My brain and hand are having fun.

It’s been a long time that I allowed myself to have that sort of playful fun with my creativity. Recently, everything has been serious, being a professional artist has meant doing a lot of administrative work, and other not so fun things. In my last post, I mentioned how for nine months straight I was focused on producing just one solo exhibition. As much as that has its own fulfillment, I missed the playful creativity.

Getting Back to Studio Work

In the past couple weeks as I returned to my studio, the first thing that seemed to take shape was a little doodle I started. Initially, it was just something to do to get my brain moving when I found myself stuck on whatever I was working on. It started as one small shape and now it’s mushroomed into something really interesting. I guess the mind has a way of making its way back to what it enjoys.

I’ve shared portions of it in my Instagram stories with my followers. As I was doodling, sometimes, I’ll remember to stop, take a short video, or a photo and share it.

However, the more I returned to the doodle, the more I wondered about what was going on. Because let me tell you. I returned to that doodle a lot. For whatever reason, my brain was finding comfort there. Getting back into the rhythm of studio work again after a break wasn’t going as fast as I’d hoped. And the doodle was helping me not get up and leave. Whenever I felt like leaving, I’ll turn to the doodle. Then after a while of doodling, I’ll get some more ideas for the work I was typing up.

I kept doing this brain and hand dance repeatedly until I got to a point where I could pick myself up and keep going without needing to get back to my doodle. That’s how I was able to get started again creating after a long break. So, like I was saying, I thought this occurrence was interesting. And you know this curious mind of mine. I had to find out more. So, I went to research it.

Researching this Brain and Hand Dance

That’s when I came across an article in Psychology Today, and the story is so similar to mine, you’ll think we’d talked to each other about our experiences. The author, Dr. Susan Biali Haas writes about the same experience where she discovered that using her hands for various activities helped her brain. She explains that “when we use our hands on a task that doesn’t demand much cognitively, it gives the mind a chance to relax and rest”. As a result,

It’s not uncommon for people to have breakthrough ideas while mindlessly working on something with their hands.

Dr. Susan Biali

The thing is the mind can get exhausted. It needs to rest. Using your hands gives your brain the chance to rest, while at the same time allowing your brain to continue problem solving in the background without so much pressure. This is not exclusive to drawing. It works when you use your hands for activities like gardening, knitting or even cleaning.

Also, I found an article that talks about how the hand activates the brain and therefore makes you more creative. I previously discussed this in relationship to journaling and handwriting. When I wrote that previous article, I linked to another one that also talks about the benefits of writing by hand especially cursive writing because it is similar to drawing.

Concluding Thoughts

I really believe writing with your hand generates more creative thoughts than typing. I’ve seen it happen over and over again in my life. Yes, sometimes I use my digital notepad for writing down ideas but it’s never the same as mark making with my hands. The quality and quantity of ideas I get from writing with my hand far exceeds what I get when I type. The digital pad is only convenient because of its ability to organize and keep track of changes.

So, when I really need to generate ideas, I always go for paper. Because I’ve learned that my brain and hand love to work together. One takes the lead and allows the other some respite, then they switch places. Like a beautifully choreographed dance, they anticipate each others next move and needs. The result? A creative work of art.

How do you get yourself unstuck? Share your thoughts below.

Warmly,

Hey creative friends, Happy New Year. I’m excited about what this year will have to offer. This is the beginning of another adventure, for sure. At the start of every new year, I know we all have goals, intentions, and hopes of doing certain things differently, maybe even ‘better’. 

Having said that, we also make certain decisions (consciously or unconsciously) about what to not focus on. Perhaps, postpone to much later in our lives. It is this set of decisions I want to talk to you about today. Ready?

Good. Go grab your favorite beverage. Sit in a comfortable chair, lean in and let’s chat.

So, tell me. Among the things you’ve decided not to do this year, which of them is because you don’t think you’re good enough.

Which of them is because you feel like you’re not there yet”. Or, you don’t have what it takes? Maybe, you tried it and convinced yourself–nah.

I’m talking about all those things that when you compare yourself with those you admire, you feel like you don’t measure up. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Right?

