It strikes me that we are at a time where creativity and the creative process has never been more necessary or important in our individual and collective lives.

Humanity is in big trouble.     Many refuse to acknowledge this and simply choose to bury their collective heads in the sand!

We are being given every wake up call imaginable….and still we choose to ignore the unpleasant truths as we continue to remain wilfully ignorant about our circumstances.

In this post I want to talk about How the creative process works…..and how through it we can find some of the answers to the terrible mess we find ourselves in

Creative thinking is a simple and beautiful process.     Initially the seed of an idea is sewn.    This is an exciting moment…….one which must be recorded because although we think at the time we will never forget this brilliant idea…we can and we will unless we make note of it.

The seed then enters into an incubation period which can be short lived, or take years to come to fruition.

The seed of an idea has no real form……it floats in our minds like magic. As we go about our daily lives, just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being revealed, the seed sprouts ideas that give us more information…..This can happen at any time.

It’s vital to record these ideas, because even when we think we couldn’t possibly forget a moment of inspiration……we can, and do, which is why it’s important to always have a sketch/notebook at hand.

Like a ghostly apparition sometimes the answer seems almost within reach – but then it disappears and returns to incubation…giving us just a glimpse of what it might be.   This moment can be both frustrating and exciting.      We must be patient and wait for more information to be revealed.

Ultimately we hope to experience the ‘Ah Ha’ moment.    That exquisite time when the completed jigsaw puzzle is revealed in our mind’s eye……At this point, we can see and feel the rhythm and flow of the concept.    Finer details are revealed as we move forward.The more we exercise and practise our creative thinking, regardless of what discipline we are involved in, the easier and more fluent this process will become.       Play is a key element in revealing vital clues.

watercolour/gouacheToday our world is filled with man made turbulence.   By rising above all the madness  – we can open up the channels of creative possibilities hidden within. 

I find that it’s vital to ignore the relentless news!     Its constant repetition causes confusion, distress and fragmentation within our minds, preventing us from connecting with the creative channels within. 

It is through these channels we can find solutions and answers to our problems.     First we must acknowledge the problems  and then we tap into our individual and collective creativity to solve them, and most importantly always remember to carry the note/sketch book to record each idea as it is revealed.

It has always been my belief that the creative process in all its many forms is the key to emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. 

I have made some amendments to this post……with the help of a hummingbird.

It strikes me that we are at a time where cre

ativity and the creative process has never been more necessary or important in our individual and collective lives.

Humanity is in big trouble.     Many refuse to acknowledge this and simply choose to bury their collective heads in the sand!

We are being given every wake up call imaginable….and still we choose to ignore the unpleasant truths as we continue to remain wilfully ignorant about our circumstances.

In this post I want to talk about How the creative process works…..and how through it we can find some of the answers to the terrible mess we find ourselves in

Creative thinking is a simple and beautiful process.     Initially the seed of an idea is sewn.    This is an exciting moment…….one which must be recorded because although we think at the time we will never forget this brilliant idea…we can and we will unless we make note of it.

The seed then enters into an incubation period which can be short lived, or take years to come to fruition.

The seed of an idea has no real form……it floats in our minds like magic. As we go about our daily lives, just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being revealed, the seed sprouts ideas that give us more information…..This can happen at any time.

It’s vital to record these ideas, because even when we think we couldn’t possibly forget a moment of inspiration……we can, and do, which is why it’s important to always have a sketch/notebook at hand.

Like a ghostly apparition sometimes the answer seems almost within reach – but then it disappears and returns to incubation…giving us just a glimpse of what it might be.   This moment can be both frustrating and exciting.      We must be patient and wait for more information to be revealed.

Ultimately we hope to experience the ‘Ah Ha’ moment.    That exquisite time when the completed jigsaw puzzle is revealed in our mind’s eye……At this point, we can see and feel the rhythm and flow of the concept.    Finer details are revealed as we move forward.The more we exercise and practise our creative thinking, regardless of what discipline we are involved in, the easier and more fluent this process will become.       Play is a key element in revealing vital clues.

watercolour/gouacheToday our world is filled with man made turbulence.   By rising above all the madness  – we can open up the channels of creative possibilities hidden within. 

