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I've long been fascinated with how creativity works, with the impact of colours on our moods, the therapeutic side of art and music, how an 'aha' moment can appear seemingly out of nowhere, and why some people say they are not creative while others seems to have the most vivid imaginations, .
If we think back to when we were children: we coloured, made up stories, explored, built forts. Somewhere along our journey we moved away from this playful and inventive side. Yet so many of the activities we do today are creative: gardening, how we decorate, taking photos, problem solving. But still people some do not feel they are creative, likely because we are not in the habit of thinking and living creatively.
When we practice being creative and surround ourselves with inspiration, the practice becomes easier and unfurls into even more creativity. It can be re-discovered at any age. I certainly saw this when teaching coloured pencil drawing to women in their 80s and 90s, many of whom had only begun to explore art-making a few years before. I've had the pleasure of watching emerging artists of all ages overcome their fears and begin to display their art, and have worked with and led teams to find new visions in event planning and in staging art shows.
I was fortunate during my working career to have had two highly creative bosses, two men who I learned more from than anyone else I had worked for or with. I was often blown away at the solutions and ideas they would come up with. They taught me to look at issues from different perspectives to find innovative answers.
As a life-long student of creativity, I decided to start this blog as there is much I would like to record about what I have seen and learned, and to share these thoughts with you. I welcome your observations, feedback, questions. So, stay tuned, and I hope to publish a new blog post of my creative musings Sunday evenings, hopefully two or three times each month. Read on for the first entry.
I create dynamic fibre art from repurposed materials, and am fascinated about how creativity helps our own personal journeys. My fibre art is inspired by the "wow" of nature's lines around us. I make my art by sewing layers of fabrics together, then slash, deconstruct and heat distress revealing the layers below, and a bit of myself in each piece. Lastly, shaping, stitching and embellishments highlight the beauty within. I am trained in the expressive arts therapies and event management.
WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION?
Reading time: 1-1/2 minutes
Asked a few years ago to list the 10 places or experiences I find most inspiring, I found the first few were easy to identify. For the last few I had to think a little deeper.
Asked a few years ago to list the 10 places or experiences I find most inspiring, I found the first few were easy to identify. For the last few I had to think a little deeper.
This process of identifying inspiring times when I was most relaxed and open to ideas felt like a gateway to me, reminding me of ways and places I can awaken and open up my creativity.
For each of the places I listed, I realized that in some ways I can continue to feel motivated, to find insights, even though some I had not visited for several years, by going through my old photos, mementos, books and memories. These still have the power to awaken my senses to help me re-live visits, re-capture some of the ideas I had at the time, and to continue to up with new ideas. And each place provides something unique.
Of course, the best thing is to re-visit these or similar types of spots in person if possible to really allow the creativity to soar. It's like re-filling the well with new ideas, to take those first steps toward a dream, to finally start to do what I had only talked about doing.
Of course, the best thing is to re-visit these or similar types of spots in person if possible to really allow the creativity to soar. It's like re-filling the well with new ideas, to take those first steps toward a dream, to finally start to do what I had only talked about doing.
When I recently reviewed the list of 10 places I put together years ago, I discovered that it remains unchanged for me. I may now visit a different location, but its the type of places and the experiences that matter. And I have made a new pact to go to these places more often, to keep that inspiration front of mind so I can feel and act upon it.
I highly recommend that you take the time to write out your list of 10 places and experiences you find most inspiring, and give a few a visit again soon.
Here are mine, perhaps you'll have some of these on your list.
- Art shows, and especially fibre art shows
- Fabric stores & vintage shops to find interesting textiles
- Gardens with art
- My travel photos
- Walks in old neighbourhoods
- Flea markets
- Bookstores and libraries, and finding some unique art books
- Art classes & studio time, specifically creating with other people
- My deck, while listening to the sounds of nature
- Anywhere outdoors beside a creek, river or lake
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