The Antidote for Creative Blockages: Compassion and Curiosity

Building creativity is practice in being receptive and present. Nearly everyone struggles with this practice and it’s the unstable foundation of most problems, creative or otherwise. The equivalent of artist block can occur in any career, hobby, relationship, religion, lifestyle, etc, to any degree of severity. When we become insular and shut off, we struggle …

Initiation of Inspiration: Recognition

There’s a pull. We’re drawn to inspiration. Once we’ve absorbed it, pulling it back out of ourselves can be troublesome. Being able to recognize its existence within us is a skill in need of practice. The basis of inspiration builds up within us and its permanent residence may cause new additions to be overlooked. “Oh, …

Good to Be Bad: Making Art

Are you afraid to create ‘bad’ art? The answer for myself is invariably yes, as is the answer to the question of failing or underwhelming, but it’s an incomplete response. Yes, I’m afraid, and I understand why I am, and why ‘bad’ art is important. Being aware of the whats and whys brings about a …

Learning to Flow

When doing anything, we tend to second guess ourselves or meet roadblocks built by our own unconscious hand. Getting things done means finding rhythm in our work, pushing forward. We can’t always be confident but we can do our best to be persistent. NaNoWriMo is a good example of learning flow, National Novel Writing Month …

Art Practice: Stream of Consciousness

Art practice is a tool belt. We collect exercises and processes to advance our creativity and ability to derive and hone in on inspiration. My fiancé’s professor recently advised the two of us to start every day with stream of consciousness writing.  Much like brainstorming (which I write about in Making Conceptual Connections in Art) …

Uninspired, Thinking is Rebellion

Wide and narrow, an unlimited net of influence and a refined sense of value— we absorb the world around us, but must have a clear understanding of what appeals or interests us. To look inward at what drives us and connects with our unique perceptions and struggles, this is crucial self reflection. I aspire to …