Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
Congratulations to Renee M!
You have won a $35 gift certificate to Humblebeads!
Send Heather an email to claim your gift certificate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 has been a bit of a funny year for me so far, as frequent readers may have gathered. There's been a lot going on behind the scenes for me and my family which has made the past 9 months or so quite tricky, with 2015 really throwing a spanner or seven in the already messy works.
Perhaps needless to say, I haven't been at my most creative. I know that historically, we look at artists as often achieving greatness through tortured emotions, but I don't know about you, but that is *not* me. I am at my most creative when things are good - calm, a feeling of positivity in the air, possibility around the corner. Sure, then you can plough those more difficult times, but I find myself unable to tap into my creativity so much when things feel unsettled and difficult.
Happily, it feels like we are turning a corner and (along with the Spring sunshine we've enjoyed recently) this seems to have awakened a little spark of something or other within me. It feels good to be doing a little making again!
I thought I'd share a little photo rundown of what's been going on with me these past few weeks. Out and about in Edinburgh, birthday celebrations (and shoes, beautifully modelled with pyjama bottoms!), a work trip to Aldeburgh via London, some teeny tiny handwoven beads, handmade jewellery and hanging out with my wee bunny boy. Action packed! And in no particular order...
My 34th birthday!
Birthday shoes...and pyjamas.
Henry Moore sculpture in the grounds of the Gallery of Modern Art (Edinburgh).
A new necklace, featuring a unique pendant from Something to do beads.
Dean Village, Edinburgh. A country feel in the middle of a capital city.
Aldeburgh Beach.
Teeny tiny handwoven beads.
The view from London Bridge - that's Tower Bridge you're looking at!
Outdoor art from Nathan Coley at the Dean Gallery (Edinburgh). I *love* this, and I'm not quite sure why!
A new bracelet, featuring hand-enemalled flowers from Gardanne Beads and a ceramic round from Kylie Parry.
A weir along the Water of Leith (Edinburgh).
St Bernard's Well (Edinburgh).
A new bracelet featuring a Green Girl Studio flower and bee clasp.
Me and Rufus!
I'm hoping that lots of these images and experiences will prove as inspiration for the next few weeks.
As always, we like to bribe you into commenting by offering up a juicy prize! This week, my prize is a £14 voucher for either of my shops - The Curious Bead Shop or Songbead.
My question for you is this - when are you at your most creative? What conditions are optimum for you to be most productive and inspired? Do you have tips or tricks to kickstart your muse? Or do you just sit it out?
Leave your answer in the comments below to be in with a chance to win!
Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer; currently living in Edinburgh, capital of her native land. You can read more about her and her work at her blog, songbeads.blogspot.com and see more of her jewellery at songbead.etsy.com. She also has a supplies shop at thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com.
20 comments:
I *love* 'THERE WILL BE NO MIRACLES HERE'. Totally. Sweet pictures: I'm sure you'll find inspirational nodes in all of this. Fab shoes too. x
I love to travel to look for new inspirations, I visit various market to see if I can pick up something new. But when I am unable to travel I look at pinterest boards, TV shows, books to see what what is that everyone else is doing and then, i try and do something different from it all
Love the shoes! Books and online courses give me inspiration! I have way too many but I love them.
For some strange reason I tend to be at my most creative at about 2am!! Not great when you work a 9-5 but that's the way it goes...
I spend a lot of times roaming over the South Downs and take a lot of my inspiration from the wonderful forms and colours found in nature, so I usually come back from my rambles with a few ideas buzzing around my scatty little brain :)
I go to.pinterest and my favorite etsy shops.
I often create when I'm under emotional pressure but I prefer to be totally relaxed. It usually takes me a long time of going through Pinterest, fashion and jewelry blogs and stores, etc. and making notes but the urge to finally make something is unexpected and I just sit and work :)
Music seems to help get me in the mood. Having things organized helps too. I notice when my space is wrecked it takes longer (of course). Art and nature always inspires me.
I love the photos. What size did you crop them to?