Sometimes, it’s hard for us to admit to ourselves that not being good enough is the reason we’re giving up on our dreams.

We may even convince ourselves that we’re not giving up, we’re simply pausing or prioritizing.

So, take a minute and think about it. Did you subconsciously cross out some creative goals from your list this year? For example, you don’t feel your creative work is good enough so you’ve decided not to show it till some time in the future when you retire and can focus more time on developing your craft.

Of course, this is simply an example. You know yourself better than I do and you can pinpoint exactly those areas in your life you’re waiting to “get better at” before you start showing up fully as the person with the incredible skills that you currently have.

What computers, spaceships, cell phones and your creative dreams have in common

I read an article the other day and it made me think about you. Yes, you-hiding your creative skills till some arbitrary day when you become good enough.

Did you know that the computing power of today’s smartphones, (for example the iPhone that you’re holding in your hands right now on which you’re probably reading this post) is more powerful than the computing power of the computers that powered the first spacecraft which took man to the moon in 1969?

Why is this piece of information relevant to you? Let me unpack it for you.

This is how it hit me when I read that article. If NASA had waited to have “today’s technological advancements, we’d still be waiting for man to go to the moon.

It simply wouldn’t have happened. Why do I say that? Because the thing is, we haven’t seen the best of cellphone technology yet. It’s going to get even better. NASA had to start with what they had. They couldn’t afford to wait.

In much the same way, if you’re waiting for your “best” work before you call yourself an artist or before you start sharing your work with the world, your best is yet to come and you’ll wait a really, really  long time to get started.

The other thing is, because of the work NASA did decades ago, its enabled improvem­ents to be made to computing technology. Without that initial technology, there’ll be no basis on which to make some of the improvements to technology we enjoy today. And that’s what you have to remember. You need to get your work out so you can have a basis for improvement.

When you start without waiting to be good enough, it ensures that you'll have the time you need to grow.

Recently, I saw a piece by an artist whose work I admire! She’d created this particular art piece four (4) years prior

Comparing that piece to her current work was like night and day. Does it mean her prior work is not good. No. In context, that piece may have been her “best work” at the time she created it. And without creating that piece and sharing it with the world, she wouldn’t have learned what she needed to improve in order to be able to create the quality of work she does now.

In the same way, the NASA technology that took man to the moon was the best at the time it was made.

The important thing is to simply build on what you currently have. Don’t wait to be good. You’ve already got what you need for this season of your life.

Just keep building on it. Quit waiting for a “convenient season” in your life before you go all in with your creativity. Let’s be clear. You can’t guarantee what the next seasons of your life will be like. All you’ve got is the season you’re in today. So, use it. 

Remember, you can’t get to your destination without going through the journey. This year, start your journey, or keep moving through the creative journey you’ve already started.

Step by step, day by day, you’ll get closer to your destination.

Whether consciously or subconsciously, don’t count yourself out before the year even gets started.

Warmest Regards,

Hey Creative Friend, today, let’s chat about creative uses for your cellphone cameras.

First – story time 🙂 When I was a child, on numerous occasions, I remember seeing my dad step off an airplane from his business trips with a camera slung around his neck. That image of him is so vivid in my mind’s eye today as if it were just yesterday. Without fail, he’d return from his travels with tons of photos of the places he’d visited. And for me, that was certainly one of the highlights of his return home. 

It’s no wonder I love cameras – actually, I love all things electronic.

I use my camera quite often and with the abundance of smart phone usage, there’s no reason to be caught without a camera. As an artist or a creative person, there are a ton of creative ways to use your cellphone camera and today, I want to share how I use mine with you:

1. The Bigger Picture 

When working on a piece, it’s sometimes hard to get a good sense of how the piece is coming together while my nose is buried right there in the work. Taking a photo and viewing the work on a smaller scale on my cellphone gives me a better view of the big picture.

2. Portable Gallery 

I take photos of my designs with my cellphone’s camera so I can easily have access to my designs when I’m away from my studio. This also allows me to start conversations about my work and show my work to others who are interested. In effect, I carry a portable gallery with me wherever I go.

