04/07: Living Creatively
Conjuring Creativity
By Renee Rasinger
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
Living Creatively
Often, we artists get so caught up in producing brilliant, prolific work that we forget to enjoy our creativity. Creativity can become something we must do, a chore, a mere tool we use to (hopefully) earn a living as an artist. However, creativity can and should be a more holistic approach to living your life, an attitude of being, and a way to have more fun and pleasure in your life.
Think it sounds like even more work? It doesn’t have to be. Creative people merely take the time to play and to face life with an openness to possibilities. He or she will take the time when cooking dinner to dust the dessert plates with cocoa powder because it’s fun and it pleases the eye. Even better, the cook will wonder how a dusting of cayenne pepper would go with that gooey chocolate concoction. It might be a disaster, but the point is that they tried something new and different. They didn’t censor themselves before experimenting.
By Renee Rasinger
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
Living Creatively
Often, we artists get so caught up in producing brilliant, prolific work that we forget to enjoy our creativity. Creativity can become something we must do, a chore, a mere tool we use to (hopefully) earn a living as an artist. However, creativity can and should be a more holistic approach to living your life, an attitude of being, and a way to have more fun and pleasure in your life.
Think it sounds like even more work? It doesn’t have to be. Creative people merely take the time to play and to face life with an openness to possibilities. He or she will take the time when cooking dinner to dust the dessert plates with cocoa powder because it’s fun and it pleases the eye. Even better, the cook will wonder how a dusting of cayenne pepper would go with that gooey chocolate concoction. It might be a disaster, but the point is that they tried something new and different. They didn’t censor themselves before experimenting.
Conjuring Creativity
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
By Renee Rasinger
Create Your Own Opportunities
Too often, when creative artists get together, the talk turns to complaints about lack of artistic opportunities and appreciation for one’s work. Especially in these difficult economic times. What I’m about to tell you won’t make you feel any better. You’ve got to go out there and create your own opportunities!
“But that’s hard work,” you whine. “I don’t know how.”
Puh..leeze! Where’s your creativity? Remember that “thinking cap” your teachers used to tell you to put on when you were a kid? Well, dust it off and put it on. Here are a few ideas to get started while you’re looking for your cap.
Network: Talk to everyone you know and meet. Make sure they know that you paint, write, dance, etc. You never know. The lady at the deli counter may have a son who produces Broadway shows, or is opening an art gallery. Create and practice your own “three minute elevator speech” describing who you are and what you do. Be ready to deliver it when you’re introduced to the curator of a gallery, a craft show organizer, or the director of the community theatre. Even if it leads nowhere, hey, you get kudos for putting yourself out there. As Benjamin Franklin said, “God helps those who help themselves.” (No, that quote isn’t from the Bible. Yes, I was surprised too when I researched it.) The universe, or God, if you will, will take note and reward you somewhere down the road.
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
By Renee Rasinger
Create Your Own Opportunities
Too often, when creative artists get together, the talk turns to complaints about lack of artistic opportunities and appreciation for one’s work. Especially in these difficult economic times. What I’m about to tell you won’t make you feel any better. You’ve got to go out there and create your own opportunities!
“But that’s hard work,” you whine. “I don’t know how.”
Puh..leeze! Where’s your creativity? Remember that “thinking cap” your teachers used to tell you to put on when you were a kid? Well, dust it off and put it on. Here are a few ideas to get started while you’re looking for your cap.
Network: Talk to everyone you know and meet. Make sure they know that you paint, write, dance, etc. You never know. The lady at the deli counter may have a son who produces Broadway shows, or is opening an art gallery. Create and practice your own “three minute elevator speech” describing who you are and what you do. Be ready to deliver it when you’re introduced to the curator of a gallery, a craft show organizer, or the director of the community theatre. Even if it leads nowhere, hey, you get kudos for putting yourself out there. As Benjamin Franklin said, “God helps those who help themselves.” (No, that quote isn’t from the Bible. Yes, I was surprised too when I researched it.) The universe, or God, if you will, will take note and reward you somewhere down the road.
