I’ve always been a big fan of street art. Finding art in unexpected places catches me off guard, offers me new things to think about, and reveals beauty in otherwise artless places.
I used to dream of being a graffiti artist, damning “the man” and his societal rules, leaving thought-provoking works all over town. But really, I’m probably not that guy. As much as I enjoy street art, I am too much of a rule follower to vandalize another’s property, which kind of kills my graffiti dreams. Plus, a “Middle-Aged Wanna-Be-Banksy Goes to Jail” headline would be difficult to explain to future employers.
Enter the #ThoughtDrop Project.
It combines my love of whimsy and public art with the relational elements of participating together in encouraging our fellow humans, while allowing me to pretend to be a rebel graffiti artist. Fun, right?
Here’s how it works
#ThoughtDrop is a community art project that spreads cheer by dropping thoughts in unexpected places. Ideally thoughts are accompanied by art, be it a whimsical drawing or a bit of glitter glue, but it doesn’t have to. Just drop that thought like it’s hot.
Participating is super simple:
- Capture a thought. It could be an encouragement, something funny, a piece of advice, even a favorite quote or song lyric.
- Write it down, and add the #thoughtdrop hashtag. Adding drawings and/or embellishments are great, too. I’ve been using our Mini Art Notes (printed at Kinko’s and pictured above), but making your own is equally great!
- Drop it. (Or you can use removable putty and stick it!)
- Take a picture and share it on your favorite social media platform. (Optional, of course.) Don’t forget to add the #ThoughtDrop hashtag so others can find it.
For bonus points, do it with others. Have each person prep a few Thoughts and have fun finding lesser-noticed places around town to drop them.
Ta-da! The world is a better place.
Our daily lives are bombarded with negative messages all the time. “You’re too fat. Your hair is dull. Your skin is splotchy. People think you’re boring. And you should buy THIS to fix it.”
Let’s counter that with messages of positivity and whimsy, shall we? Join in the #ThoughtDrop project and share some love!
