Welcome to the final week of the month-long Carnival of Creative Mothers to celebrate the launch of The Rainbow Way: Cultivating Creativity in the Midst of Motherhood by Lucy H. Pearce which has been Amazon.co.uk's Hottest New Release in Motherhood for the past week!
Today's topic is The Creative Process. Do read to the end of this post for a full list of carnival participants.
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| Catching Mermaids |
Creativity + the process of creating is a very personal experience.
And I don't believe there is one right way to create.
Your process will be different to mine, and different again to the next persons.
When I believed that I wasn't good enough to be an artist, I was fascinated to read about artist's + their creative process.
I was hoping that one of their stories would trigger a creative response in me. That theirs would be the way, that would allow me to tap into my creativity once again.
What I didn't realise until much later, was that my creative process, would be so individualised to me, that in reading others stories, although there were super inspiring, they wouldn't help me to unlock my creativity.
They did however keep sparking something inside me that would eventually grow into LilliBean Designs. And it helped me realise that:
Inspiration is every where, and can strike at anytime.
My muses are absolutely my three girls. Their imagination sparks mine all the time. But there are other inspirations, books are another huge inspiration for me, music lyrics, a pattern on the wall from the tree outside, fashion magazines, kids books, manga, a half over heard conversation, a shape of a leaf.
Anything is open to interpretation.
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| Princess + the Pea |
To capture these wisps of creativity, I have learnt to keep notebooks laying around the house, in my purse, in the car....
{Yes. My name is Kirstin + I have a stationary addiction}
But it means that I will never again have an awesome idea, but forget about it in the rush of life.
So, when Bean said off hand one day, 'mama, I am going to get my fishing rod + catch a mermaid.' I wrote it down + the painting above was born.
Most of the time I have an image in my head that I want to paint. I can't see all the details, but the figure, the surround, the general placement of items. Like the 'Princess + the Pea' painting I did earlier this year. This painting I new from the very start how it would look.
But there are times when I play in my art journal, that I haven't a clue what I am going to create. I just jump in + play.
[This post takes you through a journal page journey, from beginning to end. I didn't know where I was going, I just knew the sentiment I wanted to express.]
Like everyone, I have periods of down time, when I am feeling uninspired, feeling blocked or needing to recharge.
I have learnt to give myself permission to have a break. To sit on the couch + read a good book. To watch a movie. Or watch six seasons of Supernatural back to back.
Sometimes though, the block is stubborn + I need to actively re-inspire myself.
So, is there a particular way that you inspire or re inspire your muse? What do you do when the creativity blues strike? I would love it if you shared your stories with us.
By the way, this months give away is open + ready for you to enter. THere are two prizes up for grabs this month as it is the last for 2013. Pop over here for your chance to win
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- 10% off - use code TRW10
- exclusive access to a private Facebook group for creative mothers
- a vibrant greetings card and book-mark of one of the author's paintings.
Amazon.com
Book Depository, Barnes and NobleOr order from your local bookshop.
- Carnival host and author of The Rainbow Way, Lucy at Dreaming Aloud looks at the common lies we tell ourselves about creativity in The Eternal Summer of the Creative Mind.
- Caitriona at Wholesome Ireland - from start to new beginnings.
- Hannah M. Davis writes about Unleashing Your Authentic Voice. So many of us would love to write a life-changing book. How do you get over the blocks and barriers that hold you back?
- Sylda from Mind the Baby compares her creative process to a maelstrom of weather warnings.
- In "As an Artist", Lucy Pierce at Soulskin Musings offers a poem about how the creative process beckons her through many of the archetypes of womanhood.
- Jackie Stewart at Flowerspirit.co.uk talks about how creativity is opening up a space for the unknown to reveal itself to you in 'Creativity Flourishes in the Sacred Unknown'.
- Alex at Art of Birth shares some practical tips on how you can unlock your creative goddess within!
- Nicki at justlikeplay shares a love letter to her muse.
- Marija Smits has a conversation with her muse and reflects on the difficulties of catching and creating from the Goddess of Inspiration.
- Zoie at TouchstoneZ reflects on her creative process.
- Licia Berry, Illumined Arts "Creativity and Healing are Ideal Partners". The creation of visual, musical, or expressive arts is the quickest, most effective and painless way to heal.
- Kirstin at Listening to the Squeak - My creative process and how to break creative blocks.
- Ali Baker talks about connecting with the call of the wolf when she cries to us to do so means giving our time and permission to honour the creative process within all of us.
- Mary at The Turquoise Paintbrush reflects on her creative process.
- KatyStuff thinks that projects need time to mature, that is why she is a fabric and craft hoarder.
- Aimée at Creativeflutters goes into her creative process and looks at what makes things tick or flop in "Spontaneous She - How to Keep Your Muse at Work".
- Kae at The Wilde Womb muses about her common creative blocks as a parent and how she systematically breaks through them.
- Angela at Peach Coglo tries to get comfortable with her own creative process.
- Biromums write about their creative processes.
- Dawn at The Barefoot Home believes the creative process can't be taught it has to come organically and at its own pace.
- Tara at Aquamarine Art began uncovering her lost inner artist over 5 years ago and shares her experiences and inspirations in "From Spark to Bonfire: The Evolution of A Creative Process."
- Georgie at Visual Toast explores what the creative process looks like for her.
- Creative Woman at Creator's Corner is not concerned with the end product or the outcome but with the process and all the richness that it brings.
- Jennifer's Art Blog explores what the creative process feels like for her.
- Fiona at Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers reflects on her creative process.
- Sharron at Adventures on the mindful path writes and creates in between (and sometimes while) chasing two little boys and a puppy.
- Trying to discover her own methods to the creative process, Jasmine at Brown Eyed Girl, digs deeper to find what it is that really triggers her creativity.
- Jessica F. Hinton shares why finding creative spaces as a mother is important and what her space looks like.
- Laura at Authentic Parenting reflects on her creative process.
- Ingrid at My Peace Tree says Creativity as a living thing - and examines ebb and flow, expectations vs. realities (our own and other people's), inspiration and how to find it.
- Darcel at The Mahogany Way examines her own creative process.
Thank you Kirstin! Yes to watching series back to back!!
ReplyDeleteLovely post, and you're so right - inspiration is everywhere and can strike at anytime. I wrote about this too in Lucy's carnival, do pop on over and have a read if you get the chance.
ReplyDeleteI think your artwork is just lovely - I particularly like the soft colours and soft shapes - beautiful! Keep on creating :-)