creativity | Cristina Colli

Aug

How to find inspiration within

creativity / 2 Comments / 20th August 2018

There is nothing truly original, and every creation is based on existing concepts connected in a novel way. What’s truly unique is the individual viewpoint – there’s only one “you” in this world.

Personality traits, surroundings, upbringing, travels, hobbies, and experiences all contribute to influence your perception of reality, and shape your unique perspective.
The act of creating is an act of self-expression, so looking within and trusting your vision are essential to produce innovative work.

As a recovering perfectionist, it took me some time, and a lot of journalling and introspection, to trust my imagination and let it guide my creative work.
Along the way I learnt a few lessons, and discovered several ways to stay inspired.

Balance consumption with creation

Creativity requires a mix of external stimuli to build on, and solitude to make connections and produce work.

I’m a lifelong learner and a voracious reader, and every time something tickles my imagination I turn to books and blogs to learn and deepen my understanding.
I’m very grateful to live in an era where knowledge, inspiration, and like-minded people are just a click away, however when I work I need to clear the outside noise, both real and virtual, to reach that place of stillness where I can actually hear my own voice, and create from the heart.

As much as I love looking at beautiful images, and studying work of artists whose style I admire, if I don’t take regular breaks from the internet I risk hitting a creative slump.

Even though creativity builds on ideas and thoughts conceived by others, when I feed my mind too much content I often reach a point when I can’t hear my own voice any more.
The constant stream of information numbs my imagination, and I need to step back from the online world to restore some form of balance.

Being an introvert and HSP, I need quite a lot of time alone to recharge my batteries.
Sometimes a few days offline are enough, and sometimes a longer break is necessary – I usually stay off social media for a few weeks in summer and towards the end of the year, and afterwards I always feel refreshed, inspired, and ready to tackle new projects.

Avoid the comparison trap

When I spend excessive time on social media I also risk falling into the comparison trap, and abandoning projects in their infancy, in fear that they wouldn’t be good enough anyway.

I know that no one really shares all the heartache, disappointments, and failed attempts behind a successful project.
Months, or sometimes years, of hard work are condensed in just a few beautiful, curated moments, but despite being aware of this sometimes I can still feel inadequate and doubt my self-worth.

When I notice that I start comparing my beginning, or middle, to the end of someone else’s journey, I know that it’s time to take a step back and enjoy some time offline – again ;)
I turn to my inspiration boards to remind myself of my core values and desires, I review my progress to give myself a boost, and then set myself to create, ignoring what everyone else is doing.

Calm the mind

When my mind is abuzz with thoughts and worries, it becomes very difficult to loosen up and be creative.
Most days I do 15-20 minutes of yoga first thing in the morning, followed by some meditation. This routine is helping me set the tone for the whole day, and feel calmer and more present.

I still have challenges though, like everyone else.
When I’m working on something and feel stuck, my first reaction would be to check my Instagram feed, read someone’s blog, or catch up with my emails, but I have learnt that these distractions don’t help, and actually hinder creativity even more. Adding more stuff to my already overworked mind doesn’t work, so I try to be constructive with my breaks.

One of my favourite ways to calm the mind is to work in the garden, even if it’s just for 10-15 minutes. Focusing on the simple act of pulling weeds, repotting a plant, deadheading, or just checking that there are no aphids on my roses is one of the best way to still my mind and clear negative thoughts.

Cooking and baking are also soothing activities, and the repetitive tasks of chopping, mixing, stirring, and kneading help me turn off the chatter box in my head.

When I’m really busy and only have a few minutes to spare, I close my eyes and focus on my breath, and let the cycle of inhaling and exhaling transport me back to the present moment, and my intuition.

Be idle

In his book “Autopilot: The Art and Science of Doing Nothing”, author Andrew Smart explains how the areas of the brain connected with creativity, introspection, and abstract thought are more active when you’re not trying to carry out cognitive tasks, or when you’re not worrying about work, than when you do.
It follows that a period of inactivity can help generate ideas and lead to original thoughts and insights.

