Unlocking Your Creativity: Tips From Artists
Everyone, no matter what field they work in, has the capacity to be creative. However, tapping into that creativity is harder for some folks than it is for others - especially considering the intense times we are currently living through.
If you’re an artist, you’re harnessing and cultivating your creativity all the time while you dream up your projects and make them come to life. But for some of us, igniting that creative sparks takes a bit more time and effort.
These days, there are lots of complex problems (at home, at work, and in the global community) that require creative solutions. But how do you tackle those problems if you feel you’ve lost that spark, or if you feel “stuck”?
We reached out to members of our arts community to ask them “What do you do to unlock/ignite your creativity?” and received a range of responses. We hope that they’ll inspire you as you work towards tapping into your own creative spirit and potential.
"Going for a walk to The Cribbies in Tors Cove with my dog Beaumont helps ignite my creativity!" says Hillside Fine Craft.
"I give myself ‘permission’ to play instead of trying to create something in particular. I use prompts and I chat with creative friends. I keep up my creative habits - imperfectly, but I keep returning to them. And I often participate in short-term creative challenges. Here’s a list.” -Christine Hennebury
"Focus on my breathing to help calm and clear my mind. Then things start to happen.” -Brian Carey
"I listen to how I'm feeling, listen to my intuition because that's where the creativity comes from. It unravels in words, in images, in colours, in sound, in movement. It's a constant state of unravelling, of explaining, of feeling and seeing.” -Zawadi The Art
"I am a graphic designer and visual artist. When I’m fresh out of inspiration I take close up photos of everything. Usually involves getting outside. This always helps me to look at things in a new way. Then it all expands from there.” -Nicky Williams
"Lean into the fear/joy/anger/love with curiosity.” -Danielle Irvine
"I work well with deadlines. Am always working on something too - so if I finish one, it’s not long before I start a new one. Found inspiration in a kids book today…” -Rock Vandal
"I draw a mind map. Sometimes ideas appear in 2D that weren't there in the text.” -Erin Best
"Had planned a series based on missing/murdered women across Canada - and then just couldn't bear to think about dead people. For months I did nothing until it finally came down to what colours made me happy. Never used them before but purple/fuchsia thread unlocked my creativity!” -April Harvey
Lisa Browne finds inspiration in nature. Photo: Tim Hollett
"I go for a walk!” -Lisa Browne
"To unlock my creativity I think about what joy doing a new project will bring to me and those who like and appreciate our work. That’s what drives me to keep doing new innovative projects.” -The Chinwag Group
"I often work through creative blocks in the studio by doing technical stuff: I prepare paper for printing or panels for painting,+ I mix ink or paint. It requires focus and at the same time jumpstarts creativity as I think about and look forward to using what I'm preparing." -Christine Koch
"Going for a walk to The Cribbies in Tors Cove with my dog Beaumont helps ignite my creativity! Our studio + shop (opening in May!) is just around the corner.” -Hillside Fine Craft
"My go-to is a walk, a hike, or a snowshoe but that is not always possible. On those occasions I flip through books by my favourite authors or those who write in the same genre. I turn off social media. Another thing that works is turning on my favourite music and starting a household task. Never fails that I’m good to go and the laundry doesn’t make it to the dryer.” -Connie Crossley Boland
"I started listening to art podcasts. Hearing other's stories and realizing I’m not the only one that gets ‘stuck' has been a great help to get excited again.” -Dana L Malone
Last week, Business & Arts NL, in partnership with TechNL, hosted an online conversation with renowned local playwright Robert Chafe of Artistic Fraud, discussing how curiosity and creativity are connected, how risk and failure are intertwined with creative success, and more. We’ll share the highlights in an upcoming post. Stay tuned!
Do you have any tips to share for how to ignite creativity? We’d love to hear them! Tweet to us @BizArtsNL