3. Auditioning Color Choices

One of the nuggets of wisdom I’ve picked up over the years is to “make visual decisions, visually“. Don’t try to think of a visual decision, try to look at it and then decide. So, when trying to decide on specific colors or any other design issue for that matter, the camera is a very useful tool. Photograph each of your color choices. Then review the images on your camera and make your choice. Do this, instead of just thinking and then making the decision. 

4. Critiquing 

Good critiques help us create stronger and better work. Your camera allows you to examine your work with a critical eye. It’s also easy to get feedback and critique from others when your work is easily accessible from your phone. Sometimes, I show my work in process photos on my phone to family and friends for their feedback.

5. Extend Your Studio Time

I take a photo of what I’m working on before I leave my studio. If I happen to be waiting to be attended to somewhere (doctor’s office etc), I’ll pull out my phone, not to play a game, but to stare at the photo of my work. Then, I write notes on how I want to proceed the next time I go back to my studio. I probably spend almost as much time working out of the studio as I spend in it, by using this trick.

6.  Record Work Process

Create a photo journal of your work process on your phone. Visually seeing the process by which you created a piece can be very helpful in learning what’s working and what’s not. It can also serve as a record for defining your process and making it repeatable. Also, you can use it for your own future reference or for teaching others. 

7.  Catch Problems Early

Work in progress photos can help you catch problems in your work early. Before I started using my camera this way, I’ll go too far in the process before noticing a problem. Then I’ll have to agonize over whether to correct the problem or not. However, when I have work in process photos on my cellphone cameras and review the photos, I’m able to catch problem areas early in the process.

8. Value Studies 

Okay, here’s a saying I coined to help me stay grounded when I’m doing color and design work. Want to hear it?

“Color” is seductive. But “Value” is loyal.

Let me explain. We all love color and very often we get attracted to using different colors without making sure that they’re working well together in our work. A quick and easy way to make sure that the colors in your work are playing nice with each other is to have a good distribution of values (lightness or darkness) in your colors. Most cellphone cameras have the feature to turn a photo into greyscale or black and white. When you do that you can clearly see the values and how well they’re distributed and if they’re working together.

9. Inspiration Album

Create an Inspiration Album by taking photos of things you will like to create or depict in your work. Do this by collecting online photos of different images which are related together or take your own photos with you cellphone. Then, put all the photos in an album on your cellphone. Review and take notes of what you like about each photo. You’ll end up with a unique description of a design concept that you can implement to create a wonderful piece. Beware of and adhere to copyright laws when collecting online photos.

10. Crop Tool

Composition is a major part of creating great work. One way to enhance your composition is zoom in to the interesting parts of your work and leave out what’s not eye catching. Using the crop tool on your cellphone, you can edit a photo of your work to zoom in just on the right parts of the work which will make the biggest impact. Then, crop out the unnecessary stuff, thus enhancing your composition.

11. Tracking Your Project Time

Another creative way to use your cell phone camera is by using it to track how much time you spend on your projects. Since the photos you take from the start of your work till you complete are date stamped, you can use those dates to easily determine how long it took for you to complete a project. 

So there you have it – 11 creative uses of your cellphone cameras. What are your favorite creative uses of cameras?

Let’s continue the conversation in the comments section below.

Warmest Regards,

Hey Creative Friends, There’s this aged long debate about whether creativity is a talent(something you’re born with) or a skill (something you learn). I think that framing the question that way as two mutually exclusive options is why this debate is never satisfactorily put to rest. 

We, as humans often like to have this clear cut solution to issues. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work that way. Things turn out to be more nuanced than that. 

When it comes to the origin of creativity- answering it as either this or that leads to a specific set of conclusions which inform us on how to behave with creativity. 

What do I mean by that? Let me explain. 

The Effortless Mindset

When we think that creativity is a talent or gift that you either have or don’t have, your approach to that “gift” is hands-off.  In other words, you conclude that you’ll be able to be creative no matter what. You don’t need to do anything to make your gift flourish. It’s been wrapped and delivered to you and that’s the end of that story. You’ve just got to enjoy it. This hands-off idea leads to what I term the “effortless mindset” to creativity. 