I find that it’s vital to ignore the relentless news!     Its constant repetition causes confusion, distress and fragmentation within our minds, preventing us from connecting with the creative channels within. 

It is through these channels we can find solutions and answers to our problems.     First we must acknowledge the problems  and then we tap into our individual and collective creativity to solve them, and most importantly always remember to carry the note/sketch book to record each idea as it is revealed.

It strikes me that we are at a time where creativity and the creative process has never been more necessary or important in our individual and collective lives.

Humanity is in big trouble.     Many refuse to acknowledge this and simply choose to bury their collective heads in the sand!

We are being given every wake up call imaginable….and still we choose to ignore the unpleasant truths as we continue to remain wilfully ignorant about our circumstances.

In this post I want to talk about How the creative process works…..and how through it we can find some of the answers to the terrible mess we find ourselves in

Creative thinking is a simple and beautiful process.     Initially the seed of an idea is sewn.    This is an exciting moment…….one which must be recorded because although we think at the time we will never forget this brilliant idea…we can and we will unless we make note of it.

The seed then enters into an incubation period which can be short lived, or take years to come to fruition.

The seed of an idea has no real form……it floats in our minds like magic. As we go about our daily lives, just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being revealed, the seed sprouts ideas that give us more information…..This can happen at any time.

It’s vital to record these ideas, because even when we think we couldn’t possibly forget a moment of inspiration……we can, and do, which is why it’s important to always have a sketch/notebook at hand.

Like a ghostly apparition sometimes the answer seems almost within reach – but then it disappears and returns to incubation…giving us just a glimpse of what it might be.   This moment can be both frustrating and exciting.      We must be patient and wait for more information to be revealed.

Ultimately we hope to experience the ‘Ah Ha’ moment.    That exquisite time when the completed jigsaw puzzle is revealed in our mind’s eye……At this point, we can see and feel the rhythm and flow of the concept.    Finer details are revealed as we move forward.The more we exercise and practise our creative thinking, regardless of what discipline we are involved in, the easier and more fluent this process will become.       Play is a key element in revealing vital clues.

watercolour/gouacheToday our world is filled with man made turbulence.   By rising above all the madness  – we can open up the channels of creative possibilities hidden within. 

I find that it’s vital to ignore the relentless news!     Its constant repetition causes confusion, distress and fragmentation within our minds, preventing us from connecting with the creative channels within. 

It is through these channels we can find solutions and answers to our problems.     First we must acknowledge the problems  and then we tap into our individual and collective creativity to solve them, and most importantly always remember to carry the note/sketch book to record each idea as it is revealed.

It has always been my belief that the creative process in all its many forms is the key to emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. 

It strikes me that we are at a time where creativity and the creative process has never been more necessary or important in our individual and collective lives.

The human race is in big trouble.     Many refuse to acknowledge this and simply choose to bury their collective heads in the sand!

We are being given every wake up call imaginable….and still we choose to ignore the unpleasant truths as we continue to remain wilfully ignorant about our circumstances.

In this post I want to talk about How the creative process works…..and how through it we can find some of the answers to the terrible mess we find ourselves in

Creative thinking is a simple and beautiful process.     Initially the seed of an idea is sewn.    This is an exciting moment…….one which must be recorded because although we think at the time we will never forget this brilliant idea…we can and we will unless we make note of it.

The seed then enters into an incubation period which can be short lived, or take years to come to fruition.

The seed of an idea has no real form……it floats in our minds like magic. As we go about our daily lives, just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being revealed, the seed sprouts ideas that give us more information…..This can happen at any time.

It’s vital to record these ideas, because even when we think we couldn’t possibly forget a moment of inspiration……we can, and do, which is why it’s important to always have a sketch/notebook at hand.

Like a ghostly apparition sometimes the answer seems almost within reach – but then it disappears and returns to incubation…giving us just a glimpse of what it might be.   This moment can be both frustrating and exciting.      We must wait for more information to be revealed.

