It's my turn to describe The Creative Process. For the most part, to get into the “groove”, I let my mind wander when I’m free from the burden of thoughts, commitments, and the daily grind of life’s routines. It’s not easy to be creative; I find it cannot be forced. My mind needs zero distractions. It needs freedom to mull and meander. I imagine the concept of generating inspiration as being similar to planting a “seed”. Then, when I am able to attain a relaxed and meditative state, unexpected ideas begin to emerge.
Years ago, I heard Jan Arden, singer/songwriter, describe an inspiration capture method in the middle of the night. She had to resort to calling her own landline telephone answering machine (long before cell phones), then sang the inspired tune to herself that had magically appeared in her head. She knew she had to be swift with the capture so she didn’t lose it, as had happened to her many times before. Her story really stuck with me, and I gradually became more aware of my thoughts and how fleeting some wonderful ideas can be. I learned to act quickly to make notes to remind myself for future development.
I want to take this opportunity to share my thoughts on what to do when a specific art concept or creative challenge is presented, such as the NVCAC call-out to artists in Merritt and the Nicola Valley to come together to present a community art show based around the theme of “water” (Reflections, starting May 6, 2026).
I plant a seed, a goal of creating something depicting water, involving water, describing water and its importance to our world and survival. I talk to other artists, I cast around the internet for art styles, methods, colours, and concepts. During morning walks, I ponder an array of ideas that pass through my mind. I try each one on like I would a hat or dress in a shop. For a day, I pondered a mosaic that depicts water, having been inspired by Cathy Cox’s beautiful mosaics. I can formulate a picture, but my mind is frustrated by the details.
So far, the mosaic has been shelved, but it sits simmering on the back burner. Next, I try on a weaving that flows with blues, whites, and greens. Interesting, but not something that really grabs me. Then I went sideways for a few days, visualizing the human body and the concept that our bodies are composed of 55-60% water. That led me to drawings and paintings, but I am ill-prepared at this point to undertake such a feat.
Finally, I had a chance to chat with fellow artist, Linda Suzuki. I told her my meanderings, and as usual, a new insight was presented. She not only shared her creative process, but also added a few thoughts with a twist on my current textile work. She even shared a few photos of some silk pieces she’d seen in her travels.
Well, ta-dah! That did it. My mind went from a slow wander to a much more rapid pace. These days, I find myself in deep-mull mode, and recently, my husband has given me “side-eye” on our morning walks, likely because he has caught me talking out loud about some of the creative ideas swirling around in my noggin.
This same feeling of shared inspiration was experienced when I was on an art course in Morocco. A bunch of Facebook followers of a botanical print group assembled to learn from a top printer from the UK. So there we were, all strangers sharing a similar passion for natural fibre, dye, and botanicals. While I learned from my instructor, I was deeply moved and energized by each artist's unique brilliance. I feel my art, after these shared experiences, took on a whole new level.
Moving forward with my creative process, with a goal to contribute to the upcoming Reflections art show at the Nicola Valley Community Arts Centre Gallery in May, I am now encouraged and making progress as a result of contributions from others and a whole bunch of mulling and pondering. The next stage is the actual production, with the first steps of planning and design.
My hope is that I have inspired you to consider contributing your creation to the upcoming community show. Let’s see where your wanderings take you! If you have any questions about the upcoming show, contact Gallery Curator Shannon Dunn at [email protected]. The show begins in early May, and submissions are to be dropped off by May 1 to provide time to set up at the Art Gallery.