When you think that creativity is a gift that you either have or don’t have, what happens is that you have the mindset that you can create masterpieces effortlessly. 

The Effort & Time Mindset

On the other hand, when you think that creativity is a skill that you cultivate through learning and practice, you have the “effort and time mindset” to creativity. 

These two mindsets are totally different and they not only make people think differently, they make them get different results when it comes to their creativity. 

Personally, I believe that creativity is not a question of either or. It’s not whether you’re gifted or you’re not. It’s a little bit of both. I believe creativity is a gift that you cultivate. This belief system leads to a totally different approach to creativity and thus a different set of possibilities. 

Creativity is a gift that you cultivate.

Clara Nartey

What do I mean by that? Let’s dig deeper. 

Everyone has a spark or little seed of creativity inside of them. There are different and unique gifts hidden on the inside of all of us. Each one different from the other. I believe these are “gifts” because they’re things for us to enjoy. Also, each of us tends to be inclined to do certain things more easily than others. And that’s where the “unique gifts” or natural tendencies come in. 

However, those gifts do not turn into masterful skill sets or abilities by themselves. 

Giftedness does not naturally lead to mastery

Clara Nartey

Let’s think of these gifts as sparks. For a spark to turn into a flame, you need to apply some effort to it  – fan the spark to get it going. That requires both effort and time.  If we look at this gift/talent as a seed, it works the same way. When you plant your flower seeds you need to water, turn the soil, feed it, till it blooms.  In this case, it also requires time and effort. 

Effect of Your Creativity Mindset

When you have the Effort and Time Mindset, you take the long game approach. You don’t chalk failures to lack of talent. Rather, you understand that you need time and effort to see the results you want.

The way you apply time and effort to your creativity is by practicing. You’ve got to make time to explore, experiment, and express your creativity. 

You need time on two different levels for this to happen. 

1. Time to apply effort – that is time to explore, experiment and express yourself 
2. Time to see progress – that is time for your efforts to bear fruit. It doesn’t happen overnight. 

Meanwhile, when you have the Effortless Mindset, you expect to be able to do things easily without much effort. When you’re working with your unique gifts, initially that may well be the case, because of your natural inclinations. However, to gain mastery, you’ll need to go beyond that.

What the effortless mindset does though is that, when you encounter difficulties, they tend to frustrate you and make it likely that you’ll give up as a result. Or if you choose to hang in there and keep trying, you’re frequently hard on yourself. You see others creating awesome things and you conclude that you’re not as talented as they are. You see, our beliefs, mindsets, and expectations affect our creative results.

There you have it, two different creativity mindsets that impact the way your creativity plays out in your individual life.

Your creativity mindset determines your approach to applying time and effort. Secondly, your time management skills determine how much time you have so that you can apply effort and see results. 

That’s it for now. 

Chat soon. 
Love 💕 
Clara. 

PS: If you need help with your creative mindset, check out Clarity to Create. And to get help with managing your time to create, Time Mastery for Creatives is  what you need. 

Hey Creative Friend,

Are you trying to become a successful artist? Do you have dreams of showing your works in some of the most significant exhibitions? Probably, you’ll like to have your works acquired by prestigious museums and prominent collectors, or then again probably, your dream is to completely sell out all the art collections you create.

Whatever your definition of success looks like, the path to success may not always be as clear as your personal definition of success.

However, there’s a saying (by Tony Robbins) that goes: “Success leaves clues”. If you’ve ever taken one of my courses before or heard me speak, you’ve probably heard me say it.

When you want to be successful at doing anything, look for people who’ve succeeded at doing that same thing and start looking for the clues to their success. These clues are all over the place. You just need to be an intentional student of success, willing to discover the clues and learn the lessons therein. So that you’ll be ready when success comes knocking.

This past week, I read a New York Times article about a sculptor who has risen to the limelight.  For most people, seeing her rise in the media, they’ll assume that she’s lucky to get this attention. However, I don’t think so.

