I am always surprised when people tell me they are “not creative at all.” I noticed this especially when talking to people at my solo show events; someone would ask me about the process of making my art, listen with interest, then respond in an almost sheepish manner, “I don’t have a creative bone in my body.”

I’m here to tell you, that’s just not true.

When people announce to me that they’re not creative, I think what they’re really saying is, “I don’t have the drawing or art making skills to make fine art like you did.” And that’s okay. Creativity is more than just making marks on paper or shaping clay into a sculpture. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines being creative as “having or showing an ability to make new things or think of new ideas.”

And don’t we all do that on an everyday basis? From figuring out a smart new way to streamline an old work routine to spontaneously making up a fun game that calms a child’s temper tantrum, we’re all flexing our brains everyday to dream up new workarounds to everyday dilemmas.

So the next time you think of yourself as “not creative,” I challenge you to recall a recent time when you had a problem and found a solution that was unusual, innovative, or just a little crazy. I bet you can think of at least one example from the past week, if not more.

For those who want to learn a little more about everyday creativity, here are some good articles exploring the topic:

Five Creative Myths You Probably Believe
“These misconceptions cloak creativity in mystique and they foster elitism—the idea that the potential for innovation and imagination is a rare gift enjoyed by only a select few ‘creative types.'”

You’re Got to Have the “Can Try” Attitude
“What sets these people apart from everyone else is not their innate abilities, or necessarily their intelligence. What matters is that they approach their creative endeavours with the menality of ‘what if I tried this…” as opposed to “I could never do that.’”

Unlock Your Inner Creative Genius in 5 Simple Steps
“Creativity isn’t limited to left-leaning designers, artists, and architects alone. Ideas and inspiration can (and should) come from everyone, regardless of their background.”

The post Think You’re Not Creative? Think Again! appeared first on Amy Ventura.

My brilliant writer friend, Heather Mackey, published her first book, Dreamwood, last year. In addition to having one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen (check it out below!), Dreamwood is smart, powerful and gorgeously written. Don’t be fooled by the “Young Adult” classification; this is a sophisticated story that will captivate adults as well as older kids. Heather has created a strange, spooky and magical world inhabited by strong characters winding their way through a unique and fascinating plot. I’m thrilled that she is already under contract for another book. Congratulations, Heather!

This interview is the second in my series, How Creativity Works.

What motivates you to sit down and begin work each day? Do you have a ritual/process to ease into creative work?

I’m really motivated to get to work (well, my creative work, that is), and partly that’s because I have a day job. I’m not going to say it sucks, rather … it provides a useful contrast that makes me eager to escape into my imagination.

By now, I’ve got a world-class “easing-in” process. I have a great chair that makes me feel like a starfleet captain. I eat a square (or more) of dark chocolate and knowing that I get to eat chocolate makes me pretty gung-ho. I have a few particular tracks of music I listen to. They’re very specific. When I find a new piece of music I can work to I get pretty excited. I just discovered “Open” by The Necks. It’s 68 minutes long. Thank you, The Necks!

But even with all my tricks, I can be a terrible procrastinator. And now that my book is out, I feel like I should be building my presence on social media. Really, the social/networking side of my brain and the creative side do not mix. I find the key thing is making a plan for my time and being really intentional.

Do you work steadily, day after day or does your creative work happen in bursts and pauses?

For me writing a novel feels like trying to levitate bricks with my mind. I’ve got to keep focused or they all fall down. It’s definitely easier for me to work steadily, even if I have crappy days, because then I get the benefit of momentum. And eventually I’ll reach a delicious state where I’m just so deep inside the book the real world seems less real in comparison.

That said, I have had the experience of pushing too hard, staying up too late when I’m clearly dry but I’m just masochistically soldiering on. Breaks are good. I used to be afraid of them because I thought they meant I was lazy. Now I realize breaks are just times when subconscious work happens.

(Dreamwood by Heather Mackey)

What do you do when you are stuck?