Society shuns the notion of being idle though, and instead encourages productivity at all costs. Spending time doing nothing is seen as wasteful and egocentric, and like many others I find it difficult to just sit and be idle, without checking the phone, flicking through a magazine, or reading a book.

I’ve discovered, however, that inactivity is beneficial in the development of a creative idea in its incubation stage.

When you are idle, you enable your subconscious to connect random thoughts and concepts in new ways, until eventually they are manifested into the much desired a-ha moment.

I’ve been regularly practising doing nothing for short periods of time, especially when I’m not sure how to proceed on a particular project.
As much as I’d like my mind to come up with an immediate solution, I’m learning to be patient, and accept idleness as a fundamental part of the creative process.

Expand your life

Creativity comes from within, so the richer your interior life is, the more ideas and connections you will be able to create.

All your experiences affect your viewpoint, which is a major contributor to the development of original ideas, and so it’s important to pursue those activities that spark your interest, nourish your soul, and keep your curiosity alive.

I make sure to spend as much time as possible walking in the woods or in the countryside, my favourite places in the world. Nature is a constant source of inspiration, and it soothes and nurtures me.

Every garden, museum, art exhibition, and new place I visit, enriches my vision of the world and grows my inner web of concepts, thoughts, and emotions.

In the same way, all the books I read and new skills I learn not only give me pleasure, but also help me flex my creative muscles and make new connections.

Play

Insights and fresh ideas happen when you let go of all expectations and shift your focus from the final result to the actual process of creating.

Creativity flourishes with playful exploration. When you allow yourself to look at things with the fresh eyes of a beginner, and are willing to embrace failure, exciting things happen.
Freed up from the burden of producing good work, the mind relaxes and is more likely to connect thoughts in unusual ways.

Setting aside a regular time for creative play is invaluable for training yourself to generate original ideas and stay inspired.
Even if you choose an activity totally unrelated to your main creative pursuit, doing something regularly for the fun of it is incredibly helpful, and its beneficial effects will have an impact on all areas of your work.

Move your body

I’ve never been into sports, and I’d always choose reading a good book over any kind of physical exercise, but there’s no doubt that moving your body can aid your imagination.

Exercise helps to clear the mind from excessive thinking, releases tension from the body, and increases oxygen in the blood, providing mental energy to the brain.

Philosopher Henry David Thoreau said: “the moment my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow”.
This seems to be true for me too. My favourite forms of exercise are in fact walking in nature, and practising yoga. Many times I have come back from a walk in the woods with fresh thoughts and insights on my projects.
In a similar way, stretching my muscles often seems to stretch my thoughts too, and enhance my mental clarity.

Keep a journal and/or a sketchbook

About four years ago I started keeping a journal. I use it in the morning, as a way to dump my thoughts and clear my mind.
It’s not a pretty art journal, just a place where I write in a “stream of consciousness” kind of way, without editing, simply to give voice to all that goes on in my mind on that particular day.
Sometimes I don’t have much to say, other times I fill page after page with words, tackling something I’m anxious about, or just topics that are close to my heart.
Journalling is an incredible way to access your intuition, and in fact I often come up with insights and ideas, which I then promptly jot down on my sketchbook.
That’s where I write down all the ideas for photographs, courses, and projects I’d like to explore, with thumbnail sketches, diagrams, and notes. This way, I’m sure that I won’t forget my ideas, and when I’m stuck I can flip through the pages in search of inspiration.

5 simple ideas to cultivate your imagination

The next time you are feeling uninspired, remind yourself that the best way to keep your imagination flowing is to nurture it. You need to replenish the creative well with new experiences, to expand your perception of reality and shape up your unique perspective.

