Brain Space

| kevinthecoach

As a child I was frequently told off for “being a dreamer.” As a consultant I would ask managers how busy their diaries were and they would fall over themselves to tell me how busy they were, and laugh when I would ask them what percentage of the week was allocated for thinking. “I don’t have time to think.” When I suggested that they must spend all their time firefighting, they would nod in agreement. Then I would ask where in their job description did say anything about firefighting ? A question then for the bosses as to why all their managers were employed on the wrong contracts.

Problem solving requires space, time and great questions. Innovation requires space, time, great questions and iterations. Art requires space, time, great questions and iterations too.

Keep letting your mind go for spacious explorations.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210319-why-procrastination-can-help-fuel-creativity

The Rules For Creativity?

| kevinthecoach

Rule 1: Feel safe to explore.

Rule 2: Never stop searching for stimulus.

Rule 3: Allow time for open meditation rather than focused meditation. One allows the mind to wander creatively and the other focuses the mind on one thing such as the breath.

Rule 4: Everything is an experiment.

Rule 5: Fight the inner interference that stops you working. Remember P = p – i (Performance equals potential minus our minds imposter syndrome interference)

Rule 6: Nothing is a mistake, there is only make

Rule 7: Don’t create and analyse at the same time, they’re different processes

Rule 8: THE ONLY RULE IS WORK. If you work it will lead to something. Its the people who do the work who catch on to things.

Rule 9: Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself, its lighter than you think.

Rule 10: ” We’re breaking all of the rules. Even our own rules, and how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities’ John Cage

Apapted from the work of “Sister’ Mary Kent, who revolutionised graphic design and encouraged the creativity of thousands of people.

Draw Up. Draw In, Drawing

| kevinthecoach

Drawing, that thing that most people do even if it’s an absent minded doodle. Drawing, that process that art schools condemned not so very long ago, but is now right back in fashion (it never really went away for most of us). Drawing, that thing that needs constant practice. Drawing, that thing that helps you develop your own language for expression. Drawing, that thing that thing where people say, ‘oh that’s good,’ ‘that’s not right, but mind you, I’m rubbish at drawing.’

No two people draw alike. Your drawings are as distinctive as your handwriting

I have always made myself work. Don’t just sit staring at the daunting, expectant paper. Just put something down – hopefully it wll lead to another thing, and before you know it the drawing may be underway like a slow locomotive pulling out of the station before it speeds down the track. Gerald Scarfe, The Long Drawn Out Trip, Little Brown 2019. https://www.geraldscarfe.com

The moment you put down two or three marks on a piece of paper, you get relationships. They’ll start to look like something. If you draw two little lines they might look like two figures or two trees. One was made first, one second. We read all kinds of things into marks. You can suggest landscape, people and faces with extremely little. It all depends on the human ability to see a mark as a depiction. David Hockney, http://www.hockney.com/works/drawings/2010s

Drawing could start anywhere. A crayon scuffs paper and the child holding it sees a mark emerge. A brush runs along a batten and look, there is a line. Yhe skid of a swung stick describes fine curves in the sand; the effects of our actions interest us and we make further marks. A zone of attention forms. Within this mental zone, whatever dots, edges or curves we produce seem to gang up and find ways of relating to one another- rhythms, behaviour patterns. Julian Bell. Ways of Drawing, Thames and Hudson 2019. https://www.royaldrawingschool.org

How Drawing Can Set You Free www.ted.com/talks/shantell_martin_how_drawing_can_set_you_free

Draw up, draw in, draw something today!

5 Objects and Some Flowers

| kevinthecoach

If you were to prepare a still life using 5 objects that symbolize what was most important to you in your life so far what would they be?

How would you arrange these objects or metaphors?

Flowers bring colour and a need for light, they offer beauty, smell, seasonality etc. and evoke memories.

Would you photograph them, paint/draw them, make a model of them, just write prose/poetry about them – maybe I’ll draw something from the prose/poetry? The objects are few but the possibilities are up to you

The last sentence is the clue. I’m interested in you sending photograps or documents to me,(kevinshome@me.com) to see how they collectively emerge and what is evoked in me as an artist when I receive whatever you offer.

This idea is based on an original idea of Charles and Elizabeth Handy

Some Great Sites For Inspiration Today

| kevinthecoach

https://www.steamco.org.uk/#creativity . Promoting the arts in schools and communities

www.degard.org . Great website full of her aura paintings of the famous

https://devonsculpturepark.org “We give nature freedom to experience its strength and beauty and use environmental art to educate and challenge us on climate issues and natural solutions.

www.bristolartschannel.com . Newly launched site full of great things happening in and around Bristol UK.

stgeorgesbristol.co.uk . Home of the wonderful that offers great events from classical to pop and contemporary music, ideas and spoken word etc.

cubecinema.com . The Cube is a Microplex Cinema, Arts venue, adult creche, independent museum, and progressive social wellbeing enterprise in Central Bristol, UK

imagerytoolbox.com . A great site to, “Mobilize your inner resources when facing cancer, chronic illness or crisis.” Actually lots of great creative ideas.

Lucywillis.com . Lucy Willis RWA is an award winning painter ( BP Portrait Artist of The Year) and printmaker living and working in the West of England. Great painter of light.