How to Spark Creativity as an Artist
Today’s post is a little ditty and comes from some recent thoughts I’ve been having on creativity. More precisely, what to do when we don’t feel creative.
Here’s the plain and sad truth: Creativity doesn’t always come to us when we need it. We all experience a lack of inspiration at some point in our creative journey. But what if those few uninspiring days turn into weeks, or even months? The deadlines start piling up and panic ensues. I recently experienced a kind of rut, burnout, lack of inspiration, whatever you like to call it, and I knew there had to be a reason for this. As I attempted to move through this experience, and surrender to the thoughts I was having, I realised a lot of things in the process. So today I’m here to tell you how I did it! And more importantly, why I think it happened in the first place. I hope you can take a piece away from it too.
I truly believe that we are all creative. Whether you practise art or not, we can all be creative in any aspect of life. So when we say that our ‘creativity is blocked’, what does this truly mean? If we can harness creativity at any point in our day, how can we truly be blocked from a limitless source of imaginative, free-flowing energy? This is what I asked myself in the thick of my own rut. I challenged myself to change this belief and find a way into that flowing state. And the answer that I found was simple:
Kill the distraction.
Simple to say. Harder to put into action. The thing is, if we feel blocked from our creative energy, it’s likely because we are overthinking, overanalysing or overactive. Life is busy. Maybe you’re working on a personal project, but if there’s a client waiting for a piece that’s due by the end of the week, your brain will likely prioritise the most urgent task. For our monkey minds, creativity is just another sub-task to be catalogued and shelved until further notice. In order to reconnect to our creativity, we must first get into a flow state, in which the brain switches from analytical to free-flowing. To do this, all you need is a few hours to allow your brain to completely switch off from thinking. This could be walking in nature, visiting a museum or exploring a new place. I visited libraries and collected visual research during this time, watched people pass by a café window, visited a costume exhibition, booked a yoga class, and tried out new recipes. Within just a few days, I was filling up my sketchbook again with fresh and exciting ideas.
It may feel counterproductive at first. You may think ‘who am I to take time off? I have so much work to do.’ But taking time to switch off from your analytical mind could be the most beneficial thing you do in order to reconnect with your limitless imagination. Whatever activity you choose, try to go for something that is done alone, to be with yourself and in your own mind. Within days you may just realise that the block was actually just a plea from your inner artist to be listened to for a while. Whether you find yourself in a season of low creativity, or have an urge to make something new, it’s likely because a part of you is calling out for attention. Listen to it. It may be the missing piece you’ve been searching for all this time.
If you’re interested in more on this topic, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is an amazing resource for understanding our creativity and how we can open ourselves up to flow. I highly recommend!
Magic from October…
*New album from The 1975 on repeat.
*I’ve been obsessed with making ramen recently, albeit not entirely traditionally BUT it does promise a comforting bowl of noodles at the end of a long day which is always a win in my books. I love this simple recipe when I’m looking for something speedy and delish.
*Last month I went to my first Yoga Nidra workshop to welcome in the Autumn Equinox and it was a beautiful experience. There’s so much to learn from this mindfulness practice, which you can read about more here.
*I’ve been loving these sketchbooks at the moment. The paper is a gorgeous texture, not too thick, not too thin. And lots of colours to choose from!
Now it’s back to the drawing table. Then outdoors. Because there’s still a handful of days before Christmas arrives good and proper and I intend to capture every last moment of Autumn before it does!
Happy creating xx
Catherine
A Little Perspective: Why Life Drawing classes will change your Creative Practice
Happy happy august! How are you all doing? I’m coming to you from a coffee shop overlooking Manchester Cathedral, where I had my stall last week at Craft and Flea Market. If I met any of you on that day, let me just say a big thank you to YOU! It really does mean the world to meet such kind and supportive customers <3
As I sip my vanilla chai, the rustle of leaves outside the window, it almost feels like the edge of autumn is right around the corner…or that may just be wishful thinking! Even so, I’ve made more of an effort recently to get out of the house to work, especially during Summertime, despite my brain reeling off a hundred reasons why it’s easier for me to stay in my nice, warm, comfortable home. Why go out when you have everything you need right here?! But with a little breathing space, new ideas can come from a little perspective, and by allowing ourselves to open up to these sparks of inspiration, they really can do wonders for rejuvenating our creative practice.
And new perspectives is what we’re talking about today! If you follow me on The Gram, you may have seen that I recently got back into life drawing with a friend from uni, and it’s done wonders for unlocking my creativity. We’ve been going to Bee Creative Studio in Manchester, and they do an amazing job at finding a variety of models, and offer timed sessions which really allows you to build momentum with your drawing.
I was a little rusty the first time but I found my rhythm by the end!
I love his little face on this one!
The sessions last around 2 hours, complete with bar and long instrumental sequences from Tchaikovsky and Bach to accompany you while you draw. Match made in heaven if you ask me! We usually begin with1 minute poses, then move onto 5 and 10 minutes, ending the session with 20 minutes. This really helps you build up your line work and get familiar with the model - not to mention you can get all your bad stuff out of the way first! Another thing I like about Bee Creative is that it’s not a tutored session. It doesn’t matter if you get the perspective skewed or that you’d rather draw figuratively than true to life, and to be surrounded by a group of like-minded artists is really refreshing when you’re used to working by yourself.
