Day 337: Show me the Monet

The BBC have just started showing their new arts programme, Show me the Monet which is basically the x of the art world. People who have been making art quietly in their garage, as well as professional artists have come from all over the country to get in on the change of having their work on view at an exhibition at the Royal Collage of Art in London. Those artists will try and prove to a panel of judges their work is the one.

Could you do it? Would you be brave enough?

Follow the real talent of the British art world by watching the first episode on iplayer. Real people, taking their creativity seriously.

Will you be inspired?

Day 310: BP Portrait Award 2011

Today this year's shortlist was announced for the BP Portrait Award held at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The finalists are:

Ian Cumberland
Wim Heldens
Sertan Salten
Louis Smith

They're all from different countries and all came to art in different ways. I think it's inspiring to see how wide creativity really is. It part of everyone in some way, even those people who claim to be without a creative bone in their body (whatever that means!)

Take a look at their entries.  My favourite is Heldens. I want to know what he's looking at. It's like a snapshot stuck in time. Why is he holding a pencil? Is he an architect? The intriguing title, Distracted makes my imagination fly; distracted from what, from who? What or who distracted him...? I'm pretty much ready to make a story inspired by it...

Which one do you think should win?

Day 277: T. M. Alexander at View Art Gallary

How much creative inspiration can you get from one night? Well, last night I was blown away by the amount that was thrown at me as a creative thinker.

I was lucky enough to attend T. M. Alexander's book launch in Bristol. She's one of the judges for my writing competition and has just brought out her third book in the Tribe series, Labradoodle on the Loose. She gave a talk to the crowds of people attending, all about the fun author things she gets to do, including receiving the Hull Children's Book Award, doing loads of school visits and writing, of course. It was so exciting to listen to all the ins and outs of living a real writer's life.

Afterwards she spoke to me about how the publishers had decided to change her book order round and release the fourth one before the third! That's the reality of being a writer, I guess. Funnily enough, I don't get told stuff like that on my course.

On top of all of this, the book launch was held in the art gallery, View. So much creativity in one place I nearly died! And there were free smarties! What more could you want from one evening?

There are seven artists being exhibited at the gallery including a guy who'd graduated from Bath Spa only last summer. I was so impressed to see Will Kendrick's work on display, I had a big chat with the owner about it and learnt loads about owning a gallery too. A career change, perhaps...?

Opening yourself up to new creative experiences like this is so inspiring, so why not take a look and see what's going on around your area. Keep your eyes peeled, folks. Creativity really is everywhere!

Circle Painting, Will Kendrick >

Day 268: Desperate Romantics

Yesterday, as well as going to an amazing talk about the future of education, I was also lucky enough to sit in on a talk by Franny Moyle. It was more of a lecture than a talk, all about the Pre-Raphaelites, who turned from the traditions of painting in the late 1800s to create works like these:

(Proserpine by Rossetti and Orphelia by Millais)

Paintings like these were viewed with extreme opposition at the time, but now we've fallen in love with their charm. When I was studying Art at school, I looked at the Pre-Raphaelites. I loved their romantic scenes of (well dressed) beautiful women, each of them telling their own story. But it turns out I knew very little about those paintings and the people who created them. The lives of these painters, their wives and models were intertwined in every way. Basically, they're all about death, sex and politics!

As Franny Moyle showed us slide after slide of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, their meanings became clear and I realised how intricate these works were in combining details of society, their own lives and the skill of the craft. When you see old paintings on a big wall in a gallery, sandwiched between two (very similar) ones, you just don't get the depth that they really show. That's why it's so inspiring going to talks and presentations about creative things you love, or even things you don't love for that matter. There really is so much we don't know, but together, we all know quite a bit. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is learn from what/who you can and be inspired to get creative from their knowledge. I really want to get my paint brush out and get creative again...what could you do?

Check out Desperate Romantics by Franny Moyle. It's also bee turned into a BBC production.

