It goes without saying that creativity is the most fundamental aspect of any artist’s or creative professional’s work. Whatever form or scope it takes, our work or the art we make is a manifestation of our creativity. Our fulfillment and livelihood depend on it. We leverage our creative ability to create original and meaningful concepts, forms, methods and interpretations. To express ideas, emotions and experiences. To tell stories. To make new connections. To offer unique solutions. Our creativity is a precious and powerful force within us.
As creative professionals we also have other possibilities to use our power of creativity. Not just to produce our art or creative services, but to be creative in how we navigate challenges and our work day-to-day as artists and creatives. I find sometimes my clients need to be reminded they have the power of their creativity to help them gain a better sense of control, accomplishment and enjoyment in their work and life as creative professionals. Especially when they are frustrated with their productivity. Or seeing other aspects of their work - like admin tasks, building their network or promoting their work as NOT creative and as taking away from their creative work. I invite them to look at the problem, task or area of work they want to feel more on top of and consider it as a creative opportunity. What is it that they want to create for themselves in relation to this? Sometimes they are looking to create a system or routine that works for their personality and the realities of their life. In other cases it might be creating new habits, strategies or tools. I then encourage and collaborate with them to draw on their creativity to think outside the box, experiment and test new strategies to learn what works for them.. Not to necessarily reinvent the wheel in every situation, but to at least put their own creative spin on navigating challenges and developing ways of working day-to-day. Just as they already do in their art making or creative work.
Here are just a few other opportunities where we artists and creatives can leverage the power of our creativity:
Creating habits and practices that feed and help us connect with our inspiration - Like regular “art dates”, reading, getting out of the office or studio and into nature or travel.
Creating rituals to support beginning or ending our work day or week - like morning pages, physical movement or meditation to start our day or ending with “prep for tomorrow” tasks, reflective practices or just ceremoniously closing the laptop or door to our workspace.
Creating methodologies of researching, developing ideas and presenting work that are specific to us.
Creating unique approaches to collaborations and partnerships.
We can be creative in how we describe ourselves as artists and creative professionals and in how we communicate about and promote our work.
We can be creative in how we approach learning about things that we need to know like admin or finances.
We can also bring endless creativity to how we engage and connect with our audiences and communities.
When we bring the power of our creativity to these and other opportunities related to our work we empower our creative practice, business or career to develop in ways that are meaningful and unique to our goals and personalities. Creativity is fundamental to what we make as artists and creatives. AND it can be leveraged to gain a better sense of control, accomplishment and enjoyment in our work our work as creative professionals. And the bonus, as Maya Angelou is famous for pointing out, is “You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”. Our creativity is a precious, powerful and generative force within us.
Where else could you be using the power of your creativity
in your work as a creative professional?
Image Credit: Cylla Von Tiedemann Artwork: Kat Honey
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