I’ll usually try to go for a walk or take a run. Doing something physical helps so much (though strangely housework never seems to do the trick). If I’m really stuck I try to visualize myself finding the answer—usually right before I go to sleep. I just wrote a blog post about imagining and naming a part of my subconscious who I can boss around and tell, “hey I’m stuck, go find me what I need.” The added benefit of this is that now it’s her problem!

My goofiest remedy is telling myself that in an alternate universe I’ve already figured it out, so I don’t need to worry. Amazingly this has helped.

I guess what all these tactics have in common is that they try to release or deflect the stress of being stuck. Being stuck is like having insomnia. Whatever you do don’t look at the clock and freak out about how late it is.

Do you consider your work, the process of creating, to be “fun”? Should it be?

I think Dorothy Parker said, “I hate writing, I love having written.” Sometimes, though, you just feel ecstatic. But no matter the ups and downs it is still fun on some level. Even when I’m really struggling I still love my story. Unrelenting misery would be a sign to get out.

What is the most satisfying point in your process of creativity for you?

The most exciting moment is when I have something I think can be a story and I’ve written some random pieces—a moment, a scene, some dialogue—that I feel point their way to something interesting. Then the hard work begins.

I recently read the novel Euphoria by Lily King—a totally amazing book. The central character is modeled on anthropologist Margaret Mead, and there’s a point when the character describes the favorite part of her work as that brief moment of euphoria, about two months in, when “everything feels reachable, comprehensible, before the full scope of the work ahead sets in.” (I’m actually quoting from an interview with Lily King). I think that’s a great way of describing it.

Check out more of Heather’s writing and keep up with news of her next book at heathermackey.com.

The post How Creativity Works: ‘Dreamwood’ Author Heather Mackey On Fighting Procrastination And Staying Motivated appeared first on Amy Ventura.

Feeling uninspired? Have you lost your work momentum? No fears…it happens to everyone! Here are my best strategies for jumping back into the flow and reconnecting with work after an absence.

Leave Off In A Good Spot

My favorite strategy for painless re-entry after an absence is to deliberately leave myself an easy place to start up again. If you can stop work in the middle of a task, it’s much easier to pick right up and find your groove when you return. Having a piece of artwork that I’ve already begun means I can grab my tools and just jump in exactly where I left off during my next work session.

Ease In

I have a lot of complicated, involved pieces of art I need to start for my solo show, but to jump into them immediately would be a recipe for disaster for me. Talk about overwhelming! If I haven’t managed to leave off in a good spot, per the tip above, I find it best to ease in with simple projects that can quickly get done. For me, those might be a series of blog posts, quick sketchbook drawings or even a small chore like adding framing hardware to the backs of completed works.

Have A Plan

I often have a gigantic jumble of thoughts banging around my head, and if I don’t get them down into some sort of to-do list or plan, I’ll go crazy. When I’m away from my studio, I find it helpful to keep a running list of upcoming projects broken down into small steps. If I feel overwhelmed when I return to work, I need only consult my to-do list to find a tiny task I can jump on and start.

Keep A List Of Small, Quick Projects

Sometimes, I cannot make it to my work studio – sick daughter, flat tire and other life mishaps can get in the way. Keeping a list of small, easily-accomplished projects that can be done quickly during this time (such as filing paperwork, revising shop listings, or updating my mailing list) can help keep my work momentum going. I have to admit, I need to take my own advice on this one – I had a million of these tasks running around my head during my daughter’s school vacation this summer, and I wasn’t quite organized enough to jump on any of them. Next time, however, I’ll be ready. I am now keeping a list of “small tasks” with work projects that I can do in two hours or less for next time I find myself in a similar situation.

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Curious to see what 1,000 degrees of heat can do to a piece of wood? Check out my artwork gallery!

And if you’d like more excellent strategies to encourage your everyday creativity and productivity or just want a sneak peek into my art making process, sign up for my newsletter. Made with love and always 100% spam-free!

(A sneak peek into my tiny studio right now! The work for my show is piling up….)

The post Get Your Work Mojo Back! How To Return to a Project After an Absence appeared first on Amy Ventura.

