We’re beyond fortunate to have built a community of some of the most creative artists, professionals, and entrepreneurs in the world and one of the most important questions we ask them is around keeping one’s creativity alive. Below, we’ve highlighted some of those responses.
David A. Flores
For me, being creative is a compulsion. When I’m NOT not creative, it impacts my mental health. This pretty much guarantees that I will always be creative in some way/shape/form. Keeping that alive is not hard for me. Pushing creativity from a hobby to a career? That’s where the real struggle begins. Read more>>
7 Works Collective
The 7 Works Collective Artists had plans in 2020 to travel to Toronto Island for an Artists’ Residency: Gibraltar Point Artscape Artist Residency program . But, as often happened in 2020, well laid plans were derailed due to the COVID pandemic. Read more>>
Rachel Repinz
Creativity keeps me alive, rather than the other way around. I find a lot inspiration in the everyday moments, which is what drives my choreography and conceptual work the most. A voicemail from my mom or catching up with a friend over coffee are really inspiring and creative moments for me. Read more>>
Dawn Xintong Yang
I believe inspiration and creativity stem from life, as well as continuous practice. Therefore, I often use my sketchbook to document my inspirations and ideas in daily life. Read more>>
Kimberly Knight
Each week, I take the time to research and learn from others who work in the same field as I do. I love standing out, so making sure that what I do is different and unique is a must. From decorating, marketing materials, different ingredients and even baking hardware helps me to continue to grow my business. Read more>>
Kristina Bethea
Ever since I can remember, I have been creative. I remember when I was just 6 years old I could draw really well. I developed a passion for art, and studied art. I have also built up a passion for development because you are literally being creative throughout the entire design and development process. Read more>>
Jake Walters
I think it’s very important to keep your mind open to as much as you possibly can. Listen to an artist you would never normally listen to, go to an eclectic or historic art gallery, go see an avant-garde play, anything! The more exposure to creation we have, the more curious we become, and there is a higher potential to be inspired. Read more>>
Veronica Peterson
Creativity is in my opinion, one of the most important parts of life. It’s how we avoid burnout. It’s how we expand both professionally and personally. It’s how we evolve from one chapter of life to the next. Creativity and all that it brings is held at one of my highest values in life. I personally gain my creativity from 3 main areas. Read more>>
Ken Adams
As a retired engineer, I enjoy watching shows like Modern Marvels, How It’s Made and the Discovery Network to see how other people tackle challenges in their industry. While, their challenges may not be directly related to mine, there may be small tidbits of information I can use on future projects. I enjoy creating and building things so when it came to creating Oh Wow Candles, I had my work cut out for me. Read more>>
Lenox Stafford
It’s simple for me. I enjoy listening to people share their stories and life experiences with me, studying other forms of art and applying it back to my craft as a writer and of course travel. Read more>>
Trey Everett
A number of years ago, I read “Big Magic,” by Elizabeth Gilbert, and it really reshaped how I view creativity and inspiration. I think now, particularly as I get older, I believe that inspiration is something that comes to us, not from us. Our job as artists, is to take that inspiration, and allow it to bring forth our creativity. Read more>>
Summer Taylor
I keep my creativity alive by surrounding myself with a community of friends who are also pursuing their passions in various creative fields and entrepreneurial endeavors. Seeing their ideas and achievements come to life inspires me. Observing their passion, resilience, and innovative approaches to their work fuels my own creative drive. Read more>>
Johnny Metro
I believe that a lot of my creativity comes from being inspired by others, because isn’t that a big part why we create? I get inspired by new ideas from not just new advances at the theme parks and movies nd TV but my creator friends and pals who keep the creative juices flowing. Read more>>
Jake & Taylor Rhyne
The joy flowers can bring someone. Each bouquet is unique and we do our best to make sure when someone receives them that it brightens their day in some way. Read more>>
Shoaib Shawl
There’s a quiet whisper that follows me, not with words, but with a brushstroke of light across my mind’s canvas. It’s a call, an invitation to dance with the unknown, to delve into the inky depths of my soul and pull forth hues unseen. Read more>>
Susanna Abadjian
As a business owner, i foster creativity by encouraging a dynamic work environment at Chita Beauty. By promoting open communication and regularly seeking fresh perspectives from my team, i am always inspired to do more for the brand. Embracing innovation, staying curious about industry trends, and continuously learning also play vital roles in keeping creativity alive within the business. Read more>>
Manon Alexandra