These are just a few simple tips to help you do just that:

Make a list of nearby places that you have never been to – a park, art gallery, museum, botanical garden, library, or even a new coffee shop.
Visit one place a month, notice all the beautiful, unusual, interesting things you see, and record them in your journal with a photograph, a quick sketch, or a few words.
Set aside time for creative play as often as you can, even if it’s just for 15 minutes every week. Let go of all expectations, focus on the process and have fun.
Practice being idle: sit on the sofa for a few minutes doing nothing, lie on the grass looking at cloud shapes or birds flying, sit on a bench and watch people walking by, daydream.
Take regular breaks from the internet, and spend that time on activities that nourish you: travel, cook, meet a friend, go for a walk in the park, read a book, go to a concert, play with your children and pets, relax.
Introduce some exercise in your routine. Find the time to move your body on a regular basis. To stay motivated, choose an activity that you enjoy: walking, running, swimming, yoga, pilates, or even dancing in your living room, as long as it keeps you moving and helps you clear your mind and release tension.

Do you do any of this to stay inspired? Let me know in the comments below :)

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Parts of this text originally appeared on Breathe magazine, issue 10

May

Instagram & creativity unplugged

creativity / 26 Comments / 24th May 2018

Since the algorithm took over, Instagram has been very unpredictable, with some of my images getting a lot of likes and comments, and some others of similar quality not getting the same attention.
There are lots of opinions and theories about why that is, and how it’s possible to “trick” the algorithm or at least making it behave like it should, but the fact is that people’s feeds are no longer chronological, and when I check Instagram a computerised set of instructions a.k.a. algorithm, decides what images I see in my feed.

I use Instagram to show my work and keep in touch with my community, but that’s become much harder, more time consuming, and, to be honest, much less fun.

At some point I made the mistake of focusing all my creative energy on Instagram, neglecting my blog. Seeing all the likes and comments pouring through and getting lots of positive feedback was certainly amazing, and gave me the confidence to keep creating and sharing my work.

But what happens when the likes and comments slow down?

Normally I tend to remind myself not to get caught in the numbers and to be grateful for the lovely comments and interactions – after all, thanks to Instagram I have made friends, online and in real life, and connected with many beautiful, creative souls.

I’ve been dealing with anxiety and cyclical depression since I was in my early twenties, and creativity has been my anchor and my saviour for many years.
When I create my floral images, I feel calmer and more grounded. When I’m absorbed in my creative work, I’m no longer in the future or in the past. I’m fully present, anxiety and negative thoughts leave me alone, and I feel better.

I wish I could create every day, but I have a house to clean, meals to cook, a business to run, a body to look after, loved ones to cherish, friends to meet.. and so sometimes creativity takes a step back, and that’s when I’m usually more vulnerable.

A couple of weeks ago I was having one of those days when I feel quite fragile, and I need to coach myself to keep a positive attitude.

My latest images had performed better than usual on Instagram, and I felt that maybe the algorithm was liking me again. But then I posted a photograph, a photograph I quite liked, and it didn’t perform well at all – the likes and comments were slow to come, and I knew that it would not do well.
At first I dismissed it as another algorithm quirk, and got on with my to do list.
As the hours passed though, I started to feel a bit off. My mood got worse and worse, and I even had one of those “what’s the point of all this” moments that I’m sure happen to every creative person.

I trudged through most of my day, feeling overwhelmed, miserable, demotivated..until I finally asked myself – what triggered this low mood?

And I realised that it was the poor engagement of my photograph.

Oh yes, as shallow and trivial as it might sound, that was my trigger.

I know very well that getting likes and comments is not a measure of my work’s value, but subconsciously I started to question, and doubt, my creativity, and eventually my self-worth, just because one of my photographs hadn’t performed well.

Once I realised the reason behind my low mood, it suddenly improved. My rational mind took over, I shook my head and laughed a bit at myself for falling into the social media trap, and then took a few days off Instagram to gather my thoughts on the nature of the App, and how I want to use it from now on.

It turns out that I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about this, so many that there’s more than enough for two blog posts. But let’s start with the most important points I want to make today :)

First of all, we need to remember that social media is a global broadcasting platform, and algorithms are designed to push us to use their Apps more and more, because that’s where they can make money – more use, more content, more opportunities for advertisers, more money for the platform. This is true for all social media – Instagram too.

Algorithms are not human beings. They cannot determine the quality of an image posted. Instead, they measure engagement (likes and comments) and make images with high engagement visible to more users, so that those images can get even more likes and comments.

