Creativity is elusive. Sometimes it’s difficult to conjure up, at other times it comes flooding in and we move into creative flow.
Finding creativity and embracing it, is something we all grapple with at times whether it’s self-motivating to produce art, meeting a project deadline or completing daily tasks for a creative business.
Filmmaker and producer Amie Batalibasi founded Colour Box Studio ten years ago and has experience working in the arts and film industries for the last fifteen years. In this article, she examines how we find the creative inspiration to produce the art we put out into the world.
Get Curious & Connect
I’m someone who always has loads of ideas but only a few of them actually come to fruition.
We can spend a lot of time mulling over an idea but I believe the most vital step in the initial process is sharing the idea and asking questions through connection and consultation, in order to explore the potential of a creative project. This might involve having a cuppa with a fellow creative or community member; digging out an email address; or asking a friend for an e-intro to someone you’re curious to learn from.
In 2017 before I presented a solo exhibition at Blak Dot Gallery, AEASI: As far as the eye can see above the sea, I reached out to several creatives who have experience as working and exhibiting in gallery spaces. Being able to ask questions in person helped me to formulate my creative approach for the exhibition and gain more awareness around the context of the gallery as opposed to film and video projection which I was more accustomed to.
The AEASI project was connected to my family in the Solomon Islands so spending time with them as part of the development was a vital step in cultural and community protocol but also in questioning why I was doing it and who it was for.
First Nations/ South Sea Islander digital-illustrative artist, Dylan Mooney, speaks to the importance of connecting with community and culture to inspire his work:
“My culture, my history and the people that surround me are my biggest inspirations. My family, close friends and my community – hearing their stories, what they are doing and the impacts they make is inspiring to me. I feel most creative being back home on country, with my family and friends. Being able to share my thoughts and ideas with them is a beautiful way to come up with ways to convey my work, what I want to create (if it’s new work) and what messages I want to share with people.”
Dylan Mooney.
Curiosity and connection can truly inspire creativity.
Know Your When and Where
What about time and place?
On my first day at film school, the first question posed to us in writing class was: Are you a morning or evening person? I knew my answer immediately. I’m most definitely a night owl. I get the bulk of my work done in the afternoon and evenings.
Having recently read a book about sleep, I can firmly say that I fit into the ‘wolf’ sleep chronotype. After dark is when I come alive and creativity can flow – don’t even try me in the mornings.
Knowing how your circadian rhythm works can be key to identifying and embracing the time of day that suits your creative ebbs and flows. This might mean carving out that time in your schedule and making sure you have the right tools at hand when inspiration strikes.
For Sri Lankan Australian lawyer turned comedian, Sashi Perera, the seeds of an idea often come just before sleep. Her notes app comes in handy to capture the idea:
“I’ll write the note in my phone and it’ll make no sense in the morning. One time I woke up to a note that just said “olive”. That’s the start of the joke. I’ll spend weeks trying to nut it out then I’ll be at a gig watching someone else on stage and the punchline will fall into place. It’s an infuriatingly slow process but I’ve stopped questioning it.”
Sashi Perera.
Meanwhile, many artists find inspiration in terms of place, in particular, by heading outdoors for connection, healing and incubating ideas.
Annick Akanni’s art practice explores storytelling through print and textile designs inspired by her African heritage. Nature has been a vital part of the inspiration and creative process:
“I suffer from high blood pressure and get migraines regularly and I think that as a hard-of-hearing person, being away from my everyday routine and escaping to any kind of nature walk or open landscape allows me to reset. I reset, recharge and start to regain the energy to think and feel again. I love writing in my many journals about the new ideas I have or the many random things that tend to get bottled up in my mind.”
Annick Akanni.
Amidst family and life commitments, finding creativity can be about the combination of place and time. South Sea Islander/ Bundjalung musician Georgia Corowa shares:
“Balancing family life is tricky. If I know my kids are all sorted and settled and we’ve had some down time in the saltwater or out on country somewhere, I’m in the flow.”
Georgia Corowa.
Find a Framework That Works for You
Finding a methodology, framework or community with the same creative objectives as you can be an important step in developing your idea or even completing a project. I definitely kick into action if I have a deadline or a structure to follow. It helps me to deconstruct my own creative process into achievable steps.
But first, a note about starting. Start the thing.
One of the best pieces of writing advice I heard was from one of our early Colour Box Studio workshop facilitators writer Katherine Goldie: “Get it written, then get it right.” I love this concept of starting with whatever comes first, being accepting of what’s flowing onto the page and then taking the time to come back and refine later. This idea can apply to any creative medium.