I believe there are stages to success.  Let’s unpack this statement.

For now, let’s just stick to the early stages of success. The beginning stages are usually not pretty. This stage involves a lot of self-discovering, making mistakes, self-doubt, and non-stop learning. As much as we all can’t wait to grow and become successful, it’s in our best interest to have a period of preparation without the spotlight of success trained on us. 

Just think about it for a moment. 

In the beginning, when you’re making the most mistakes, doing crappy work and stumbling all over yourself, will you truly appreciate the glare success will inevitably shine on you? No! I didn’t think so.

There is value in spending time to get prepared. Eventually, success will come knocking.  The question is, will it find you ready?

This point of preparing for success is further illustrated by the New York Times article about artist Simone Leigh, who in recent months, has risen to the limelight.

Ms. Leigh is an artist whose works have recently been acquired by prominent collectors, won awards, exhibited in some great venues. Reading about all these recent media attention, you’ll think it all just happened in the past couple of months.

Nah! It rarely happens that way in real life. 

There’s nothing like “overnight success”. It’s hard work and preparation when no one is watching.

Here’s what one curator who’s familiar with Ms. Leigh’s work says about all of this attention Ms. Leigh is getting: “She’s driving a cultural shift. It feels like a moment, but it is really just that the wool has been lifted from everyone’s eyes.”

The fact is that Ms. Leigh has been working as a sculptor for 25 years.  Did you get that? Twenty-somewhat years. She’s only now beginning to get recognized for her work.

How do you think Ms. Leigh feels about her “delayed success”? Here’s what she says. “Because I was largely ignored, I had a long time to mature without any kind of glare, which worked out for me quite well,”

We all need that time to mature, to grow our skills, to learn to manage our time, to get the crappy work out of the way.  So that when that glare of the spotlight falls on us, we can hold our heads high. Not that we’ll never make any more mistakes; surely we will. However, we’ll have the experience and maturity to handle whatever the limelight throws at us.

Are you ready for success?  Now, is the time to prepare for it.

Best Regards,

Hey Creative Friend,

How are you doing? How are you holding up?

No matter who we are, when everything is said and done, we all will be touched somehow by this pandemic – whether emotionally, physically, mentally, financially, or spiritually.

This is a defining moment in our lives.

The constant barrage of negative news can be mentally exhausting and emotionally difficult. When you watch human beings reduced to numbers, it can take a toll on a person’s psyche.​

When this is all over, we ‘ve got to find ways to address the mental health issues which are arising out of the fear, anxiety, loneliness, isolation, pain, and grief of this pandemic.​

Journal writing, although it cannot replace medical help for mental health issues, has been shown to be very helpful for dealing with difficult and stressful situations. And we can all agree that living through a pandemic is a stressful issue.

“If you’re serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured, and unique individual, keep a journal.” ~ Jim Rohn

I’ve been keeping journals since I was a teenager. And so have many successful people – both historical figures like Albert Einstein, and those currently living, like Oprah Winfery. 

There’s something powerful about doing a mental detox – clearing your head of the emotions and thoughts constantly spinning around in there and putting them on a piece of paper.

My course, Daily Journaling : A 14-Day Challenge, helps you to jumpstart a journaling practice. Whether you’re a beginning journaler, or you’ve been journaling for years, or you’re someone who started and stopped, this challenge will help you jumpstart journaling.

This challenge currently priced at $37, has both video lessons and print materials to ensure you can benefit, no matter your learning style.

What I’ll like to do is, for a limited time, I’ll offer this challenge to you FREE of charge to help you cultivate the skill of journaling- that is especially useful in these times of isolation and introspection.​

In addition, I’ll throw in a FREE Private Facebook Community and some live chats for the 14-day challenge. I recognize that community and support are even more important now because of social distancing. So, I want to offer you that community – a place we can all hang out and provide support.

I may also throw in some prizes to make it even more fun.​

If you’re interested in embarking on a FREE 14-day journaling and self-growth challenge, then don’t wait any longer.  Sign up to get more details and be put on the list.