So Instagram is pushing us to be more and more on the platform, to consume content, and to produce more and more of it to stay in the game. It’s pushing us to always be there, otherwise the algorithm will forget us.

In the past few months I’ve forced myself to be on Instagram, share and engage, with the pressure of having to always create something special, aiming for likes and visibility…sharing more out of fear than out of pleasure.

And I don’t like it.

Not a little bit.

I don’t want to become a slave to likes and comments.

I want to create, explore, play, and have fun. If some of my work doesn’t get as much positive feedback as it used to when everyone’s feed was chronological, that’s fine. The important thing is that I like it, and I enjoy creating it.

In the same way that I don’t watch TV because I want to be in control of what I consume, I also want to limit the time I spend on social media, because it eats up my day, and drains my energy.

I don’t want to leave Instagram, because there is so much inspiration, so many creatives and like-minded people, and so much beauty being shared. But there’s also a lot of noise, so many people wanting attention, and too much interaction online overwhelms me just like too much interaction in real life…so I want to change how I use Instagram.
I still haven’t figured out all the details, but I jotted down a few points on my journal to find clarity and help me figure out how to share my work and run my business in a way that not only inspires and serves others, but also inspires and nourishes me.

I’m going to review the list of people I follow and probably unfollow a few of them, post only two or maximum three times a week, and not beat myself up if I can’t answer every single comment.
I want to check out hashtags more, comment and connect with meaning and intentions, and share more of who I am and what I believe in and stand for, with kindness and no drama, just showing up as I am and allowing myself – and others – to be who they are.

At the beginning of my Instagram journey, sharing and creating images on a daily basis made sense. It kindled my creativity and allowed me to grow and fine tune my passions, however, I now have so many projects going on, and so many ideas, that creating and sharing an image a day is no longer my priority.

I want to keep creating and playing with flowers as much as possible, because I adore flowers and because creativity keeps me sane and heals my anxious mind, but I don’t want nor need to share every day.

In fact I haven’t been sharing every day for a while now, but I was feeling guilty about it and so I’d become erratic – not posting on those days when I can’t face the world, and then sharing in bursts for fear of not doing enough.

But..

My introvert and highly sensitive nature requires time alone, and unplugged.

I can inspire and be inspired only when I create from the heart. That means turning off the noise, looking within, and finding the stillness, the quiet place where I can hear the whispers of my heart.

So from now on I’m going to post on Instagram a bit less, forgetting about the likes, grateful for the connections and support, and without the guilt of time spent offline, nourishing myself and creating.

Another topic that’s close to my heart is the relationship between Instagram, creativity, and popularity, and you can read my thoughts here.

Nov

Creativity & perfectionism – part 2

creativity / 0 Comment / 24th November 2017

Last week I talked about my experience of being a perfectionist, and how perfectionism affected my creativity.

Today I’m sharing all the steps I took to overcome perfectionism, and also a few simple exercises to help you embrace imperfection.

Understanding what’s behind perfectionism

My first step was to understand the reasons and beliefs behind my perfectionism, and I did this mostly through journalling.
I asked myself why I needed my work to be perfect, and what I was afraid of.
Fear is always trying to keep us safe, so what would happen if I allowed myself to make mistakes? How dangerous would that be?

Exploring the roots of my beliefs about perfectionism was fascinating, and led me to a deeper understanding of how the mind works, and how our thoughts affect our life for better or worse.

A belief is a thought that we repeat ourselves over and over until it becomes true – we believe in it – so it comes to reason that if you change your thoughts, your beliefs will change too.

That was my next step: changing my beliefs about perfectionism.

This kind of change takes time. It takes years to create a belief pattern, so I couldn’t expect to quickly reverse it. Some beliefs are deeply ingrained in our subconscious, and I knew that it might take me a very long time to completely overcome perfectionism.

Retraining the mind

Changing a belief requires retraining the mind, and practising new thoughts on a regular basis.
An exercise that helped me was reframing my beliefs about perfectionism in a positive way, and rewriting them into new possible beliefs – such as “my work has value even with a few faults”, or “my work can inspire others regardless of its imperfections”.

