Keeping your creativity alive has always been a challenge, but in the era of work from home, where the lines between work life and home life have blurred and where burnout and social disconnection are rising, creativity is at risk. We’ve asked some of the most creative folks we know for advice on how to keep one’s creativity alive.
Yezi Dai
I believe that the keys to creativity are continuous reflection and observation. By actively pondering and paying attention to the world around us, it’s easier for creativity to stay vibrant. I’m not particularly skilled at depicting futuristic technology themes, so my inspiration mainly stems from my own life. Read more>>
Eddie Brophy
I was born in 87′, so I grew up in the golden age of art and creativity (until you break down the nefarious and sordid aspects) in the 90s. My big sisters and I were the product of two disenfranchised lower-middle class working parents. Read more>>
Daria Kobzar
My passion for art fuels my creativity. Throughout my career, I’ve actively sought ways to integrate it into my professional practice. Creating graphic tattoos based on artistic projects allows me to express myself creatively while offering clients unique and personalized designs. Read more>>
MARIANA BAKANA
As an entrepreneur and fashion producer, maintaining your creativity is essential for remaining innovative and relevant in the industry. I stay inspired by immersing myself in various sources such as attending fashion shows, exhibitions, art galleries, and cultural events. Additionally, I actively follow fashion blogs, magazines, and social media accounts that showcase diverse styles and trends. Read more>>
Sarah Nettuno
Maintaining my creativity is so important to me and there are many avenues in which I keep my imagination alive. For starters, I consistently surround myself with visually captivating and inspiring new artwork, books, knickknacks, and other collectables that I keep around my studio space to glance at whenever I need to. Read more>>
Simon Floris
I find the most amazing inspiration in the people I surround myself with, I’m lucky enough to have a circle of friends that are phenomenally talented. Some are musicians, some sculptors, some 3D artists, some film editors. Being around them when we work together gives me great insight into my own creativity, and encourages me to be more proactive with my art. I can’t thank them enough for being who they are. Read more>>
Aaliyah Johnson
I often see a lot of other photographers, specifically Native American photographers on social media. Since I’m Native myself, a citizen of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe, I often take pictures of Native American powwows. I love the way you can capture these dancers in motion. I just fall in love with how, often times what seems effortless, these photographs are able to take these pictures of the dancers. Read more>>
Mimi Ezinne
I never stop moving and I never stop learning. I hate being stuck in my comfort zone, it’s boring. Traveling, trying new things and being open minded keep me inspired. For me that looks like moving around a lot, living in different places and experiencing the cultures and communities there, or connecting with people I find inspiring. Read more>>
Michael Tyler-Smith
I am inspired by emotions and the overall impact I face in my own day to day personal life. I think something I am coming to understand about me is… I truly do not understand how to process feelings when it comes to handling certain situations. I feel like sometimes life can be a movie which is why I enjoy going to the movies, its like my therapeutic escape sessions. Read more>>
Rika Nakayama
The key components of my work process that keep my creativity alive are curiosity, research, reflection, and experimentation. I have explored various disciplines such as illustration, film, architecture, and industrial design before focusing on animation, which made me grow as an interdisciplinary artist. Read more>>
Najmeh (Sara) Pirahmadian
My creativity thrives on always diving into new projects, being curious, and constantly learning, especially when I see what others are creating. Being part of the creative community at Ohio University, I’m surrounded by a wide range of ideas and viewpoints, which sparks my imagination and pushes my creativity forward. Read more>>
Katie Riegel
Every person is creative; it’s part of what makes us human. I knew at a young age that I loved to write, and also that I wasn’t particularly good at drawing. Thus my first book was born: I was 9, and I wrote myself and my two best friends into a story about alien abduction (don’t worry, it all turned out ok). Luckily, one of my friends was a good artist, and the other was good at crafts, so the single illustrated copy was a joint effort. Read more>>
Araceli Ruiz