I know isolation is hard. I’ve got three kids at home who’re doing online school at the same time. Each of them needs their own space to work. I haven’t gone out to the grocery store in a month. We’re all stuck at home. Staying locked down is not easy.

If you’re looking for a way to get through isolation, get out of your own head and do something different, I understand. I’ll be glad to work with you to start/restart a new journal writing practice. It’s not as hard as you may think. Journaling is one of the things that keeps me calm during difficult times, a safe place to go.

Let’s get through this together. I’ll like to help.

I can’t wait to see you inside the challenge. Sign up NOW!!!​

Years ago, after I’d had this blog for a while, I started getting requests to teach. Initially, I wasn’t sure I wanted to teach (See me answer that question below).  Then as time went by, I started thinking about creating some courses to satisfy the constant request for me to teach.

The thing was, I didn’t have clarity about what I really wanted the outcome to be for my students.  Of course, I wanted them to learn the course materials I’ll be teaching. But after that, then what?

Nah!!!

Teaching for teaching sake wasn’t enough for me

I was looking for an overall meaning or vision that’ll make me teach. And without that I really didn’t have the direction I needed to make progress.

In fact, if you peeked onto my laptop right now, you’ll see a folder called “Courses to Teach”. I started creating courses – different types – some on creativity, others on fiber art, and some on professional development, years ago.  There were a couple I completed but never let them see the light of day.  And there were those I hardly made any progress on.  I kept changing my mind as to what I really wanted to achieve with my courses.

It wasn’t until March of this year, that I finally got clarity on what I truly wanted to accomplish with my courses.  I wanted to take my students on a journey that will lead to a transformation in their creative lives. It wasn’t enough for me to have my students learn my course materials.  I wanted to make an impact in their lives. I wanted them to be transformed. To be better off for having taken one of my courses. That was it!

Finally, I knew what I wanted my courses to be about.

That’s when I became unstuck. I became free to go and create the courses I wanted.

Put clarity before effort

You see, it wasn’t lack of effort that had kept me from creating courses all these years. Actually, I’d exerted a lot of effort as you can clearly see by the many folders I have on my laptop. Not just that, but the countless hours of videos I’d filmed and several workbooks I’d created for courses I never published, painted an even clearer picture.

Frankly, the hours of work that has gone into unpublished courses is unbelievable. And the amount of money I paid for three years to maintain an online school that I didn’t use is simply ridiculous.

But as soon as I got clarity, I started charting a clear path. 

I didn’t even go back to my unpublished courses.  I started work on creating a new course because I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted to take my students through a journey, to give them an experience – not just a course . And that wasn’t quite available in any of the courses I’d previously created.

And now as the year closes out, I can confidently say, I’ve created a course that delivers the experience I had in mind to create with all my courses.

Here’s what lack of clarity does:

That’s the thing about clarity, when you don’t have it, you

• waste time doing busy work that doesn’t result in real progress
• get stressed and overwhelmed by what needs to be done
• lack direction because you’re being pulled in many directions
• don’t complete projects
• waste money

On the other hand, when you gain clarity, you become unleashed. Obstacles and distractions become obvious for what they are. You’ll quickly learn that, sometimes good things can become distractions because they don’t help you move towards your destination. Moreover, with clarity, you’ll accomplish in a short time what you’ve been trying to do forever.

You’ll accomplish more in a short time with clarity than you will do by trying all your life without clarity

Zig Ziglar is quoted as saying, “Lack of direction, not lack of time is the problem.  We all have 24-hour days.”

As we close out the year, how are you feeling about how your year went?

Were you able to do most of what you wanted to do? If you spent time going around in circles and feeling stressed about your progress in specific areas, it certainly can’t be because of lack of time. As you know, this year, each of us has exactly 365 days to ourselves.

Lack of clarity is costing you big time. It’s not just in dollars and cents but in the progress you didn’t make and the feeling of accomplishment you missed out on. Do you have clarity on why your creativity matters? Can you articulate why your personal creativity is worthy of your time? Can you identify the obstacles in front of you?

