art in Architecture
Open by Jann Alexander © 2012 “Art is everywhere: in nature, in architecture, in literature, and more. It’s anywhere we see beauty and...
Jann Alexander
May 16, 20141 min read
Drawing Inspiration from Patterns
Water Colors by Jann Alexander © 2010 “Life forms illogical patterns. It is haphazard and full of beauties which I try to catch as they...
Jann Alexander
May 16, 20141 min read
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