Creating art
There’s an endless cycle of feelings that being different brings.
So, on the one hand you want to stand out and to be seen and on the other you don’t want to be shunned or laughed at. You don’t want to look silly. Being accepted is important because it’s difficult to feel judged. It’s so much easier not to take the risk. Not to try something new, and instead to remain safe.
Comfort versus growth
As a creative soul, I find myself going through this cycle.
Worse still, I’m not confident and I’m a terrible perfectionist, so I feel like I’m going to fail before I’ve even tried. Ridiculous isn’t it? It occurred to me that I’m odd, I want to try something new, I buy all the materials for a project, I’m as excited as a child at Christmas and then I can’t bring myself to use them.
My last creative endeavour was mosaics. I went to car boots and like deranged Magpie swooping in on any old pottery that could improve my lovely hoard. I spent hours in the back garden breaking plates, wearing these dodgy looking goggles.
Until BEHOLD!
I had a lunchbox full of tiny beautiful multicoloured pottery pieces and so I surveyed my efforts, I felt very smug, (beyond smug if I’m honest) about my stash. I held it to my chest the way Golem holds the ring in Lord of the Rings.
Ideas should not be shelved
Then I (carefully) put it on a shelf in the shed amongst my husbands ugly (but far more useful) tools.
He pointed out that it didn’t belong amongst his useful stuff a year down the line asking if it needed to be binned… Binned…? No no no. It’s my stuff, my precious… “I’m making something with that” I scowled, do you mind…!?
Only I wasn’t because if I tried it might be hideous.
A Frankenstein of mosaics. Not what I imagined at all. For the sake of clarity, I thought it would look similar to something from Roman times but with a modern twist.
I was literally covering some ugly old slabs in my garden. They couldn’t be any uglier or blander. I’d even hoarded some words, and I put them together and they said ‘We are all weird here”. I’ll make a front door number with that in (my whole family IS a bit weird) I thought. How hilarious and unusual we will be living here with our bespoke door number. The postman will chuckle to himself…I still never did it.
Creative Photography
It’s so strange because with my photography I always aim to capture what makes you unique.
That’s what means the most to me.
The programmes I love are about creating whether it’s in fashion, pottery, art or of course photography, I absorb all I can.
I find it fascinating seeing peoples differences and the beauty of their individuality. Their imaginations and the differences in the end result of the same task given to a group.
SO…
Striving to develop new images
For anyone out there reading this with untouched stashes, (this includes my sister in law and no it’s not better because you lay it all out and it looks uniform, pretty, and so new) and for any perfectionists who hate the thought of creating something so ugly and technically wrong their eyes might bleed. Don’t let you stand in the way of you.
Don’t let fear limit your potential – create and burn it, hide it, bin it, smash it whilst screaming “WHY!!!!” But please, please, allow yourself the opportunity to try and just enjoy the experience (if you can). Relax (if possible). There’s no pressure (honest) and nobody has to see what you’ve done. How will you ever surprise yourself or anyone else otherwise?
I’ll use my mosaic pieces in a photograph. Taking those pieces and arranging them then I’ll photograph them and add them to a background. I often capture beautiful textures and images and add them to my images to give something that is unique.
Here’s my offering…
Gathering ideas for my images
No it’s not a mosaic, I always come back to photography because it’s my passion. I always am at my happiest adding a unique twist to my images whether that is maternity, newborn or children. It’s where my creative heart lies. I look for special and unique props, or a beautiful texture that might add depth to an image. Even works of art.
My work may look varied but I’m at my happiest listening to you and working with you to achieve something that is truly special, something you will cherish and love.