As a small business owner especially in a creative field like cosmetics, keeping your creativity alive is essential for growth and innovation. I like to engage with my customers I listen to their feedback and understand their needs and preferences. Feedback can provide valuable insights into what they love and what they like to see from my brand. Read more>>
E. Jermaine Hill
As a web and graphic designer, my creativity is challenged on a daily basis. While all my designs are unique, I do draw inspiration from other designers, especially if their designs reflect forward thinking. Read more>>
Scott Stein
I keep my creativity alive by making sure that my products are always evolving and trying new projects that challenge me. Sometimes I fail when attempting a new product and I embrace this as it makes me take a step back and think about how I can improve my systems and myself. I am a woodworker so changing things up for my customers is essential and this is how I keep my creativity alive. Read more>>
Connie Little
Taking my macaron baking to the next level by incorporating different colors, shapes and designs has really sparked my creativity and helped keep this passion for baking alive. Plus I pull inspiration from other bakers! There’s a great community not only locally, but globally, where I’ve been able to connect with other macaron bakers and bounce ideas and discussions off of one another. Read more>>
Azul Aguamarina
In my case, keeping creativity alive involves maintaining a deep, honest connection with myself through daily journaling and consistently checking in with my emotions and what I need to say with my Art. Showing up to my studio every day keeps the flow of my creations warm, which really helps connect back with the work on the next day. Read more>>
Alexis Fallon
I think as an artist, nothing dims our light more than not being able to create.. because for us- it is a way of being more than doing. It is how we express our most authentic selves & i think the best way to keep our creativity alive is to create without concern of the outside world. Think of a child in their purest, most natural form- they are not concerned about whether people like what they create…they are unapologetic…raw…and free. Read more>>
Kelli Carlson
I am very mindful about who I surround myself with and the content I consume. It goes one of two ways, it’s either charging my creative battery or depleting it. I stay creatively charged and inspired by meeting artists taking action in their careers. I try go to one or two art shows or events weekly, and learn and network as much as possible. It keeps me inspired, curious, and always having fun. Read more>>
Lapita Arviso
Sustaining my creativity means exploring and keeping an open mind. Creating with food has always brought me joy, especially to share with the ones I love. Exploring through music, movies, landscapes, and travel will always sustain creativity. Remaining open to those moments of inspiration is key. Read more>>
Bill Ivins
One of the challenges facing any artist is the ability to stay creative. As an illustrator, I have found that this means keeping a sketch pad or tablet close by and using free time to sketch or doodle. Looking at a blank page may be daunting to some, or send them back inside their own head, wondering “What should I draw?” In those times, I have discovered that something magical happens as soon as you put the pen or pencil actually down on the paper. Lines start to appear in my minds eye, and I follow where they lead. Read more>>
Katya Thompson
Travel, especially to places like Eastern Europe where I grew up, and visits to Italy and France, is what truly motivates and energizes me for my workday like nothing else. Exploring the unique architecture, interior design, and ambience of hotels and restaurants in these regions provides me with a deep well of inspiration. Read more>>
Deneena Hughes
Metaphorically, creativity is like a favorite, precious pet. It’s natural to care for it and tend to it because of the joy and fulfillment it brings to life. When you nurture it, it nurtures you back, breathing life and light into the mundane. You look forward to time with it, it’s in your thoughts when you’re doing other things, you can’t help but talk about it, you bring it with you, and you’d never dream of letting it suffer and waste away or die. Read more>>
Belia Liebenberg
I normally like to look at what other artists are creating, no matter what medium or field they use. I also like to look at things around me, what people are wearing, the scenery, the food I’m eating, nature and so on. I think most creative people really take inspiration from everything from everyday life. Sometimes it can become difficult to just think up some creative work on the spot so it’s good to take inspiration from what we can see in front of us. Read more>>
Maybed Romero
\A few ways that I keep my creativity alive is by allowing myself to rest when needed. After minor breaks I look over all my work and most of the time new inspiration comes from previous work. Read more>>