Keeping my creativity alive is a very important part of what I do. Luckily, it tends to be relatively easy for me to find inspiration from different outlets. I can find it from certain places, people or things. Traveling, new experiences, and surrounding myself with things that bring me happiness tend to inspire me the most. Read more>>
Rabbit Print
For me personally, I have to have multiple avenues to keep my creativity alive. Mainly, it’s my interests and hobbies that keep my passion going (pre-hispanic Nahua culture, anthropology, my most recent media brain rot, Trigun, or whatever I’m into at the moment), but what adds the extra seasoning to my sazon is just intrinsically knowing what I like and don’t like. Read more>>
Charlie Faulks
There’s a few. I love talking about this stuff so brace yourself… I do something creative everyday. I make sure to always have a project to work on, whether that be freelance jobs or my own personal projects. I’m lucky that now, I’m at a point where I feel a weird discomfort if I’ve not drawn, written, filmed etc all day. That discomfort really digs itself in and, in a strange way, encourages me to make stuff. Read more>>
Caroline Useh
First I’m always reminded by why I started, this helps keep me in check whenever I encounter any challenge.In my down times, I’ll always call on my friends of like minds in career to share my changes with them just to be motivated and they always doing justice to it each time I come to them. Read more>>
Lauren Nitka
As a lifelong artist, and now professional artist, I’ve struggled through many creative blocks. This desire to make art, unfulfilled by an invisible mental wall that I couldn’t seem to get past. However, I’ve found procrastinating making art only deepens the creative block. I instead focused on exploration. I explored quite a bit of architecture, floral abstracts, and worship paintings. Read more>>
Esther Sakyi
I nurture my creativity to keep it alive by actively implementing my ideas, finding that the process itself becomes a wellspring of inspiration. Additionally, I engage in reading, listen to music, and draw inspiration from other creatives. I find that these diverse sources contribute to a continuous flow of creative energy. Read more>>
Eli Rainwater
I switch it up. I have a dedicated office at home, but sometimes I switch rooms or locations to get a fresh space and perspective. I also listen to things that inspire me, especially music, or go to a museum or a garden. When I really start to feel burned out, I stop writing for about a week and just read books. Read more>>
Xinhao Lu
For me, the creativity in filmmaking stems from a curiosity about the unknown and an imaginative exploration of the various different lives in this world. These qualities have been with me from childhood to adulthood, serving as the most crucial driving force to maintain my creativity. Read more>>
Heidi Grace Acuña
I keep my creativity alive by having balanced boundaries. I always say that I create to live. (Truly, creating is something I would do every minute if I didn’t have to care for my human body and live in this manmade structured world.) By having boundaries and a life-work balance, my creativity stays alive and fruitful! Read more>>
Elisha Ellis Madsen
I have a Maya Angelou quote in my office space that says, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” I believe in those wise words. For me, creativity isn’t just a self-care tool; creativity is a path to living an authentic and inspired life. Because of that, it feels counterintuitive to talk about how to keep my creativity “alive,” because I don’t view it as something separate from me. Read more>>
Jeff Greenleaf
“The creative process is a process of surrender, not control.” -Bruce Lee The idea of surrendering to art has helped me greatly as a creative. It means a couple things to me. The first would be the art of surrendering, which often means letting go of conscious, rational, controlled thoughts and inviting the subconscious mind. Read more>>
Dina Cadavid
My family! I have a 7 year old daughter who I have raised immersed in arts and crafts since she picked up a paintbrush at 12 months old, and was painting with acrylics by 14 months old! Some form of art has happened in our home almost on a daily. I have considered myself an artist since I was young. Read more>>
Yu Tang
In my opinion, maintaining creativity is a process. If you want to express creatively, you must continue to gain experiences. Therefore, I will continue to learn by reading books on history, philosophy, management, etc., watching various types of film and television and short films, travelling regularly, experiencing different cultures and customs, and getting close to nature. Read more>>
Avanti Centrae
This fun questions speaks to me as a bestselling thriller author, but I think has the opportunity to inspire everyone, whether they work as a creative or not. Even when I was a Silicon Valley IT Executive, I used creativity to solve problems at work. These days, my challenges relate more to creating compelling plot twists and generating unique story ideas, but I find similar ways to keep the creative juices flowing. Read more>>
Shakila Stewart