02/07: A Room of One’s Own
Conjuring Creativity
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
By Renee Rasinger
A Room of One’s Own
"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction..."
- Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own
Every artist, regardless of gender or medium should have a room of his or her own. This is a basic requirement in order to make your art. Oh, sure, you can sew your quilt on the dining room table or set up your easel and paint in the garden some sunny day, but it’s not the same thing. Not by a long shot. Having a room or studio of your own says that you are a serious artist. An artist serious about making art. It says that to the world, to your family and friends, and most importantly, to you. Having your own space in which to create sends you the subconscious message that what you do in that room is important and valuable. After all, you’ve dedicated an entire room to it, so it must matter.
And matter it does! An artist is who you are. What you do. Having a room of your own enables you to be that artist. It sounds so obvious and yet many people don’t have a place to go and create. Having a dedicated room/studio allows for several important things:
Privacy: Virginia Woolf also stated in the above mentioned essay that one’s room should have a lock on it. It’s not really your room if you can’t keep other people out. Your spouse and children need to respect your need for alone time when you create. You shouldn’t have to stop in the middle of painting or writing to answer questions, or make someone’s lunch. It’s hard enough to get in a state of creative flow without such interruptions. And don’t install a phone in your room. Or at least turn off the ringer or let it go to voice mail. Treat your creative time as something sacred.
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
By Renee Rasinger
A Room of One’s Own
"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction..."
- Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own
Every artist, regardless of gender or medium should have a room of his or her own. This is a basic requirement in order to make your art. Oh, sure, you can sew your quilt on the dining room table or set up your easel and paint in the garden some sunny day, but it’s not the same thing. Not by a long shot. Having a room or studio of your own says that you are a serious artist. An artist serious about making art. It says that to the world, to your family and friends, and most importantly, to you. Having your own space in which to create sends you the subconscious message that what you do in that room is important and valuable. After all, you’ve dedicated an entire room to it, so it must matter.
And matter it does! An artist is who you are. What you do. Having a room of your own enables you to be that artist. It sounds so obvious and yet many people don’t have a place to go and create. Having a dedicated room/studio allows for several important things:
Privacy: Virginia Woolf also stated in the above mentioned essay that one’s room should have a lock on it. It’s not really your room if you can’t keep other people out. Your spouse and children need to respect your need for alone time when you create. You shouldn’t have to stop in the middle of painting or writing to answer questions, or make someone’s lunch. It’s hard enough to get in a state of creative flow without such interruptions. And don’t install a phone in your room. Or at least turn off the ringer or let it go to voice mail. Treat your creative time as something sacred.
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
(Part two in a series of two articles)
I hope you got around to trying at least one of the techniques for generating ideas that I mentioned in my last column. If not, here are some more tips for coming up with ideas. If one of these techniques makes you sit up and take notice, then give it a whirl. If not, at least tuck these ideas aside for future use in case of artist’s block.
One of my favorite techniques for generating ideas is keeping a “picture file” that I use for creative writing. Just look through magazines, newspapers or books, and start collecting any photos that really strike you. The best photos always tell a story deeper than what they portray on the surface. I saved such a photo which I found in “Vogue” magazine. Its subject is a blonde woman dressed all in white holding baby boy who is dressed likewise. In fact, the bed, bed linens, walls, floor and everything else in the room is white as well. The only shot of color is a little girl sitting by herself at the other end of the bed. Her brilliant red dress is a startling contrast in the context of the room and her body language speaks volumes about family dynamics. Although I have yet to write something based on this photo, it speaks to me about emotional isolation, not fitting in and scapegoating. These are the kind of pictures you should save for your file. Photos full of subtext and symbolism. Photos that possess a back-story.
(Part two in a series of two articles)
I hope you got around to trying at least one of the techniques for generating ideas that I mentioned in my last column. If not, here are some more tips for coming up with ideas. If one of these techniques makes you sit up and take notice, then give it a whirl. If not, at least tuck these ideas aside for future use in case of artist’s block.