Day 262: There's no business like show business...

I have spent the afternoon interviewing people to be in a short film. A short film based on my story! How exciting is that? To see these people fulfilling the roles of characters I have created is quite amazing and it has given me a new enthusiasm for my writing.

Do you need a lift in your creative work? What could you do to get it?

I never thought that thinking about acting and casting would help me, but it has. I guess being creative is about thinking outside the box.

If you are into drama, why not put yourself in the shoes of a painter? If you're a dancer, why not think about getting involved in singing/music? Could you learn anything from other creative areas?

It doesn't have to be much. It might just be talking to a friend or sitting in on another class at school/collage. Go see a play/movie/dance show/exhibition/book signing...

Remember, creativity feeds creativity!

Day 241: Preparation alert!

Yesterday I had a meeting with two Graphics students, Fleur and Rhea who are designing the anthology for my writing competition and I found out there's LOADS of stuff I don't know about how you make an anthology! Do you know someone has to type up the copyright page and the contents page and the acknowledgement page...seems obvious, right, but I just didn't think about it.

Being creative is sometimes not that creative, you know what I mean? If you're an painter, you can't just paint all the time. You gotta make up your canvas' and blend the paints. If you're a book maker, you can't just make it. You gotta get all the measurements and materials ready...

BUT, at the same time, all of that stuff is exciting. It's kinda like running a race. If you don't do any training, you're be rubbish in the race. It's the same for my anthology. If I don't make sure all the text is the same throughout all the entries that are given in, the book is gonna look pretty shoddy, let's be honest.

So, all this prep stuff needs to be done and it's part of being creative. The exciting news is, Rhea (the cover designer) is going to make a super cool illustration for the prize winner. This project gets bigger and better and I can't wait to see how it all turns out. (But I will wait, of course. Prep and all that!)

How's your creative work going? Do you need to step it up, do that bit of prep that's in the way of starting? Believe me, in the end it'll be worth it.

Keep up the creative work folks!

205: Epic Mickey on the Wii

For Christmas the family got a Wii game called Epic Mickey. Basically, Mickey Mouse has to go on a quest to save a world created the Sorcerer (from Fantasia). Mickey ruined the new world by spilling paint all over it, releasing a evil paint monster that he now has to find and destroy.

I have to say, I'm pretty rubbish at it, so my sister does the controls and I tell her where to go! We make a good team I think.

So, why am I telling you about this? Well, I actually think it's a really creative game. For one thing, a new world has been created (which I think is supposed to represent Disney World). Plus, when Mickey's in the world, his weapon is paint. That's how he makes enemies his friends and how he breaks down walls to pass through...what would be your creative weapon of choice?

Games are amazing. There are so many varieties, something for everyone. The cool thing is, it's some one's job to make and design them. Could it be your job?

Something to think about...

Day 162: RCA Secret

Everyone likes a good secret, don't they? Well this one involves famous artists, illustrators and art students from all over. More than 1000 artists have designed a postcard, which go on sale this weekend at Royal college of Art in London to raise money for art students. The catch, you don't know until you buy it who it's by. What a cool idea!

Each postcard is £45 and you can buy a maximum of four per person. It's getting everyone excited about owning their pocket sized Tracey Emin or David Bailey. But you might get work by a student who could go on to become the next Picasso! How exciting!

What a great way to get the community interesting in art. Not only that but raise cash to help creative people like you and me get to uni and do what we love. With the way thing are going in government, we need all the help we can get, so thank goodness someone is sticking up for us, eh!

Check out their website for more info. If you live around London, you can go see them for free before the sale. Maybe you can guess whose is whose!

So, who'll get the postcards worth millions? We'll have to wait and see...

Day 160: Paint-a-pot with friends

About two months ago me and my housemate Beth went to a paint-a-pot shop and let our creativity rip! This mug is what I produced. On one side is a sun and as it moves round, it goes through the day and into night.