Ultimately we hope to experience the ‘Ah Ha’ moment.    That exquisite time when the completed jigsaw puzzle is revealed in our mind’s eye……At this point, we can see and feel the rhythm and flow of the concept.    Finer details are revealed as we commence work.The more we exercise and practise our creative thinking, regardless of what discipline we are involved in, the easier and more fluent this process will become.       Playing is a key element in revealing vital clues.

watercolour/gouacheToday our world is filled with man made turbulence, however if we spread our wings like the hummingbird and soar above it all – I believe that we open up the channels of creative possibilities hidden within each one of us. 

It is through these channels we can find solutions and answers to our problems.     First we must acknowledge the problems and then we tap into our individual and collective creativity to solve them, and most importantly always remember to carry the note/sketch book to record each idea as it is revealed.

As we move through our creative journey sometimes ‘impatience’ gets in the way….We have a desire to create perfect paintings (no such thing)       This can get in the way of our understanding how the creative process works and consequently our growth as artists. 

In this post, through visuals, I show how our minds are working during this process.   From the moment a seed of inspiration is sewn – through the incubation period –  all the way to the Ah Ha moment.                 Every part of the process is vital….remember everything is interconnected. 

Initially the seed of an idea is sewn.     A lovely and often exciting moment.

The seed then enters into an incubation period which can be short lived, or take years to come to fruition.     It can also live alongside other seeds….. This is why sketch books should be with us at all times – to jot down ideas and thoughts as they emerge.

The seed of an idea As we go about our daily lives, just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being revealed, the seed sprouts ideas that give us more and more information…..

It’s vital to record these ideas, because even when we think we couldn’t possibly forget a moment of inspiration……we can, and do….. 

Like a ghostly apparition sometimes the answer seems almost within reach – but then it disappears and returns to incubation….it was just a glimpse of what might be.

Ultimately we hope to experience the ‘Ah Ha’ moment.    That exquisite time when the completed jigsaw puzzle is revealed in our mind’s eye……At this point, we can see and feel the rhythms and flow of the concept.    More details are revealed as we commence work.The more we exercise and practise our creative thinking, regardless of what discipline we are involved in, the easier and more fluent this process will become.       PLAYING is a key element in revealing vital clues.        Working on more than one piece at a time can prevent us from  getting stuck!

large commissioned oil on board mural…which began with a seed of an idea….Along with the finished piece I painted numerous watercolours to help me work my way thought the process. 

The more we understand and experience this exciting process – we are freed up to be more adventurous and creative.

By the way this process works for all other creative endeavours. One of my students who is knitting the most beautiful things for her new Grandchild…apologised for not doing enough painting…. I immediately said – one discipline with feed the other….Everything is interconnected.

Like a flying jewel, the hummingbird darts lightly through the world, teaching us to appreciate the wonder and magic of every day existence……….

watercolour/gouache

How does the creative process work?

Initially the seed of an idea is sewn.

The seed then enters into an incubation period which can be short lived, or take years to come to fruition.

The seed of an idea As we go about our daily lives, just like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being revealed, the seed sprouts ideas that give us more information…..This can happen at any time.

It’s vital to record these ideas, because even when we think we couldn’t possibly forget a moment of inspiration……we can, and do, which is why it’s important to always have a sketch/notebook at hand.

Like a ghostly apparition sometimes the answer seems almost within reach – but then it disappears and returns to incubation….it was just a glimpse of what might be.

Ultimately we hope to experience the ‘Ah Ha’ moment.    That exquisite time when the completed jigsaw puzzle is revealed in our mind’s eye……At this point, we can see and feel the rhythms and flow of the concept.    Finer details are revealed as we commence work.The more we exercise and practise our creative thinking, regardless of what discipline we are involved in, the easier and more fluent this process will become.       Playing is a key element in revealing vital clues.

watercolour/gouacheThe human world is filled with turbulence, however if we spread our wings like the magical hummingbird and soar above it all – I believe that we open up the channels of creative possibilities hidden within each one of us. 

A bientôt.