When you have clarity, it changes things around you. It becomes easier for people to support you to get what you want.

In the coming months, you’ll hear “Vision 2020” said a lot. The new decade is about clarity and vision. Don’t enter 2020 without vision or the clarity you need to achieve your dreams.

Take The Clarity to Create course and gain clarity for the journey ahead.

When I gained clarity, I became unstopped. In six months, I created a course I’d been trying to create for three years. And I’ve got another course in the pipeline, which I’ll be releasing shortly. And another for next year. It’s like the floodgates opened when clarity came in.

What are you waiting for?

Take the course and unleash your creativity.

Look ahead to next year by this time. What will you be saying as you review your year 2020? Did you get the clarity you needed to unleash your creativity? Or were you stuck with a lot of uncompleted projects and no direction to move forward?

You can choose NOW what the ending of 2020 is going to look like for you.

Choose clarity.

Warmest regards.

Curiosity is related to inquisitive thinking, exploration, desire to learn and many more things that you’ll think are great. Right?

However, in some circles, curiosity is not encouraged. Have you ever tried to find out more about something or suggested a different approach to doing things only to have someone tell you, “you’re too much”?

We cannot accept that way of thinking, though. The way of thinking that says – “This is the way it’s done. Period.” That’s something we cannot encourage, accept, or live with.

Curiosity results in creative ideas 

After all, when we ask, “what if” (in other words, when we’re curious), it helps us look for alternative ways of doing things.  This results in creative ideas. And creative ideas are the gems which result in creativity, innovation and changes in the world.

However, when we’re not curious we do the same things over and over again. Then something we do that was once “new and original” becomes “old and uninteresting“.

Can you imagine if in today’s world, we were still typing on typewriters instead of on computers and handheld devices?

As much as typewriters were new and innovative in their time, look how infinitely better electronic devices are. We wouldn’t have had any of these advancements in technology, if someone hadn’t been curious enough to ask, “what if”.

The thing is, finding alternative ways to use typewriters is what has brought us here today.

Similarly, when we think and set out to find alternative ways of doing what we currently do, the results will be an improvement on what we’ve always done.  This way we’ll not find ourselves stuck with our “once new and interesting ideas” which have become “old and uninteresting”.

If you find that something you do has become “old and uninteresting”, it’s time to ask yourself, “what if”.

Keep in mind that “old” is relative 

Someone might decide their way of doing something is “old” after a couple of months and another will not find their craft “old” until well over a span of several years has passed.

“Old” is individual. It is personal. Whatever it means to you, just make sure when you start sensing that it’s time for change, you make the change.

And recently, that’s what I did with my artwork.

My Own Curiosity Project

I decided that my way of stitching up faces which I started several months ago in my Drawn with Threads project, had become “old”. I wanted a new way of doing things. So, I started asking, “what if” questions. I knew that this way, I’ll come up with alternative ideas. And sure enough I did.

I settled on changing the one piece backgrounds I was using for my portraits to collaged backgrounds.

To start, I collected together a few fabrics in the color scheme I wanted to use and began to cut them up. Then I glued them together.  So, the process was, Collect, Cut, then Glue. I repeated that process several times till I came up with a big enough size that I could use.

Then, the next step was to sketch a face directly onto my collaged fabric with a heat erasable pen.

After that, I brought it to my sewing machine to stitch the face I’d drawn. I started with outline drawing with threads and then I moved to shading with threads to arrive at my completed piece of artwork.

https://www.facebook.com/ClaraNarteyArt/videos/1895201853957907/

The result of my Curiosity Project is that I created something that’s different. It’s new and it no longer feels “old” to me.

You should try it, when things start getting boring around your studio, embark on a “Curiosity Project”. whether you’re openly curious or curious at heart, this will benefit you.

What a Curiosity Project involves is this:

1. Be curious in your everyday life. Ask what if’s
2. Cultivate curiosity in your creativity. Find alternative ways to do things in your creative process
3. Experiment and play with the alternative (creative) ways you came up with

To sum it all up, ask “what ifs”, explore, and try something new. Curiosity is not a bad word. It leads to creative ideas.