I wanted to decorate a mug that was for both left and right handed people. If you are left handed you know what I mean when I say all mugs are decorated to benefit ONLY right handed people.

Anyway, I won't get into that. The point is, creativity can be used all over the place. I really enjoyed sitting down for a few hours with my friend painting a little picture on a mug. It took us ages to decide what we were going to paint, bouncing off creative idea after creative idea. Every time I use it I am reminded of that day. When I make my cup of tea in the morning, it makes me want to do something else creative with the day too.

See it there's anywhere around where you live to paint a pot, or a bowl, plate, money box. The possibilities are endless. Only you can paint your pot. It will be one of a kind. They make great presents too!

Day 159: Cath Kidston

Here is a dress I saw today at the Bath Fashion Museum and next to it is a Cath Kidston iphone case. Is it just me or are they really similar?

When I saw it the first thing I thought was, 'wow, so that's where Cath got her ideas from.' It got me think about how ideas are recycled, revamped and repackaged. I mean, both of these patterns could be used for wallpaper too. And, if you think about it, they are all just copying the flower in the field!

Who starts ideas? Does it matter?

I think what counts is how YOU put your mark on it. Whether it's a pattern you create, a song you sing or a canvas you paint. YOU are what makes it.

Use what you know, what came before and make it your own...just like Cath Kidston.

Day 157: Reminiscing with Helen Cross

Today I went into the little primary school in Saltford as I always do, but this morning, Helen Cross came with us. She got the class thinking about what they would miss if they left home for a holiday or wherever. We looked at a poem by Grace Nichols called, Like a Beacon, where she misses her mum's home cooking from Jamaica.

It was all very pleasant until I thought, hang on, I'm away from home right now! Uni is one of those strange times in your life when you have two homes, but neither of them feel quite right. When I'm home with my family I miss my home at uni and vise versa.

So, as I'm at Uni, I was thinking about my family home five hours away and this came out of it:

Opening the fridge and picking at fresh grapes,
five varieties of cheese, crisp cucumber,
red peppers and thick yogurt.
Bracken and Bramble sleeping, stretched out lazily
on the most comfortable sofa imaginable,
or curled up by the hissing fire.
Being surrounded by my dad's teddy-bear hugs.

Kind of a poem, I guess. What would you miss? I don't know about you, but thinking about it makes me really want to be there. All that feeling and emotion...

Try writing a list of what you'd miss and put those ideas, feelings, senses into your creative work somehow, whether it be writing, painting, animation, music, dance, drama...Using what we know from our own lives touches other people's lives and that's the power of creativity.

Work with what you got and see how far it reaches...

Day 156: Illustration and Stephen Cartwright

Lately, when I've been reading, I've found myself thinking, 'man, I wish my books still had colourful pictures in.' Wasn't it great when your mum/dad read you a book and all you had to do was 'read' the picture? I miss those day...

It got me thinking about how amazing illustrations are. They tell way more of the story than the words really. One of my favourite things used to be finding something on the page, like in Farmyard Tales. Stephen Cartwright drew these wonderful pictures. Can you spot the duck in these pages?

I used to love it. Searching the picture and sharing the experience with my parents was great. Now I read to my little sister and do it with her. I ask her what she can see and talk about what's going on.

Illustration is under rated and I this has to change, right? It's a really powerful way of story telling. It must be so fun telling stories in pictures...have you thought about it? Could your creative talents take you there?

The next time you're in a bookshop, swing past the kid's section and take a look at the picture books. They're are incredible! We all need to give a little more time to just looking, I think...

Day 149: Ben Wilson, the chewing gum man...

I was SO excited when I saw this that I HAD to share it with you. It turns out there's a guy in London called Ben Wilson who goes along the street, finds an old piece of forgotten chewing gum and paints on it! Check out his masterpieces below:

What an incredible idea. It really gives a different slant to painting. I think it would be lovely to walk down the street and see a painted bit of gum on the street. Watch this video if you like what you see. Ben Wilson talks about how his art allows him to work outside and interact with his community, as well as work with what others throw away.