To nourish and sustain my creativity, I engage in a multi-faceted approach. I delve into the rich history of artists in dance, film, and music, drawing inspiration from their timeless work. Actively participating in weekly ballet, modern dance and yoga classes serves as a dynamic outlet for my own artistic expression. Read more>>
Melinda Bryce
Creativity is really a symptom of an active imagination reacting to a life well-lived. Don’t misunderstand when I say “well-lived.” That does not necessarily mean “wealthy” in the common sense of the term. It means that you must live a life rich in all of the things that are important to keep your mind fertile: Read more>>
LaShirl Smith
I view every situation as a story that can be told. I can literally sit down at my laptop and think of an idea and just begin to type. Before you know it, I’ve written ten or twelve pages out of nowhere. My creativity comes when I’m most relaxed. Read more>>
Garrett Gallego
By doing creative things! I write, I make little short films, I do photography, I truly believe that the most difficult thing about being an actor/performer is that you’re constantly waiting around, asking for permission. Other artistic mediums are lucky in the sense that they don’t really require “permission”, a painter can paint at home, a writer can write for as long as they want every day, and a musician can practice long into the night. Read more>>
Celeste Dial
Being a creative is very draining, it takes a lot of mental and emotional energy to put art out into the world that resonates with people. When you are a designer and art director like myself, and you are doing this for many different brands and having to pull from new creative inspirations every day, the toll it takes on you is even more so. I like to recharge by fueling my personal life with art and things I’m passionate about. Read more>>
Jasmine Williams
I keep my creativity alive by trying to be as present as possible. I’m often inspired by conversations with friends or the media I consume (books, podcasts, etc.). I also make time for activities that fuel me creatively, like reading, dancing, or writing my weekly newsletter. Read more>>
Jingyi Gao
Embracing the life by incorporating a mindful practice into every weekly routine. I am intentional about balance my life, work and personal space, giving myself time to be alone. Prioritizing Solitude is crucial; dedicating time exclusively for my self-reflection, relaxation, and activities that helps recharge my mind and body. Read more>>
Pietro Cornini
Creativity is quite challenging to achieve. Why is that? I’ve learned that Creativity has a life of its own different from person to person, It comes and goes most of the time however it pleases, so how do I keep my creativity alive? Simply, I just let it be. I understood that to make the best out of my creativity I have to let it flow. Read more>>
Bill Janssen
How do you keep my creativity alive? It’s daunting to stare at a blank piece of paper, whether crafting a painting or working with words. The literal blank canvas of my life. I recollect the images, scenes, people and situations from my life and bring that, with quiet focus, to my work. Next comes hope. I want, I HOPE to craft a satisfactory image. Satisfaction in that I’m pleased with the outcome and then, in turn, perhaps others will be pleased as well. Read more>>
Dana Hanley
I think it’s extremely important as a photographer to continue growing. When it’s busy season, we don’t have a lot of time for that, which is why I make it a point to take on a handful of styled sessions during the slow months. Styled shoots with model families is one of my favorite things that I get to do. Every winter, I pick about 4 families to model for me. I create the entire session from beginning to end. Read more>>
Ray Prim
Ok this really isn’t my wheel house. I’ll try and give you the answers you need. I basically keep my creativity alive by simply never stop creating. I’m always working on something musically. Whether it be writing a song or producing a track or mixing mine or somebody else’s record. I stay busy creating because I love it. Read more>>
Shelley Herman
I have always been a people person, so I was shocked at how well I didn’t do in isolation when the pandemic hit. I needed to laugh with my friends, go on adventures, take a risk, and learn something new. (I still need to learn glass-blowing.) I connected with people again thanks to Zoom and other social media sites! Read more>>
Maya Pinz
For me, maintaining creativity is all about balance. I absolutely have to take breaks so that I don’t get burnt out. I usually experience creativity in a cycle. I really need an intake period – watching movies, reading books, going to museums – to get those ideas flowing. Sometimes even speaking with friends or going through a difficult experience can get my creativity going. Read more>>
Ajunique Dillard
I do so many things I don’t it ever goes away I’m always pulling from somewhere whether it be the people around me or the things I come across it’s always something that sparks an idea. Read more>>
Brandon L
For me, I keep creativity alive by approaching everything in life like a painting. At first, it is daunting to look at a blank canvas. The possibilities are endless. I can paint the fruit medley on my table, or get outside and do some plein air painting. Whatever the subject matter may be, it is necessary to have a mastery of the basic painting elements as they dictate the success of a piece. Read more>>
