What is creative freedom?

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What is creative freedom?
What does it feel like?
How do you achieve it?

If you had a light and airy studio, a limitless variety of materials available to you and all the time in the world, where would you begin? This is the kind of freedom many people think of as they indulge in the dream of being an artist, but in reality, such freedom can be overwhelming.

There is freedom in limitations and right here, right now, you have all that you need available to you in order to begin your artist’s journey.

On May 1, 21012, after many years of neglecting my creativity, I committed to just ten minutes of conscious creative activity each day for 30 days. I committed to my dream of being an artist. A single Mum with two young boys, doing part time work, I did not have a studio, had what felt like no free time and a collection of art materials I had built up over a period of several years when something I thought would help me be an artist caught my eye in the art shop and I couldn’t resist. At first, I set myself little challenges, then, as the days went by, I found that I was no longer making excuses and finding reasons not to start, but I was looking for a way to keep going. Ten minutes turned into thirty which often became a couple of hours without me even noticing. When the month was up and the odd day passed by when I did not make art, I found myself missing it. What I soon realised was that I did not need a studio to make art, I did not even need more time and I certainly did not need specific materials, all that I needed was commitment. A simple commitment to making art in the time and space I already had with materials readily available to me was so liberating. It took less than two weeks before I felt like an artist again. I made myself a little badge and wore it with pride. I had not yet found my voice or made money from my art, it none of this mattered. What I had gained was my sense of self… I had re-connected with my passionate creative heart again… the liberated, creative me that I lost when I stopped making art and expressing myself freely.

What can you create right now, in the time you have with the materials to hand?
I dare you to check back with me in 10 minutes.

If you had time to read this, you have time to make art… now… GO!

If you would like my support on your artistic journey, 21 Days of Creative Freedom could be just what you need! No experience necessary, just a desire to be creative.

Art is a basic need

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Art is a basic need

The desire to express ourselves is something we experience from the moment we enter this world. A baby’s cry; a child’s marks made with sticks in the sand; songs improvised and sung whilst skipping along the road; cave paintings; the way we choose to dress… the list goes on and on.

Art is a visual language which can be used to help us interpret and better understand the world.  For me, it is a passion. The desire to make art is an overwhelming urge which I suppressed for too long, but which brings untold joy to my life. Art is an old friend… no matter how long the gap since we last got together, when we do reconnect, there is an instant and immediate bond. Having invited art back into my life, it has, once again, become a habit; it is an addiction I have no intention of breaking.

I make art when I cannot find the words. I make art when I need to process something. I make art when I wish to remember and I make art to help me let go of what I wish to forget. Art is a basic need.

When did you last make art?
What stops you making art more often?

What sucks your creative energy? What feeds it?

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Over the past few months, I have been working, on and off, on a project that has sapped my creative energy. At first, I avoided it; pretended it wasn’t there; focused on different things, but with a deadline approaching and no way out, I got stuck in. And then I got stuck again.

As a Creator, I felt far from in flow. I had been asked to write out and turn into lessons the work I had been doing off the cuff for a period of years… the work that came freely and easily to me when faced with a room full of artists. This recent request was work, not play. How lucky I am that my work does, at times when I am in flow, feel like play and how blessed I am to be in a position that allows me to work alongside artists with whom I can share thoughts, ideas and inspiration in both directions: I am inspired as much as I inspire in this and in any teaching role. It is a privilege to be paid for such work. But turning my thoughts and ideas into a teaching manual? That is something entirely different. My creative energy dried up. There was little room for inspiration or for art, but hindsight it a marvellous thing. With hindsight, I should have said no. I should have rejected this part which has taken over my brain and killed my creativity for way too long (and a week would be way too long, but this has been months!). The energy taken in doing this work left little room for my creative heart. And now… now that it is almost done and I have a little bit of space for myself and for my creative mind to take flight once again, patterns are emerging.

