We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Courtney Cox. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Courtney below.
Courtney, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Creativity involves play. I think sometimes, as adults, we resist things that feel playful because we feel we “should” be doing something else. Instead, I feel protective of fun activities and set aside time for them. For example, I have a business designing knitwear and writing knitting patterns, but I make sure that I work on a fun project at least twice a week – at my knitting group and on the weekend.
Creative play looks different in different seasons. Some seasons are exceptionally busy, or heavy and sad, or involve health struggles that make everything seem difficult. In these seasons, I think of creativity more as input than output. I might add to my library, or research a new technique or skill. I may visit a museum or seek out the work of others to admire. I might look at random items on clearance at the craft store and see if I can think of new ways to incorporate them in my work. This is also a great time for quick projects – do some experiments and call them “samples to inform future work.” Take a class, participate in an art event or festival, dig into the closet and pull out that fun kit you’ve been saving. In seasons when it feels like a challenge to be creative, reach for the things that make you feel inspired or curious.
At the end of the day, the most important aspect of creativity is just to keep engaging with it. Encourage your own curiosity. Put yourself in unfamiliar situations. Keep learning things. Keep trying things.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My primary work is as a knitwear designer and pattern writer. I hand knit garments and accessories and then process the designs into professional-grade knitting patterns so that hobbyist hand knitters can recreate them at home. Some of my patterns are freelance from my own yarn stash, but mostly I work with yarn companies and design for their product lines.
Knitting is so much fun and getting to work on it all the time is a dream come true. I especially love the community aspect of knitting. Seeing how knitters rework or adapt patterns is so interesting and inspiring to me. It’s also great that knitting has been around for so long that there are endless techniques to learn, and each one just opens the door to another infinity of possibilities.
My patterns are available on Ravelry, Knit Picks, and now on Hobbii’s website as part of their Hobbii Plus Designs. I post regularly about my knitting on Instagram and Tiktok using the handle @courtneymcoxdesigns
In addition to knitting, I am also an award-winning and internationally exhibiting hand embroidery artist. Focused mostly on portraiture, my work has been published, awarded, featured, and exhibited across four continents. My work can be found on Instagram @courtneycoxart and on my website at www.courtneycoxart.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Being unafraid to take a risk Failure and rejection can be painful experiences, but they are also an inevitable part of life – especially as a creative. Not all of my ventures will be successful. Not ever design will make the cut. Some of my pitches will flop.
It’s normal to feel bummed if something doesn’t work out. To lighten the blow, I approach everything with a sense of curiosity; an attitude of “What if I applied just to see what happens?” instead of “I really hope I get in.” Rejections feel more like learning experiences if I’m not hung up on acceptances.
2. Exploring + Experimenting
There’s a lot of emphasis on consistency for artists, especially when it comes to social media. While it’s true that each artist has their own “voice” and style, art is a part of the lived experience and thus is always changing. What we make evolves with us.
I get bored if I keep making the same thing over and over. Continuing to try new things and to ask “What if?” helps push my art forward. If I’m having a good time exploring, it will absolutely come out in the finished piece.
3. Discarding what doesn’t work
The above being said, there are a lot of times when things just aren’t working. Some seasons, it seems like I abandon just as many projects as I finish. It’s not a sense of restlessness, but because I’ve learned from the process. Not everything needs to be published or exhibited or posted on social media to have value. Sometimes we just need to set it down and let it inform the next work.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Absolutely! There are three main groups I’m interested in collaborating with:
The first is yarn companies. I currently work with several yarn companies designing knitting patterns specifically for their products. I’ve also done some social media influencer work.
Secondly, part of my pattern writing process is working with test knitters. These individuals are given the pattern for free before it is published and knit the item to check that the instructions are correct. As I write patterns at different skill levels, I could use test knitters at all different skill levels.
Another avenue I am interested in exploring is publishing. With a background as a professional copywriter and published author, connections in publishing could open a lot of different doors, whether as an outlet for my freelance patterns or other forms of writing.
If you are interested in working with me, please send me an email at [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Website: www.courtneycoxart.com
- Instagram: @courtneycoxart @courtneymcoxdesigns
- Facebook:facebook.com/courtneymcoxdesigns facebook.com/courtneycoxart
- Other: TikTok: @courtneymcoxdesigns
Image Credits
Artist photo taken by Dynamo Studios