One of my favorite techniques for generating ideas is keeping a “picture file” that I use for creative writing. Just look through magazines, newspapers or books, and start collecting any photos that really strike you. The best photos always tell a story deeper than what they portray on the surface. I saved such a photo which I found in “Vogue” magazine. Its subject is a blonde woman dressed all in white holding baby boy who is dressed likewise. In fact, the bed, bed linens, walls, floor and everything else in the room is white as well. The only shot of color is a little girl sitting by herself at the other end of the bed. Her brilliant red dress is a startling contrast in the context of the room and her body language speaks volumes about family dynamics. Although I have yet to write something based on this photo, it speaks to me about emotional isolation, not fitting in and scapegoating. These are the kind of pictures you should save for your file. Photos full of subtext and symbolism. Photos that possess a back-story.
Conjuring Creativity
By Renee Rasinger
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
Generating Ideas (Part one in a series of two articles)
One of the most frequent and annoying questions posed to creative people is, “Where do you get your ideas?” It’s annoying because, for the most part, we don’t really know where ideas come from or know how to explain the creative process. We’re even a little superstitious about it, regarding creativity as a mystical process. Besides, ideas don’t always come in the same way to the same person. Perhaps your new poem or book resulted from a misheard line of dialogue. But your last book was inspired by a visual image, such as an arresting photograph you found in a yard sale. There’s no one way to get ideas, only what works for you.
By Renee Rasinger
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
Generating Ideas (Part one in a series of two articles)
One of the most frequent and annoying questions posed to creative people is, “Where do you get your ideas?” It’s annoying because, for the most part, we don’t really know where ideas come from or know how to explain the creative process. We’re even a little superstitious about it, regarding creativity as a mystical process. Besides, ideas don’t always come in the same way to the same person. Perhaps your new poem or book resulted from a misheard line of dialogue. But your last book was inspired by a visual image, such as an arresting photograph you found in a yard sale. There’s no one way to get ideas, only what works for you.
Creative people frequently fail to plan their careers because planning seems like such a boring, corporate, left-brain activity. Especially when the act of creation itself is so mystical in nature. While they are not glamorous activities, planning your career and setting goals will make a huge difference over the course of both your career and your lifetime.
Too many people live life like an archer without a target. They shoot arrows all day long, week after week, at nothing in particular. They develop strong bow-pulling muscles, but they never develop “aim.” To do that, you need a target to shoot your arrows at.
Whenever you practice aiming for a bulls eye (or your goal), the greater your chance of hitting it with a sense of skill and regularity. Success rarely rests on talent alone. Often, a less talented artist is more successful than more talented individuals simply because he or she developed a master-plan and followed it.
When we attempt to plan, it’s not just the “corporate image thing” that stops us from carrying through and devising our plans. A strong psychological resistance can stop us as well. Eric Maisel, in his book “Coaching the Artist Within,” explains,
“...Since we make so many resolutions and break them, set so many goals and fall short of realizing them, and create so many plans without following through on them, we become reluctant to plan. We prefer not to plan so as not to disappoint ourselves one more time. Burdened by the memory of the many times that we didn’t follow through on our plan for losing weight, excising, learning a new language, learning a new instrument, getting out of our small town,, studying art instead of accounting, and so on, we find it too painful to sit down and make a plan for writing our novel or making our film. The mere thought of planning brings up feelings of shame, regret, and disappointment.”
Too many people live life like an archer without a target. They shoot arrows all day long, week after week, at nothing in particular. They develop strong bow-pulling muscles, but they never develop “aim.” To do that, you need a target to shoot your arrows at.
Whenever you practice aiming for a bulls eye (or your goal), the greater your chance of hitting it with a sense of skill and regularity. Success rarely rests on talent alone. Often, a less talented artist is more successful than more talented individuals simply because he or she developed a master-plan and followed it.