Today and yesterday, for example, the patterns took the form of mandalas, drawn out unconsciously, elaborate embellishments to the notes I was taking whilst speaking with people who ignite and inspire me. No brain-sucking energy there… just uplifting conversation with Creator friends whose spirit and ideas motivate and excite me. And guess what…? As I move back towards my creative friends, the creative energy flows naturally, spilling out of me without me even noticing until pages are decorated and ideas and energy spreads, outwards and on… from my notes to a fresh new page where the mandalas continue, a focus for my restless hands. That is the pattern… sharing freely with creative souls, I am at my most creative. Block my mind and my hands are also tied.

My creativity helps me focus and relax. I’m inviting and welcoming it back in and recognising the patterns. Play more, make more art, do more of what I love and more creative energy will flow. Next time I am faced with a task that is so far from in flow, I will simply say no. There is always a way round it… someone else for whom that task will be easy; even fun. Next time, I will find them and free myself to do what I do best.

What boosts your creativity? What saps your creative energy?
What can you do today to remain in the zone of flow?

Stepping back is one of the most productive things you can do

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Spring is in the air, I can see it, smell it, feel it. I am coming back to my artistic creative self and it feels so good.

Yesterday was a day of wandering, pondering, seeing and being. It was one of those days, essential to the creative process, when you step away from the computer, hang out with people who support and inspire you, nourish yourself and gain perspective. It is the kind of day that I have denied myself for too long. No more!

The past few months have seen a little wandering from the Creative Daily path… not far, just a little detour. In February, I bravely branched out into Gratitude Daily and ran my first online course. For 28 days, Gratitude Daily emails landed in the in-boxes of 24 women, all seeking to create or expand on a gratitude practice that complemented their busy lives. And as always, through teaching, I learned a lot. I discovered how much fun it is to create something, share it and make money. I always knew it would be, but had never quite got round to doing it in this way… until now. I experienced, once again, the power of community and how it is possible for a group of people all over the world to connect with and support each other in powerful ways without ever having met face to face. I also found that doing such work takes a lot of energy and discovered how vital it is to take time out.

So, this first week of March has been a week of self-care. I have allowed myself to take time out. I have treated and pampered myself like never before… I have bought myself flowers, dinner, been to exhibitions, sat on the beach and simply slowed down. Both my appetite and my attitude have changed. I am no longer seeking quick-fix sugar hits. With a more balanced schedule, a more healthy approach to both eating and working has emerged as a seemingly natural consequence. I am learning that stepping back can be the most productive thing you can do. It allows space for ideas to surface and evolve. And in stepping back, I have bounced back, with renewed creative energy and a vision for my next online venture. This one will involve a lot of ART! At the moment it is brewing, percolating, evolving. It excites me greatly…

Watch this space!

This poem is for you…

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Julia ElmoreThis poem is for you, dear friend.
I stumbled upon it today, a timely reminder to follow your bliss… a call to action to live each day as the gift that it is… to be grateful for this one life.
Remain true to your path dear heart, be your beautiful, imperfect, authentic self.
Share your gifts with the world as nobody else will impart your message or create art in the way that you will. Don’t doubt yourself… release yourself from the grip of those who do and live fully and freely with a wide open heart.

We Have Not Come Here To Take Prisoners
by Hafiz
(translated by Daniel Ladinsky)

We have not come here to take prisoners
But to surrender ever more deeply
To freedom and joy.
We have not come into this exquisite world
to hold ourselves hostage from love.
Run my dear, From anything
That may not strengthen
Your precious budding wings,
Run like hell, my dear,
From anyone likely to put a sharp knife
Into the sacred, tender vision
Of your beautiful heart.
We have a duty to befriend
Those aspects of obedience of our house
And shout to our reason
“Oh please, oh please
come out and play.”
For we have not come here to take prisoners,
Or to confine our wondrous spirits
But to experience ever and ever more deeply
our divine courage, freedom, and Light!

Simple printing technique

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Printing with foam and Inktense blocks

Hello!
This week, I stumbled upon a simple printing technique. It is easy to do, so I was keen to share it, step by step, with you.

