All tagged creativity
Fifty years ago Albania’s paranoid dictator, Enver Hoxha had hundreds of thousands of bunkers built throughout his country. Two of these have been transformed into Bunk’Art museums where art gives voice to the unspeakable so that healing can happen. I think of the term ‘bunker down’ when I imagine creating space and time to dream the future forward as a catalyst for change.
The creative process can be addictive and like any addiction has its highs and lows. Yet turning up for yourself in small ways eventually gives you ‘something to write home about’ even if it is only that you made something for yourself to enjoy.
Beginning a new project can feel daunting. Where to start? For me it’s what I call creative chaos time, where ideas tumble around until I can find a single thread to follow. It’s a time of experimentation, trying out materials and methods until the project begins to fall into some kind of cohesive state.
Perseverance is not necessarily a quality you would think you need when it comes to being creative. Yet finding little creative ‘hacks’ can help keep your enthusiasm buoyant and your art alive through all the messy ups and downs of the creative process.
Creative minds often get bored doing the same thing repetitively. Yet there is comfort in repetition, where tasks are so ingrained they become almost automatic. I’ve discovered that art and exercise are good companions; both can build skills and confidence through incremental, repetitive action taking.
What exactly is it that a buyer is looking for when they make the decision to purchase an artwork? Are they looking for an artwork which is the right colour, size or subject to fit into their home decor? Or are they looking for something else entirely? A fissure of pleasure experienced over and over again each time they look at the artwork in their own home?
No inspiration, lots of procrastination. Endless scrolling on social media. It can feel like the black cloud of creative depression will never lift. Waiting for that day to come is an act of faith.
I continually ask myself about the relevance of art and creativity. Is art relevant and why? I have been trying to understand the nature of duality and finding hope when we witness war. How do we navigate conflict? What role does art in its many forms play in creating the future and changing perceptions?
It takes courage to follow that path less taken when the ‘crazy restlessness’ of creative adventure takes hold. Rather than throwing out your early artworks as ‘ugly ducklings’ they can be viewed instead as creative ‘markers’, leading you on a journey of discovery.
Intuition comes in many forms. It means being finely attuned to the creative tools and materials you use as well as rejoicing in life’s little miracles. Following your instinct helps you think as an artist.
You can move away from a town, but it can still draw you back to it. Returning to the small town of Mansfield to honour the life of a friend, was also a process of honouring and integrating the many parts of my own life.
What happens when you get out of your daily rhythm? You have to get back into flow. There are seven positive small actions I took to get back into the rhythm of creating again in my studio after five months away.
We are our own worst critics. We have so many ideas around failure that it is easy to get discouraged. Yet all is not lost. When you adopt a “never give up” attitude your lost days can turn into blessings.
Holed up in a friend’s spare bedroom while recovering from Covid, I invited the world to come to me. Outside the sun is shining on an English summer and the back-garden where I take my meals to get some fresh air, yet I am drawn inside back to my bed and the world of stories as the hours and days slip by.
How do you make time work for you? This might mean synchronising with your body clock to create extra time so that particular tasks are done when you are most focused and alert. When there is a big job to do, like getting ready for an exhibition, you need to create time in abundance.
Creativity is a blessing. It takes you outside of yourself to a place that is “out of time”. It is akin to connection with something greater, the divine, the universal life force.
When you are at home is self-isolation, how do you mark time? In the Middle Ages the marking of time was both cosmological and seasonal. Can we turn crisis into opportunity and document our days with creative activity?
The only way to grow is to expand your thinking. I’ve invested in myself many times over even when I didn’t have the money upfront. It has always paid off although I couldn’t see the outcome at the start. Gamble on your creativity - for hard work and investing in yourself pay off.
I love lighthouses.These powerful beams of light are a metaphor for connection, across the seas and lands. Having an online business is a bit like that. Shining a light from an online platform to inspire others.
I’m a great believer in intuition. That “sixth sense” when you know someone is watching you, or you know that a friend needs you to ring them. Activating your intuition when making art means you are connecting your hands to your heart which guides your inner knowing so you trust in the process of creation.