One framework I developed myself for scriptwriting is to write in 40-minute blocks. I set my timer, cut out all other distractions (phone off!) and go for it. This helps to focus and break down a big task into smaller chunks. Turns out, this is an actual work process called the Pomodoro technique which uses 25-minute intervals with a 5-minute break. You can even get an app that helps with the timing. Often, I find that I’ll get into that flow state and write for longer than the allocated time.
I know many creatives draw inspiration from the book: The Artist’s Way and have a regular practice of writing ‘Morning Pages’. First published in 1992, author Julia Cameron offers techniques, activities and exercises to nurture and open up creative flow.
For those experimenting with illustration and drawing, Inktober is a worldwide art challenge every October where participants are encouraged to create a drawing based on a daily prompt. You can find the official prompt list here or search for online communities that make their own lists. Check out the Inktober hashtag on socials: #inktober
Meet Ups
So many creatives work from home or studios solo. Regular meet-ups with other creatives can be a useful way to find support and encouragement on your creative journey. There’s nothing better than connecting with your community on a regular basis to either share work, receive feedback or create together in a safe space.
For example, I’ve participated in and heard of small writers’ groups that meet online (or in person) every week to work on an ongoing individual project. Initially, there might be a short conversation and then everyone goes off to work. You just turn off the camera and mic, keep the computer on and then gather again in the breaks. It’s a productive way to create accountability for getting the thing done.
Of course, there are a plethora of groups that you can join. Why not even create your own?
I do want to acknowledge here that sometimes creativity can’t be contained in a tidy framework or neatly scheduled into a regular practice. There may be elements such as cultural and community considerations or nonlinear processes to make space for. So, find what works best specifically for your needs and your creative practice.
Tackling Creative Block and Burnout
The creative journey can be a tumultuous one whether you’re freelancing, running a one-person business or you’re working full-time trying to find space for your creative practice.
When we’re burning the candle at both ends, creative block can come knocking at the door. Procrastination sets in, self-motivation wanes and the fun and excitement we normally feel around “doing what you love” can come crashing down.
Our state of wellness greatly affects our creativity. The creative process can feel isolating at times. We can feel pulled in so many directions – life, work, finances, art, community, family – leading to exhaustion. It can be extremely difficult to juggle a creative practice and make it financially and emotionally sustainable.
Taking Time
Personally, when I’ve come to a place of creative block it’s been because I’m burnt out due to industry challenges or life in general. I’ve needed to address a particular issue directly to be able to make space for the creativity spark to come back.
What I’ve learnt is to approach these times with self-compassion and a strategy for self-care. Part of this is being able to share and connect with others – catching up with a friend, checking in with family, talking with a mentor or seeking professional support.
I have maintained a creative practice as a filmmaker, educator and arts producer for over a decade now. In recent years, after some pretty negative industry experiences, I had to take a break from filmmaking in order to look after my wellbeing. Stepping away from the thing you love is a difficult thing to do however it allowed me time for healing and to find a new direction through – to realign my film practice with my values.
I’m glad I took that break because I feel revitalised. I’m grateful to have had a network of people for support, and in turn I try to be there for others as well.
In short, taking the time to consider wellbeing as part of our overall art practice has major benefits for creativity. See a list of resources for artists and creative business owners below.
About Creativity
How ever your creativity comes, goes, or flows, knowing your own unique creative process is of great value. Additionally, connecting with your community and sharing with others is an important step in the development of creative ideas and taking care of your wellbeing needs.
When you’ve got the tools in place to embrace that creative flow, anything can happen.
Amie Batalibasi is a filmmaker, founder of Colour Box Studio and self-proclaimed “slasher“. Read more articles here.
Resources: Mental health and wellbeing in the arts
- For those in Victoria, there is wellbeing and mental health services and resources for sole traders and small businesses available here.
- The Show Must Go On is a documentary that delves into the struggle that many arts and entertainment workers have with anxiety and depression. The website has a bunch of useful resources here.
- The interview podcast, We Are Lonely, “seeks to demystify loneliness by revealing it in iconic music, film, and art… to understand the many kinds of loneliness that exist and the effect it has on our society.” Listen to a chat with artist/rapper Briggs here.
- The Arts and Wellbeing Collective, an initiative by Melbourne Arts Centre, has webinars with artists and health professionals exploring creativity and wellbeing with sessions such as “Sustainable Creative Practice” and “Self-compassion Break”.
- Connected Lives: Creative solutions to the mental health crisis presents findings from the Arts, Creativity and Mental Wellbeing Policy Development Program, a 4-month series of discussions from Feb to May 2022. Creative Australia will advocate for the priorities outlined in Connected Lives across 2023.
- Small businesses in Victoria can gain free access (save $99) to the online health and wellbeing learning program, Mindarma, developed by the Black Dog Institute and the University of NSW. To register click here.