You will need:
a sheet of foam (I used a foam base from a pizza)
a tool for carving into the foam (I just used an old biro)
water
Inktense blocks (vibrant, water-soluble ink in block form… fabulous!)
paper
craft knife or scissors (optional)
roller (optional)

How to:
Cut the foam into a shape if you wish
Draw into the foam using a tool or old biro to create a picture or pattern (important to remember: the image will come out in reverse, so be aware of this if you are including words in your design and write them backwards into the foam)
Damp down the foam with water
Colour the foam sheet, using Inktense blocks
Lay your paper flat over the foam sheet
Rub the palm of your hand across the back of the paper, pressing hard or roll with a printing roller
Peel off your paper to reveal your design
…et voilà!

I bought myself the Derwent Inktense Block 12 Tin a while back as I was attracted to the beautiful vibrant colours… I have only just realised their full potential as they can also be used on fabric! More fun to be had and a bigger tin of these to be added to my wish list. Here are the ones I used today:

Head-mapping: my creative journey

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A little visual exercise yesterday… mapping my creative journey from where I am to where I would like to be.

Here’s where I am:

Where I am in my creative journey

There is lots going on… a jumble of ideas, all overlapping and interwoven… my colourful creative life; little pockets of clarity and green lights. Darkness descends sometimes, moving in from the front, just above my eyes, travelling up over the back of my head, moving down, throwing shadows here and there till my shoulders are tight.
Heart is there, big and bold, but sitting in my throat! Layers of projects, all varied and mask-like; each with their own tone; their own voice. At the core, the light of optimism shines so bright.

And on… to how I want to feel; where I would like to be with my creativity:

Where I would like to be in my creative journey

Here, where I want to be, the light inside is illuminating my entire being. There is blue-sky clarity and growth; wide-reaching; self-expressing; bright-eyed; big-smile expansion outwards and upwards; looking forwards in glorious technicolour.

Oh yes, this is where I am setting my sights.

What does the here and there look like in your head?
Will you share it with me please?
I dare you to draw it out! x

Living life as an adventure

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It is 18 months since I started this blog and when I look back, I realise that so much has developed in that time. This particular adventure began on May 1, 2012 with a 30 Day Challenge when I committed to my creativity for one month and started documenting it here. Little did I know that this would lead me to teaching art to children, running workshops for adults, painting on the pavement outside my favourite Indian restaurant to celebrate Diwali and to this month sitting on the other side of the 30 Day Challenge fence as a Screw Work Let’s Play team member and 30DC Genie. I love shining my own light and carrying the torch for others and their talents, so this feels like the perfect role for me.

Following my own creative path and being open to whatever may unfold has really allowed me to enjoy life as an adventure this past year. At the start of the Summer, I exchanged my Tesco clubcard vouchers for a flight to Glasgow where I enjoyed an art-filled weekend in a city I had not visited for 20 years. Last week, I hopped on the Eurostar to attend an Outsider Art Fair at a Paris hotel and to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the magazine Raw Vision at the Halle Saint Pierre where I co-curated an exhibition of British Outsider Art in 2008.

Giving myself permission to live life on my terms, embracing my creativity and allowing daily life to become an adventure is what it’s all about right now. It was this spirit of adventure that led me to having my hair cut in the street outside the Centre Pompidou by the Hair Cowboy last week… the same spirit of adventure which led me to write a love letter to Dishoom and to my collaborations with them… the same spirit of adventure that seeks out the people who inspire me and the places I love and leads me to connect these dots whenever I can. This past week alone, I have hopped on the back of a horse for the first time in 20+ years, created a giant self-portrait in the sand and strolled the streets of Paris in search of art.

Right now, it may not be bringing me riches, but I am living a much more fulfilled life. The next step of the mission is to encourage others to live a fulfilled and adventurous life created on their own terms too… Kickstart Your Creativity begins here at home tomorrow… let’s see what unfolds.

What one thing can you do today to make your life feel a little more adventure and less mundane?