I don't know about you guys, but it makes me think about my own creative work and how I can make it new, fresh and reach out into my community. What could you do with your creativity? Where could you take you ideas?

Because of Ben Wilson, creativity is literally changing the streets of London. Now that's what I call creative thinking!

Day 115: X Factor

You know what? I have ummed and arred about writing an entry about X Factor since the new series started. I thought it was, 'far too commercial for the likes of my blog.'

What a snob!

X Factor might be commercial and corny and over the top, but the truth is, I am actually inspired by it. I've watched nearly every episode of the new series and each time I find myself singing more. I think, 'I want to sing like them.' So I do; in the shower, when the kettle's boiling, when I'm walking down a busy road.

Now the fact is, I'm not a singer. People have told me I'm alright, but I don't want to be a singer. I don't want to win X Factor, or even enter, but every time I watch, I find the need to sing and that's called inspiration! It makes me want to do something. Just listen to this. It gives me goosebumps and makes me want to sing along with her:



I get it all the time. If there's a film about dancing, I want to dance. If I watch a program about Matisse, I want to paint. If I taste a yum cake, I want to bake. If I read an amazing book, I want to write.

What I'm saying is, run with what you feel inspired to do, even if it only lasts a day. Try everything! Do anything! That's what being creative is all about. It makes me feel alive when I sing at the top of my lungs in an empty house. I LOVE it! What do you love?

Be creative. Be everything!

Day 103: David Nicholls got me thinking...

At the moment I am reading One Day by David Nicholls which I guess you would call an 'adult book'. One of the main characters is called Emma, which I find a little weird. Perhaps weirder is how much she reminds me of myself. Have you ever had that when you're reading a book?

Anyway, it turns out she's quite a thinker and a creative one at that and when talking about her play she's performing for schools she says, 'once again life is failing to imitate art.'

Her irony got me thinking. Unfortunately life doesn't imitate art (that's all forms of art, not just fine art), but should art imitate life?

When I was wandering from painting to painting in London (look at yesterday's post for more of that) I found myself getting really annoyed at how unrealistic some of the paintings were. Would Jesus really have white skin living in Israel? Are medieval science experiments really performed in a darkened room with only one candle creating dramatic lighting on the faces of the onlookers? Was the young Lady Grey really wearing a brilliantly white dress at her execution to contrast the drab clothes of the others present? Would farmers from hundreds of years ago really wear purple trousers to work? The answer is, probably not. All of these are artistic details to emphasize certain areas of the painting, creating mood, depth, colour balance...

Art is escapism, entertainment, meaningful representations...so does it have to replicate 'real life'? Not if the creator doesn't want it to. Then again, the creator can make it whatever they want. That's the beauty of art isn't it? Its an interpretation of the world or maybe an experimentation of what the world could be...

What do you want to say through your creations? Do you want to imitate reality, show injustice in the world? Do you want to create a safe haven for people to escape to? Do you want to experiment with boundaries or try something no one has ever done before? You really can do anything! So, go for it. Be inspired by what has come before you and make it your own. Being creative means, when you've got something interesting to say, you have an interesting way of saying it! So, what are you waiting for?

Day 102: The Credit Crunch and BP Portrait Award 2010

It seems to me that the government is cutting more and more creative funding all over the place due to the credit crunch, so how are we supposed to get any inspiration around here? Can we be inspired when we don't have any money either?

Well, I am here to say YES! I spent the day yesterday visiting gallery after free gallery in London. It really is amazing how much free stuff there is to do in London. I mean, just walking around looking at buildings, people and soaking up the atmosphere is pretty inspiring.

First, I visited The National Gallery where I stared at old, old paintings of mythological scenes, aristocratic families and religious iconography. Its so cool how stories feed art and in turn, art feeds stories.

