Tag Archives: creativity tips

How to make art without making art

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Huh?

Over any extended period of time, being an artist requires enthusiasm more than discipline. Enthusiasm is not an emotional state. It is a spiritual commitment, a loving surrender to our creative process, a loving recognition of all the creativity around us.
The Artist’s Way
Julia Cameron

Random Acts of Travelling Sculpture

Random Acts of Travelling Sculpture
Sally’s tenor ukulele goes to Athol, South Island, NZ

Let’s revisit the Random Acts of Travelling Sculpture Challenge, or should I call it an Invitation?

In this world of push and shove, an Invitation sounds less demanding; more…playful.

I’m

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Lichen Love. (Like n Love?) The Mindful Kindful Texture Walk

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How to bring yourself into the present, even for a microsecond? And feed your creativity at the same time?

One approach is to go for a texture walk. What’s that? If I happen to be walking anyway, I attempt to find a tiny space of light amidst the VeryClutteredBrain by practising specific mindfulness. It helps to focus on a something.

 

Paperbark texture

Paperbark
(Melaleuca)
I love the texture of this messy, soft, papery Australian tree

I might say to myself: 
From where I am (here) up to that park bench (over there), I’ll bring my attention to textures. Or shapes. Or light and shadow. Or colours.

It’s not unlike playing ‘ Continue reading →

How to Access Your (Already Abundant) Creativity 4

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A Flower Power Point Presentation

to be viewed one blossom at a time

Flower Power Point Number Four

A Little Encouragement Goes a Long Way

Sally Swain art

Daffy and Friends *
Sally Swain © original art

The word ‘encourage’

comes from ‘courage’,

which comes from ‘coeur’ (French for ‘heart’).

I love knowing this.

It speaks to me of the courage required to brazenly or tiptoe-ishly move in the direction of our dreams.

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How to Access Your (Already Abundant) Creativity

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Part three of

A Flower Power Point Presentation

to be viewed one blossom at a time

Paintbrush Flower Sally Swain original artwork

‘A Paintbrush was Sacrificed in the Making of this Picture’ (long title, little picture)
Sally Swain © original art

Flower Power Point Three

Play with the Materials at Hand

CG Jung said, The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.
Play is an essential part of creativity. You can explore, try out different perspectives, respond to what happens when it’s not going the way you planned…in painting or in life.

You had a fully-

 

formed picture of a waterfall in your head, but you have absolutely no idea how to represent it and your painting looks like a mushy blue stripe. This is where creative play kicks in. You could turn the picture into a whole host of mushy blue stripes, full of life and vigour, informed by essence of waterfall. You could rip the page into morsels and reassemble them in a rhythmic collage. There are lots of options.

‘Lila’ is a lovely Sanskrit word meaning ‘Divine Play’.
Check out a slice of Lila in POG. 

It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.

Let us play.

(so said a sign I saw years back in the wonderland Nimbin Museum, northern NSW, Australia)

Divine play

and thank you, Lemonia Cafe, for this particular PLAY reminder

 

Top Two Tried-and-true Creativity Guidelines

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Gentle

Yes – I believe there are two Creativity Guidelines at the heart and core of the matter. 

I’ve been suggesting them in Art and Soul groups for about twenty years. Every now and then I look to the sky thoughtfully, pondering their validity. Do they still resonate? Do they help? I find they stand the test of (such thorough, scientific) scrutiny.

And here they are….drumroll….

  1. Breathe

  2. Be kind to yourself

That’s it. The good news is that breathing and being kind to yourself are simple. The not-so-good news is that they are difficult. Believe me. Like a lot of Art and Soul suggestions, these pointers arise from my own bitter, breathless, breathstopping, breathfull, self-savage, self-snippety, self-compassionate experience.

Try them. While writing, arting, gardening, mosaic-ing, singing, creatively relating, see if you can become conscious of your breath. For one split second. Continue reading →