With love,
Julia x

Kickstart Your Creativity

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Collaborative artwork

Fresh wonders have been unfolding over here at Be Creative Daily as I started running a new course at home last Wednesday evening, called Kickstart Your Creativity. For one month, six courageous women have committed to spending two hours here each week, to embark on a creative journey. Art is being made, connections are being forged, dreams are being shared and I am filled with an enormous feeling of excitement and possibility.

At the moment, things are still in the early stages. The course has been (loosely) written and I am playing it out for the very first time with a group of local Mums, connected by a desire to welcome more creativity into their lives, as well as a need for connection and a wish for a feeling of community. My aim is to provide a space within which everyone can safely share, create and let go…
Let go of the desire for perfection
Let go of unrealistic expecations (that we often put upon ourselves)
Let go of shoulds and coulds and just play, like our children play, just as we did before we got caught up in our assumptions and became frozen by our fears.

How often do we have the chance in our busy lives to really let go…?
When do we have the opportunity to share our desires…?
How often to we get to explore what we really want for our lives and think about how we can take positive action to effect such change…?
How often are we even really listened to…?
But isn’t that exactly what we want for our children…? That they should play and explore the world without pressure and fears and that they should have the freedom to express themselves and their wishes without judgement or concern. Why then, would we not give that gift to ourselves? How can we lead by example?

These are some of the questions I seek to address as I use art-making exercises to explore each of these things. Last week, beautiful vision boards were created and tiny steps were taken towards living that fulfilling life. This week, we took pleasure in making imperfect pictures. We shared stories, made collaborative art, talked about the beauty of sharing and the power of asking for help. And next week another layer will be peeled… more fears will be faced, more experiences shared.

Travelling home, a little late yesterday, I waited alone at the station for my train. I watched carriage after carriage pull in and pass on. What struck me was the lack of interaction. What frightened me was the solitariness of each individual; the blank expressions; the empty stares and what I thought was how, in each moment on of our day, we pass up on the possibility of connection, be it as simple as eye contact with a stranger or a smile exchanged.

These strangers will be the ones I invite next… they will be the ones I welcome, should they accept the challenge, to kickstart their creativity. There is so much possibility and potential right there on one single busy commuter train. I will be delivering those invitations by hand, with a look in the eye and a smile.

If you feel that you are in a creative slumber from which you wish to awaken, this is your invitation, right here…

Whilst on the subject of inspiration and positive change, I have something else I wish to share. Be Creative Daily began on May 1, 2012 with a simple commitment to a 30 Day Challenge. My personal challenge was to do something creative every day for 30 days and share it. So many things have resulted from that simple commitment… everything you see here in fact! Each art class and workshop, every group and creative connection is the result of making a commitment to my art. If you have something you have always wanted to do, a business you have been thinking of, an event you would like to run, there are few things you could do that would make more of an immediate impact than joining me and 200 other people all around the world as we commit to another 30 Day Challenge. Are you in? It can be life-changing.

With love,
Julia x

Inspiration and time

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Last night's drawings on brown paper

Last night, whilst enjoying a 3-hour burst of creativity, something struck me… and I felt instantly grateful for inspiration and the time to create.

For years I battled with the fact that one always came without the other, but last night, fingers stained with oil pastels, pen in hand, it struck me that for some time now, they have arrived in unison and that my creativity has been flowing freely without me even noticing.

Is this luck, or something else? I feel lucky, yes, but I believe this current combination of the two essential ingredients to my creativity comes down to one thing: commitment to my art. I acknowledge that art is one of the most important aspects of my life and my art deserves as prominent a place in my day as it has in my heart.

Is there something you have been putting off doing because you feel you cannot justify it?
Is there something you would love to be doing if you only had the inspiration or the time?
If so, just for one week, try this: commit to it and make time (even if it’s only 10 mins).

Acknowledge your commitment to your art (or dancing or photography or writing, be it music or another passion) in the comments right here, then check back in a week and let me know how you feel.

Making time for art can be justified purely by the pleasure it gives me. In making my art and engaging in my passion, I am happier person, doing what I love and sharing the joy I feel through following my heart.

May you be blessed with the same and long may it last.