#CMTradition with CreativeMornings/EDI

Reunited for one final CreativeMornings/EDI event in 2018, Friday 14th December saw our community bundled up within the art-filled walls of the Fruitmarket Gallery. Freshly brewed coffees, rosey cheeks, and Festive Schmear Bagels!

Festive Schmear with Bross Bagels

While pre-event speculation on what exactly “festive schmear” could be veered off into the suspicious, Larah Bross - AKA, ‘The Bagel Lady’ - soon cleared it all up, in the most delicious of ways. With a fine array of toasted chipotle and cheddar bagels, filled with pomegranate cream cheese. Sweet, savoury, and a little smoky zing! Schmeckt gut!  

Sweeping us away from the temptation of seconds, we pulled up a pew in the main gallery. Front and center, the bearded legend John Jackson began his talk…

Photography by Ellie Morag.

Founder and director of the Braw Beard Oils brand, and movement, John has had a wild and bumpy ride to where he is today. An accomplished racer in mountain biking, downhill and endurance competitions, it was injuries incurred through his sport that brought John to his beard maintenance calling.

Whilst in rehab for these injuries, he learned massage therapy - an educational experience that led him to discover the world of oils. His eyes now opened to what these natural substances could provide, he was inspired to seek new ways they could be of used. Clocking his girlfriend using similar concoctions to keep her hair in tip-top shape, an idea was born… Braw Beard Oils, for the hair on your face!

“All the feedback was really positive, and that’s when I decided to make it a business” - John Jackson, Braw Beard Oils.

Little did John know how successful his brand would become. Not just for the fantastic products at the heart of what they do, but also - arguably - because of the character, community focus, and commitment to giving back that the Braw Beard Oils team brings. Just peruse their Brawtherhood gallery, sponsored athletes and ambassadors, social media channels, and the crowds that gather at events that they attend - you’ll see a grand beardy movement, with global reach, and support for numerous good causes, such as Cahonas Scotland!

We can’t wait to share John’s full talk with you, when the event video is broadcast. In the meantime, treat yourself, and the fine lookin’ facial hairs of you and your loved ones… check out the Braw Beard Oils blog - delving into everything beardy. From How To Get The Salvador Dali Moustache and How to Deal with a Beard in the Wind, to How John Avoids Eating His Moustache!

Closing the show was our own little tradition. The #CMEdi Festive Jumper Competition! 

Well done to our winner, with their crackin’ B&M reindeer sweater. We hope that Toblerone set you in good stead for a braw festive season! 

While we celebrated our community in festive fanfare, nearly 4 years after #CMEdi first began, for other CreativeMornings chapters around the world this special experience of “monthly breakfast lecture series for creative communities” is brand new!

For their first ever event, CM Tucson (Arizona, USA) had community building local artist, Melo Dominguez, as their speaker. Mel’s artwork being a direct expression of Chicanx culture, political issues, social issues and environmental issues - blending treasured old traditions with the present-day needs and motivations of the communities they work with.

With the CM Tucson community, Mel shared the joy she finds in using creativity and activism to create a difference throughout Tucson - find out more about Mel’s artworks, and community initiatives, and contact them at melodominguez.com 🎨

CM Medellin (Colombia) gathered for the second ever event, with the fantastic John Fredy Asprilla - AKA “Sprint” - of the Son Batá Cultural Collective! In his talk, Sprint introduced the crowd to the vibrant ways in which this collective brings diverse creative traditions new life, through their two core aims: 1) Show young people that it is possible to express and achieve their dreams, and 2) Reconstruct black identity, and community in urban territory.

This generous collective of folks are known for making Medellin resonate, and a whole country dance with its music and its famous phrase:

“¿Estamos Melos? Sisas, sisas!”

[Aren’t we awesome? Yeah, YEAH!]

With our truly awesome event of #CMTradition behind us, we hope the memories will help you bring your own fun and creativity to the crafts and customs we inherit. After all, if the famous Henry James is right, “A tradition is kept alive only by something being added to it.”

We can’t wait to see you all at our next event, all on the global theme of ‘Surreal’ - which also happens to be our 4th Anniversary!!

May you have the good fortune to explore the global community that awaits. It’s only ever just a click away… At CreativeMornings 🗺️