creativity – The Artist's Playbook

Creativity is a Process.

And this project even though only days old is teaching me that! I’m normally the organised, methodical at times, committed (still committed but in a different way – I’ll explain later) type of person but I’ve realised that having a plan with some flexibility is key to allowing our creativity to flow better.

My recent trip to Australia also taught me about the journey and how the journey is the goal. I’ve known this for a long time, but to again experience this for three weeks and to constantly be questioning my own path while on this journey – was confirmation for me that I need to value the creative process more.

Really value it.

And this challenges me because I’m a perfectionist. But everything that I post has to be some kind of finished something. And if it’s half finished or a “process” image of something half finished, it takes a while for me to want to put it out there.

Posting these images instead of my nature images is challenging! Because my nature images are what connects with people. And I’m not sure if these images will connect, but I told myself I wanted to do something challenging, and here it is. And of course the image is a gathering of more tools, more conversations and more thoughts that I am processing in this moment.

When I was creating a series of mandala, my least favourite mandala was the one that most people resonated with. Interesting huh.

As artists we are the most critical of our works. Yes there will be people who don’t like what you do, but there will be those who absolutely love what you do. Those are the ones that you need to connect with.

And how do you connect with these people?

First things first, you must do what you love because you love to do it! Many artists, especially those who are establishing themselves as full time artists, at some point realise that being in business as an artist requires a constant flow of cash. I know that when I first started as an artist, I was full of passion, but then reality set in and all of a sudden I was creating to make money out of necessity. I was meeting the demand of the market rather than creating what I loved to create and finding those who loved it too.

This approach can become soul destroying.

So continue to create what you love and connect with people who love it. They will tell you if they love your art! The wonderful thing about social media is that you can connect with many many people around the world. Possibilities are endless. All you need to do is be on that platform to connect with others. And share (for free) your art with the world.

Of course this is not the end of it. It requires more than that, but this is a good place to start. You need to be out there sharing your art with the world because being a closet artist creating amazing masterpieces does not serve anyone, including you!

So here is the action:

Start creating art that you love to create.

Share that art with the world in as many places as possible, or with just one person if you are more comfortable with that.

Keep creating and keep on sharing!

And here is an extra tip:

Don’t overthink all of this. Just do! Because when we give our mind the space to think, it can take us over and we end up doing NOTHING. And we don’t want that to happen.

Keep on keeping on!

Love Jo x