Casey Searles is one of those people you can’t help but love as soon as you meet her. A multi-disciplinary artist and actress, she is friendly and positive without being saccharine, and always kind enough to share her wise perspective when I’m feeling down about my own creative work. I’m fortunate to have her as a studio neighbor and she generously agreed to answer some questions about her own creative process.

This is the first published interview in my series on How Creativity Works.

What motivates you to sit down and begin work each day? Do you have a ritual/process to ease into creative work?

I am learning and re-learning that having a plan is key. Generally this is best done the day before. After the plan is set, it’s best to just keep moving without thinking too much. Having a great audiobook to listen to seems to help turn down the volume on the perfectionist chatter in my brain. So, yep, plans, continuous movement, and audiobooks.

Do you work steadily, day after day or does your creative work happen in bursts and pauses?

Since I do theater work and visual art, it can make my schedule really wonky. I really like having large stretches of time to devote to creating art, but lately it’s been in selective bursts. When I’m lucky and have done a little planning, steady work comes pouring out of me all at once.

(l – r: “Adams,” “Nixon,” “Obama” from the President Prints series by Casey Searles.)

What do you do when you are stuck?

Going to the gym helps! To me being stuck means getting caught in a spiral of negative thoughts and feelings, so going to the gym is helpful to get a change of scenery and it makes me feel productive in a different way.  I also have a bunch of sticky notes on my wall with different project ideas, if I feel the need to start over again. I always add to it throughout the year. If I’m blackhole-of-depression stuck and I’m hating everything that I create or think about (I’ll be honest, that happens) I usually pick out an animal and start making drawings of it and then go home and make some soup.

Do you consider your work, the process of creating, to be “fun”? Should it be? 

Ha. I like this question. I think that I do some of my best work when I’m playing around and not really focused on being productive or making something “good.” That is certainly fun.  Even though I know this, allowing myself to play is not something that always comes easily for me. I like to think that my favorite things to do are things where I seem to lose track of time and could keep going for hours on end.

What is the most satisfying point in your process of creativity for you?

When I’m making bold choices and taking risks it makes me feel like a badass. I like that moment when you’ve listened to your intuition, tried something weird, and discovered that it works.

You can see more of Casey’s artwork and read about her theater performances at www.caseysearles.com.

The post How Creativity Works: Casey Searles On Sticky Notes, Audiobooks And The Power Of Homemade Soup appeared first on Amy Ventura.

Two Things Experts Do Differently Than Non-Experts When Practicing

 “Expert performers aren’t necessarily smarter or more talented. Learn the two things they do when practicing a skill, that can maximize the efficiency of your practice time and be the difference between mediocre and great.”

Although this short article focuses on practicing basketball shots, there are some interesting takeaways for the less-athletic creative types, such as myself!

 Everyday Creativity

“ ‘It’s too bad that when considering what endeavors may be creative, people immediately think of the arts,’ laments Michele Root-Bernstein, co-author with Robert Root-Bernstein of Sparks of Genius. ‘It’s the problem-solving processes they exhibit rather than the content or craft that make them so. Just about anything we do can be addressed in a creative manner, from housecleaning to personal hobbies to work.’ ”

This article is such a worthwhile read as it really defines and expands the idea of “everyday creativity” beyond the arts and examines creative thinking in our daily lives.

 How To Be Creative

“But creativity is not magic, and there’s no such thing as a creative type. Creativity is not a trait that we inherit in our genes or a blessing bestowed by the angels. It’s a skill. Anyone can learn to be creative and to get better at it.”

Interesting excerpt in the Wall Street Journal (of all places!) from Jonah Lehrer’s 2012 book, “How Creativity Works.” There’s also a nifty little list at the end with 10 quick creativity hacks.

(featured image at top of this post: “Australia Day 2013 Perth 28” by Kaoz69 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0/cropped from original/source)

The post Three Articles To Boost Your Creative Thinking appeared first on Amy Ventura.

Do you have a creative block? Are you stuck on a project and can’t seem to move forward? Give my flowchart a try to see if you can move yourself along.

The post Creative Block? Unstick Yourself With Six Easy Questions appeared first on Amy Ventura.