My “most creative” time is in the morning. If I don’t get started, I may have ideas galore, but producing them is another thing entirely. If my house is in disorder, or hubby is home and puttering, I am waaay too distracted by all that to be still and listen to my muse. So, after tidying up (my house and myself), I generally put tunes on the computer in my studio, perhaps check out a blog or video for inspiration and challenges, and grab whatever project/supplies move me and just do it. I have to have a good cup of coffee and really push myself past the urge to sit it out—and some days are more successful than others!
Love this mix of Edinburgh sights with your fabulous designs. Belated happy birthday, Rebecca! The Curious Bead Shop is the place for my favorite Czech glass flower beads. Any kind of art, including textiles, can often get me out of my design slump. And sometimes I just grab paper and pencil and start mindlessly doodling...you never know when inspiration will hit!
Love this mix of Edinburgh sights with your fabulous designs. Belated happy birthday, Rebecca! The Curious Bead Shop is the place for my favorite Czech glass flower beads. Any kind of art, including textiles, can often get me out of my design slump. And sometimes I just grab paper and pencil and start mindlessly doodling...you never know when inspiration will hit!
Thanks for sharing the photos of Edinburgh. I was lucky to have spent a few days there a couple of years ago and it is an amazing city. My grandfather was born there so it has a special connection for me.
I am most creative when my life is settled into a routine and I have time to give to thinking about what I want to create. I frequently use blog hops as a way to get inspiration and motivation. I also enjoy making jewelry for a specific person and can tailor it to her personality or something she likes.
Happy birthday!
Great pics and I LOVE your new pieces! I seem to get my best ideas in the wee small hours when I can't sleep....so I often scribble out a design or an idea on a note pad by my bed - and then try and get it to work as soon as I can get to the beads when unhindered by my family! I also find inspiration packs do exactly as their name suggests...I think it's because I don't get so overwhelmed by choice and like the challenge of trying to create something unique from a small selection of components which someone else has put together, and which I would usually not have chosen myself....I like being pushed outside my comfort zone! (Hope Rufus is on the mend xxx) P.S this is Sharon, but for some reason our google account is in Suzanne's name! But we are kind of interchangeable, so that's ok!)
Perhaps it's a side effect of not only coming from a creative family but of daily contact with creative minds - I have yet to run out of ideas!
I do get stumped on all the details of turning what's in my mind into actuality. When that happens, I go do something else with my hands (like playing the piano, housework or cooking. Unfortunately, reading doesn't help with working out designs.) & let my brain quietly tackle that finicky detail.
Thanks for sharing your recent weeks through pictures, Rebecca!
~ Catherine Sorensen
What a great post. Love the shoes!!! I think I need a Bunny like "Rufus" to kick start my muse...what sweetie...love bunnies.
I always have ideas...too many at times and just not enough time to put them all together. But when I finally have time to sit down then it seems to come together.
I love Aldeburgh. There's a fish and chip shop there which is the best for miles around. Loving the colourful beads too. Xx
Whenever I've got any spare time, I sit down and spread as many beads and bits as I can all over the table. The more I put out, the more I love it. My husband calls it a mess, but I call it a mixing bowl of creativity 😊
I find that looking at beautiful things other people have created on Facebook and blogs is the best way to inspire me to make things myself. Colour is very important and I particularly like bright ones so I love your pink shoes :)
I'm usually most creative on the weekends, when I can leave all the work stress behind. A quick look through my favorite Etsy shops will usually inspire several ideas for me, if I don't have one already.
Always, always between 12 midnight and the wee small hours! I think i might go to bed then i see something.....anything and I think I'm sure I have some beads that colour and start looking through my stash. next thing it's 5am! Good job I'm retired (I retired early through ill health)
Inspiration comes to me usually at night. And when it doesn't, I resort to my photo collection of inspirational images, which includes not only designs, but also fabrics,clothes, film stills and beautiful pics of nature.
Happy birthday! xx
Despina
deb_oro@yahoo.gr
Post a Comment