Question: What do you do when your creative practice gets boring or “old” to you? Does it ever get old?

I have a special Black Friday through Cyber Monday offer for you.

This is an exceptional time to gain clarity so that you can start the new year on track to unleash your creativity.

A lot of us are going to set goals for the new year but will we achieve them?

Many of the obstacles we encounter are because we’re not clear about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and how to do it.

That’s why I’m giving you my course The Clarity to Create at a special package offer so that you can identify your creative blocks, learn to overcome them, and move forward to maximize your creative skills.

I’m confident that this course will be a game-changer for you. (Check out what other students are saying) 

You can’t keep doing the same things and expect different results. Right?

I want to help you get what you need to make progress.

Here’s my offer to you:

I’m going to clear my calendar for you. I’ll throw in a FREE 30 minutes one-on-one consulting call ($75 value) with every purchase of The Clarity to Create.

One-on-One consults are very valuable in getting help with your specific creative issues.

So, if you want to finally get the clarity that will move your creativity forward, as well as a rare chance to chat with me, one-on-one, then don’t miss out on this LIMITED TIME OFFER.

HURRY!!!

Enroll in The Clarity to Create and get a complimentary 30-minutes call with me.

This offer runs from today, Black Friday – November 29, 2019 until midnight (EST) on Cyber Monday – December 2, 2019.

Lack of clarity zaps your energy. It makes you spend much of your time with distractions so that you have nothing left for pursuing the things you REALLY want to create.

What are you waiting for?

Take advantage of this SPECIAL OFFER to get the clarity you need to make the progress you deserve. Overcome your creative blocks so that you can unleash your creativity.

See you inside the course.

Chat soon.
Clara.

PS: Wondering how it works? You’ll get further instructions on how to schedule your one-on-one call AFTER you purchase The Clarity to Create.

Hey Creative Friend,

I’m thrilled to share my newly published book – Drawn with Threads with you. You probably recognize the title from my solo exhibition earlier in the year.  

If you did recognize it, then bravo!!! Yep, the book is based on that exhibit and my creative journey. At the time, little did I know that this exhibit will shape my entire year.

“Drawn with Threads” is a passion project – a heartfelt book, PLUS free audio diary. It wasn’t a book I planned to write, it is a book that wanted me to write it. The book literally flowed out of me.

I’m sure by now you’re  wondering what it’s all about. I’m not going to keep you in suspense.

Here are the details. The book is the backstory of how I realized my creative potential, resulting in this art exhibition. It’s a truly inspiring book that challenges you to unlock your own creative potential.

If you’re a visual person, and I know many of you are, you’ll find the book visually satisfying (Of course, the print more than the digital version). There are over 100 photos of completed artworks, work-in-progress photos, and exhibition photos in this book. The book itself is a piece of art.

When you buy a copy, in addition to the book, you’ll get an audio copy of my private artist’s diary. It is the diary I kept while making the pieces in the book. This diary gives you a close and intimate look at the emotional journey and the creative process of making all the artworks in the book.

Yep!!! All the artworks shown in the book were literally drawn with threads on my domestic sewing machine.

I had absolute satisfaction creating each and every one of those pieces. When you listen to the audio diary which comes with each book purchase, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.

The artworks examine issues of identity versus culture. It attempts to answer the following questions:

Can women separate who they are from how they look? It’s the question of image versus identity. Is society right to judge you based on what’s on your head rather than what’s in it?

Overall, this book is about how unlimited your opportunities are when you pursue your creativity. Those who’ve read it so far, love it.

I wanted to give you a special treat, so that you could also get a chance to read it.

So, for TWO DAYS ONLY, the digital copy of the book is FREE on Amazon. This limited offer ends on Wednesday October 2, 2019.

What are you waiting for? Better go grab your copy NOW. That way, you get two for the price of one. Buy the print copy, and then while you’re waiting for it to arrive in your mailbox, get started on the FREE digital version.

Happy reading.

Love.
Clara.

PS: I want to hear about how much you enjoyed reading the book.  So, leave your comments below.