The best part, I’ve come to realise, is that I get into a real FLOW while I’m there. Flow that comes from not worrying about how true to life my drawing is. Flow that becomes almost meditative. Flow that comes from play, ease, and tapping into the sheer enjoyment of why I started making art in the first place. Gaining perspective can be a great reminder to get out of your comfort zone more often, sign up to a class, find a new environment to work, and start approaching your art from a different mind.
And it doesn’t have to be a life drawing class. Why not take yourself out to a local cafe or park and draw the life that passes you by. Organise a Zoom Call with friends and have themed drawing nights. Or maybe for you, timed drawings are the way forward. 1 minute drawings can be really challenging when you’re used to perfecting and sharing every little thing you make. Ban yourself from pencils and rubbers and make the marks count! And if any of you have your own practices for gaining perspective, or are part of a life drawing group too, I’d love to know!
Summer bits and bobs…
*I'm reading Letters from Tove this month. It’s such a joy of a book, I’m almost disappointed in myself that it’s taken me this long to read Tove Jansson’s work, but I guess there’s no better time to start! This one is the perfect read for Summer.
*I’ve been challenging myself with pattern design at the moment, and I’m loving how my illustrations can be used on so many things like interiors, homeware and more! This one is a recent favourite.
*Last week my friend and I had a meal at Rosa’s and it was delish! I can’t say I’m an expert when it comes to Thai food, but the food was great and that’s a win for me!
*I attended a freelance workshop from Small Fry Collective in July which really helped boost my ideas when it comes to the direction of my practice. It’s always beneficial to be looking for ways to learn and expand, and I love trying new things. You can still access the recording from them here.
Aaand that’s all for now my sweet buttercups. Thanks for being here!
Have fun this summer, and spread a little kindness where you can 🌻
Catherine
I graduated!
Last week the day of my graduation finally arrived, after two long years of waiting, and I had the loveliest day! It was strange to see my old course mates again after such a long time and honestly I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel on the day, whether I’d feel underwhelmed now I wasn’t as connected to that part of my life. But it was really great to see so many of them again, and to share the same experiences despite going our separate ways. It felt like no time had passed at all! I’m grateful that we even had chance to celebrate, and it came at just the right time for us to really appreciate how far we’d come.
It’s funny how life works out and pushes you in directions you didn’t plan on - the most important thing is to pause every now and again and see how much you’ve achieved.
Till next time :)
Catherine
Manchester Print Fair + Mid-year Musings
Happy sweet June friends.
Last month I had my first ever stall at Manchester Print Fair - something that’s been a goal of mine since 2019 when I first visited the fair as an art student. It always felt like something that would happen ‘one day’, and yet this day finally came, and I had the loveliest time! The cathedral was such a beautiful venue to exhibit in, and to display my illustrations for the public was both daunting and exciting! It also allowed me time to pause and appreciate how far I’ve come since 2020.
Getting ready for the fair really tested my organisation! There was so much to sort out, from managing my online stock to prepping new prints, packing, labelling and generating promotion. May felt like a whirlwind, but it was good to stay busy. Having the fair to work towards not only tested my commitment to staying on top of things, but it took me away from personal illustration projects, which brought up some challenging emotions throughout the month. It’s been both intriguing and daunting to delve into different outlets of my creativity, opening up to new opportunities where I can to connect with this community, and seeing what I can prioritise without feeling like I’m not making progress in other areas of life. Of course, we’re never entirely sure of what the rest of the year has in store, but May definitely showed me how I can navigate my way into new avenues of illustration, and how I can share my work in new ways with you, my loveliest audience!
I also want to thank everyone who came out to MPF and bought a little something from my stall. I was so grateful to see so many familiar faces, and also many new ones too. A huge thank you to Alessandra for organising an amazing post-pandemic fair, and to all of you, who said hello and shared your kind words with me on the day, it made me feel most welcome. That being said, if you missed out on last month’s fair, I’ll be organising a shop sale later this month, so head over to Etsy for new prints, and my zodiac tote bags (which have been the most popular!)
In Other News | Mentoring!
In other news, I’m now meeting with an illustration mentor! We’ve met twice already and I’m excited to see what new ideas are sparked by speaking to someone directly from within the industry. It’s incredibly valuable to continue to learn and grow wherever you find yourself, and there are so many opportunities for us to do so, whether that’s reaching out to industry experts, joining groups to meet other creatives, or learning a new skill online. There’s definitely something to be said for acknowledging where you’re lacking in expertise, and actively opening yourself up to those who are wiser, older, and more experienced than you, to help guide you and your practise to the next level. I’m excited to see where this new connection takes me, and if you read some of my posts from last year, you’ll know I’m prioritising the journey this year, without judgement or fear…Wish me luck!
This & That…
*This June I’ve organised a little post-print fair sale. Head over to my Etsy shop to order something sweet for you or a friend! I’m always so grateful for your support :)
*I’ve enjoyed looking through Yuk Fun’s blog this month. There’s some great little interviews from a range of creatives on there.
*I’ve been reading The Twelve Week Year by Brian Moran which shares the idea of annualized thinking, and how we can condense goals that we would usually give ourselves a year to complete, into a twelve week cycle. It’s intriguing, and it’s made me rethink how I see and use my time.
Okay! I’m going to actually take some time off now, I’ve been staring at my laptop for too long! And maybe I’ll bake some cinnamon buns this bank holiday weekend mmmh. Have a peaceful June friends, where ever life finds you :)
Catherine