When we attempt to plan, it’s not just the “corporate image thing” that stops us from carrying through and devising our plans. A strong psychological resistance can stop us as well. Eric Maisel, in his book “Coaching the Artist Within,” explains,
“...Since we make so many resolutions and break them, set so many goals and fall short of realizing them, and create so many plans without following through on them, we become reluctant to plan. We prefer not to plan so as not to disappoint ourselves one more time. Burdened by the memory of the many times that we didn’t follow through on our plan for losing weight, excising, learning a new language, learning a new instrument, getting out of our small town,, studying art instead of accounting, and so on, we find it too painful to sit down and make a plan for writing our novel or making our film. The mere thought of planning brings up feelings of shame, regret, and disappointment.”
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity
It’s an unfortunate fact of life that whenever someone is successful, someone else feels envy for what they’ve accomplished. Artists are no exception to this universal emotion.
Envious feelings are usually due to an attitude of lack or a “stinginess of spirit.” For example, someone else “making it” means there’s less room at the top for you. After all there are only so many music venues, so many grants and so many books or poems that can be written on a particular subject, right? When you operate from jealousy, you operate from an attitude of poverty. You think life is going to run out of desserts before you get to the buffet table. You fear no one will ever look at your paintings again or listen to you sing your own music when there is someone else out there who is so excellent at his/her craft. But when you don’t trust in an abundant universe, you get exactly what you expect. You “magnetically attract” the thing or circumstances that you think about the most. I’ve mentioned this before. It’s quantum physics. It’s universal law. (Watch “The Secret” or “What the Bleep Do We Know” if you have no idea what I’m talking about.)
It’s an unfortunate fact of life that whenever someone is successful, someone else feels envy for what they’ve accomplished. Artists are no exception to this universal emotion.
Envious feelings are usually due to an attitude of lack or a “stinginess of spirit.” For example, someone else “making it” means there’s less room at the top for you. After all there are only so many music venues, so many grants and so many books or poems that can be written on a particular subject, right? When you operate from jealousy, you operate from an attitude of poverty. You think life is going to run out of desserts before you get to the buffet table. You fear no one will ever look at your paintings again or listen to you sing your own music when there is someone else out there who is so excellent at his/her craft. But when you don’t trust in an abundant universe, you get exactly what you expect. You “magnetically attract” the thing or circumstances that you think about the most. I’ve mentioned this before. It’s quantum physics. It’s universal law. (Watch “The Secret” or “What the Bleep Do We Know” if you have no idea what I’m talking about.)
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
It’s that time of year when thoughts turn towards flowers and blossoming, both within our gardens and within ourselves. However, in order to make creativity bloom, sometimes a little crop cultivation is in order. You can’t plant in the same old soil without adding something to it. You need to turn the soil over, shake it around a bit and add nutrients and fertilizer. The same principle applies to creativity. It’s good to stir things around, shake them up and find ways to nurture your creativity.
One way is to write down a list of 100 ways to nurture your artist-self. Some examples: listen to music that is not your “usual thing,” go to a bookstore and browse a section you normally avoid, buy a new guitar or purchase a box easel that allows you to paint en plein air. Put items on your list that expose you to new art forms and ideas, materials/tools that help you create more easily, lessons or classes to increase your skill level, or things that just sound fun and stimulating. Encouraging creativity can be as simple as moving your desk/easel to a room with more light, unplugging your phone while you create or meeting a friend to take a dance class together. Whatever you add to your list of ways to nurture creativity, make sure you indulge yourself with some of those items. Gift yourself with creativity encouraging tools, activities and experiences. This is the fertilizer you add to last year’s depleted soil. These are your nutrients.
It’s that time of year when thoughts turn towards flowers and blossoming, both within our gardens and within ourselves. However, in order to make creativity bloom, sometimes a little crop cultivation is in order. You can’t plant in the same old soil without adding something to it. You need to turn the soil over, shake it around a bit and add nutrients and fertilizer. The same principle applies to creativity. It’s good to stir things around, shake them up and find ways to nurture your creativity.
