Training my Creativity

There has been a lot of this going on everyday…

My desk is covered with little tiny pieces of cut paper, loose leaf with sketches of Santa and all his friends, some painted spring flowers and a mood board for all things coastal.

Life has been busy! The beautiful, sunny, winter that wasn’t, has not helped at all. It has been way too beautiful here in Whistler for all of February. Everyone has packed away their skis and taken to the trails. I think Mother Nature is going to slap us around silly with a big winter storm soon, but we would have to have snow for days on end and cold temperatures to get winter back.

I cannot lie. I am loving our balmy weather! Word in the village is that so is everyone else. I am hearing this daily..

A few things to share as I have been absent from here for one month. I am not really sure how that happened. I am still a bit shocked that it happened. It is the beginning of March!

I have to admit that sometimes I cannot figure out how to do it all. Find inspiration, sketch, design,think about work, run a household, feed and water my children,exercise, walk the dog, think some more about work  and breathe.

Amongst all of the above which I understand is just Life as we know it, I am finding it difficult to fit blogging in.I know it has an important place in my creative journey and I know I enjoy it, but I just haven’t figured out the recipe that works for me. Like all things in my life it demands a wee bit of creativity. Right?

I am convinced that we only have so much creative juice everyday. I know mine runs out after 6 hours and like coffee, it is best in the morning. I am trying hard to work at night, but it’s not the way my mind rolls. I wish it was. So I have decided to try to train it. We all know that sometimes it is just a matter of starting and doing..

So tonight I sit here typing away. I may just get this blog post out to you by morning. My other nightly creative training routine has to begin art journalling again. I am 4 days in to this training session and so far, so good. I know that habits take time to form so I will just have to give it my best shot.

I have just recently discovered Creative Bug. It is an online instructional arts and craft site. It offers everything from calligraphy to sewing to jewellery making. It also has some art journalling classes offered by Lisa Congdon and Dawn Devries Sokol. At less than $5 a month to join, you can’t go wrong!

I am joining tomorrow night and plan to spend my evenings learning and doing. I will be sure to share here.

Also for your interest, The Strathmore  2015 Online Workshop series starts today. It is Free..yup, thats right! This year it includes printmaking with Traci Bautista, some loose acrylic painting with Patti Mollica and some exploration in ink with Maureen Wilson. I have been doing the series for a few years now and they are packed with new and interesting techniques. For more info go here

Do you have any tricks or routines for spurring on your creativity at night? I would love to hear them:)

See you again soon,

What does your creative process look like?

Do you ever wonder how other artists and designers come up with their creative ideas? I do!

I am very happy to have Femi Ford on the Creative Process pedestal today. I love her beautiful, bold and vibrant printed patterns.Femi is a mixed media artist with a background in art and printmaking. I have always been a bit curious as to how she incorporates her art into surface pattern design.

Today we get to see how her creative mind works!

What inspires you to create?

Inspiration usually finds me when I’m working in my garden or in my studio. Most often it is a natural pattern that gets my brain going rather than color.   Color excites me, but it’s usually the last thing I decide on.  My most exciting moments are when I don’t have a plan and I create a wonderful, accidental texture that I just know will make a great pattern!

Her mini assistant!

What medium do you like to create in? 

Printmaking is my favorite medium, followed closely by painting on canvas or drawing loosely with ink on paper.

Do you keep an art journal? 

My sketchbook is really a rambling, mess of experiments that are connected by a fine thread of inspiration.  I look back at it to remind myself of how I arrived at my current projects.  I use my phone to grab quick reference pictures while I’m out and, OH BOY, do I love Pinterest!  

Do you work on just one design from start to finish or do you have a number of different designs on the go?

I always have a number of designs going at once.  It’s a challenge for me to focus on one collection at a time, but I’m working on it!  My work is slowly evolving in style because I like to work in different mediums…but I’m happy with where I am.

Do you prefer to design for a brief/competition or your own personal inspiration?

I do like to work towards a particular trend but with the freedom to interpret it on my own.  For the most part I’ve stopped doing competitions because I feel like companies are trying to get something for nothing.  While the exposure might be good, I think it devalues our work as artists.

What time of the day are you most creative?

I’m most alert from 9am – 1pm.   But I do pull the occasional all-nighter if the kids are asleep early and the music is flowing!

Beautiful mock ups. I love seeing the patterns created on actual product. These beautiful designs are for sale on Society 6!

Beautiful work Femi! You have inspired me to try something new.

Here are a few places you can find Femi:

website::  http://www.femiford.com/

facebook:: http://www.facebook.com/FemiFordArt

twitter:: http://twitter.com/femiford

society6 ::http://society6.com/FemiFord

Thank you Femi!

Guess what today is? The last day of school-yippee! School out for Summer!
Bad parenting is already in full summer mode – late nights,missed meals,no rules.. I can barely get my son out the door this morning, late for school on his final morning!

Happy happy:)