Whilst having my lunch on the steps in Trafalgar Square I watched a bazaar mechanical design piece called Outrace move around, flashing lights and making strange noises (I think it would have been a lot more impressive in the dark).

Then, it was onto The National Portrait Gallery, which had the BP Portrait Awards 2010 exhibiting. Intricate portraits by contemporary practising artists lined the walls with hundreds of people viewing them. Perhaps the funniest thing was the sight of  twenty school girls sitting on the floor in front of one painting , showing a girl with ipod earphones in. You literally had to hop over them to get past. There was also a little photography collection by Jason Bell, showing famous Brits living in New York.

On the way back to the train station (sort of) I quickly popped into The British Museum (which is massive and cannot be 'popped' into!). I only had time to look at the Egyptian collection (briefly), which was awe inspiring! I got told off by a 'guard' for touching this absolutely massive stone arm, once belonging to a Pharaoh's statue. In my defense, I had to touch it, people made that!

Check out this website which lists free comedy, art, theatre etc in London and see what you can do. There is SO much (despite the credit crunch) you can be inspired by, all for the price of a train ticket!

See what's in your local area too. There's bound to be a museum, gallery, local art/writing/dance group or something, somewhere near you.

Feel free to be inspired wherever you are!

Day 72: Scrabble

Initially, this game does not appear all that inspiring, especially creativity. But, let's just look back over this blog for a sec. Nature, charity shops, rubbish...all of these things on the surface don't appear that creative, but I've managed to produce a creative slant on them all, so here goes...

Yesterday, I was playing Scrabble. When the box came out I thought, 'man, I really don't want to play this. I'm too tired (from all the food and the lack of sleep) and I just can't be bothered.' Somehow I managed to win (yay), but this isn't about me winning. This is about Scrabble!

You know when you play Scrabble, you get those reeeeeally long breaks were another player is desperately trying to find somewhere to put their 'Q' or whatever? Well, there were a lot of them in my game, so naturally my mind wondered into the potential creative qualities of Scrabble.

So, here's the challenge for today; get hold of a Scrabble game and take out 7 letters (no peeking).

Now, that's what you got. What are you going to do with it? Do they spell anything of interest? How does it inspire you? The challenge is, to do something with it.

Use the words, use the letters, use the tiles. Be as imaginative as you like, but whatever you do, be creative.

Got no scrabble tiles? Well, here's some I prepared earlier...

A N D U E M S

Write, sing, dance, draw, paint, make, bake, sew, film...Create.

Day 27: A picture says 1000 words!

The next time you open a magazine, be it fashion, cars, computers, the big issue...find two random pictures which don't seem to have anything to do with each other. How do they link? How could you make a story/a scene/a dance piece/a painting using these two pictures?

It can be any aspect of the pictures that you chose to use. It's really up to you. Use it as a starting point...

To give you an example (which I so often like to do) take these two pictures:

I have taken them from this month's 'Marie Claire' Magazine. Is the girl - lets call her Sadie - looking at the sign? Is this where she is destined to go? Is this (the sign) what she wants her life to be? Is she an undercover detective, investigating the scene of a murder? Is she the murderer? Is she the next victim...or are they two separate things in the story all together?

Now, I am a writer, so naturally edge towards creating a story from these two images, but do whatever you like with them. Create lyrics, use the colours to inform your painting. Maybe it inspires your own fashion ideas?

Whatever you do with it, be creative. Find your own pictures and let them inspire you own creativity.

Go...

Day 12: Saturday!

Ok people, today is Saturday. Well done for pointing out the obvious, I hear you say. Think about it: if you put it into 'text' language it says, 'sat-UR-day'!

This day, and every other Saturday is YOUR day! There's no school so go crazy creating!

What will you do with your day? Music, dance, drama, writing, painting, drawing, making... it's up to you! Use the time you're got to do something amazing...Go...