One way is to write down a list of 100 ways to nurture your artist-self. Some examples: listen to music that is not your “usual thing,” go to a bookstore and browse a section you normally avoid, buy a new guitar or purchase a box easel that allows you to paint en plein air. Put items on your list that expose you to new art forms and ideas, materials/tools that help you create more easily, lessons or classes to increase your skill level, or things that just sound fun and stimulating. Encouraging creativity can be as simple as moving your desk/easel to a room with more light, unplugging your phone while you create or meeting a friend to take a dance class together. Whatever you add to your list of ways to nurture creativity, make sure you indulge yourself with some of those items. Gift yourself with creativity encouraging tools, activities and experiences. This is the fertilizer you add to last year’s depleted soil. These are your nutrients.
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
Quite often, artists make huge sacrifices for their art, especially when it comes to sexual/romantic relationships. At times the serious artist must choose between devoting time to personal relationships vs. time spent making art. While it’s true that one “can have it all,” such balance is difficult to achieve. In addition, many artists exhibit an appalling lack of interpersonal skills. It’s like the old riddle, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Did the artist dedicate himself to art in order to enjoy isolation and avoid social contact? Or did the artist, through dedication and time devoted to creative work, fail to develop social skills?
And how important is sex to the artist and the creative process? Freud undoubtedly would claim that the “driven” artist sublimated his or her sex urge in the creative work. In his book, “Fearless Creating,” Eric Maisel, Ph.D. remarks that there are two camps which basically see art as either self actualization or sublimation.
Quite often, artists make huge sacrifices for their art, especially when it comes to sexual/romantic relationships. At times the serious artist must choose between devoting time to personal relationships vs. time spent making art. While it’s true that one “can have it all,” such balance is difficult to achieve. In addition, many artists exhibit an appalling lack of interpersonal skills. It’s like the old riddle, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Did the artist dedicate himself to art in order to enjoy isolation and avoid social contact? Or did the artist, through dedication and time devoted to creative work, fail to develop social skills?
And how important is sex to the artist and the creative process? Freud undoubtedly would claim that the “driven” artist sublimated his or her sex urge in the creative work. In his book, “Fearless Creating,” Eric Maisel, Ph.D. remarks that there are two camps which basically see art as either self actualization or sublimation.
14/11: Taking a “Creative Holiday”
Conjuring Creativity
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
Creative people frequently grow tired. They need a vacation from the daily grind and usual artistic disappointments. And those circumstances are numerous: no one appreciates our subject matter or painting style, our jewelry doesn’t sell or is so intricate we can’t make it fast enough to build up an inventory, we can’t find an agent let alone a publisher for our book, we don’t get called back at the audition or can’t get find a gig playing our music. No wonder so many artists throw down their palettes and take a nice long nap in the hammock, or drink themselves into a state of oblivion.
The creative life is not easy. Most artists live the creative life because they have to, not because they are particularly adept at it or have the coping skills to deal with the pressures of such a life. So sometimes they feel like they need a break from it. The trick is to figure out if you really do need a holiday or if it’s just resistance to doing your art. Artists are expert procrastinators, calling it by any name other than what it really is.
Musings on the creative process and tips for maximizing creativity.
Creative people frequently grow tired. They need a vacation from the daily grind and usual artistic disappointments. And those circumstances are numerous: no one appreciates our subject matter or painting style, our jewelry doesn’t sell or is so intricate we can’t make it fast enough to build up an inventory, we can’t find an agent let alone a publisher for our book, we don’t get called back at the audition or can’t get find a gig playing our music. No wonder so many artists throw down their palettes and take a nice long nap in the hammock, or drink themselves into a state of oblivion.
The creative life is not easy. Most artists live the creative life because they have to, not because they are particularly adept at it or have the coping skills to deal with the pressures of such a life. So sometimes they feel like they need a break from it. The trick is to figure out if you really do need a holiday or if it’s just resistance to doing your art. Artists are expert procrastinators, calling it by any name other than what it really is.