I chose the most inspiring sentences, wrote them down on library cards, and then I kept them in as many places as possible, to see them often, especially when creating, and let the message sink in.

Even now, I have an inspiration wall by my desk where I hang quotes and positive affirmations to keep me on track.

Noticing when perfectionism stops creativity

When I have too many expectations, a particular project might become The Project, and I fall back into the perfection trap.

Every time I find myself procrastinating, or wasting too much time editing my work, I pause and ask myself if perfectionism is the reason behind my behaviour – most of the times, it is.

In these cases, I recognise and accept my behaviour for what it is: a thought-induced pattern that stems from my fears.
I remind myself that perfection doesn’t exist, take a short break to relax, and try to coax myself into creating.

I talk to myself like I would to a scared child, with kindness and soothing words: “Nothing to fear here, I’m just playing for a bit. I’m going to create only a couple of images, or jot down a few words, and see where that takes me.” It might sound silly, but it usually works.

When I feel too tense, I take a break and do something mindful to calm down and get back to the present moment. I might do a bit of yoga, brew a cup of tea, focus on my breathing for a few minutes, or step into the garden for a little while until my mind is quiet again, and I feel ready to get back to work.

Practicing imperfection

Creating a new pattern through action is a good way to change a belief, so I have been mindfully practising imperfection as a way to learn to be comfortable with making mistakes.

Even though at a rational level I know that mistakes are important in the learning process, deep within I still fear them and tend to overreact when I make one.

To make it easier, I started my practice with small things that didn’t relate to my creative work but still were important to me.

I like decorating the table for special occasions, or when we have friends over for a meal, so one day I decided to use nice china and cutlery, beautiful candles, flowers, and one single mismatched fork.

At first, all I could see was that fork – the mistake in an otherwise perfect table. I kept laying the table this way, though, and after a while, that same fork became familiar and was no longer a big deal.

It’s fascinating to see how, with time and practice, my perception changed. I learned to be comfortable with imperfection and to realise, at a deep level, that a tiny flaw doesn’t detract from work that’s overall good.

Besides giving myself permission to make mistakes, I also make sure to regularly spend some time creating for fun, with no expectations in mind, just for the sake of creating.

During these sessions I try different approaches, explore new techniques, and basically play around, conscious that what I do might bear no fruits at all.

I let curiosity guide me, forget about the result, and go with the flow. I emerge from these sessions relaxed, happy, and always a step closer to fully embracing imperfection.

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good” – John Steinbeck

If you are struggling with perfectionism, try these 5 simple exercises to help you embrace imperfection:

Lay the table with all your favourite items, and leave one place intentionally “imperfect” – a fork askew, a mismatched napkin or plate.
Fill the first page of your journal with doodles, scribbles, or a simple collage. Add some ink splatters, or a coffee stain.
When you fold your laundry, roll one item instead of folding it.
Make a posy of white flowers, and add one flower in a different colour.
Choose a simple creative activity that you’re a total beginner at, and practice it just for the fun of it, allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Remember, change takes time, so be patient and kind to yourself, and don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself slipping back into old habits – just notice them, and then start again.

We’re all a work in progress, after all :)

Parts of this text originally appeared on Breathe magazine, issue 6

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Oct

Creativity & originality

creativity / 8 Comments / 23rd October 2017

What is creativity? What does it mean to be creative? And is creativity the same as originality?

Let me tell you a story from my childhood.

When I was 12 years old the school programme began to include art classes. We learned about colour, explored simple painting techniques, and studied a bit of art history.
One day the teacher demonstrated how to blend long swiping strokes of paint in shades of blue to give the impression of water.
I liked the idea of using shades of the same colour, but instead of blending the strokes I painted long lines of similar colours side by side, and started to use this technique for all my paintings.
I loved the sense of movement that the repeating lines evoked, and the way I could play with colour.

A fellow student liked this technique too, and used it for one of her paintings. The result was slightly different because of her colour sense and brush stroke, but I felt that it was too similar to my own paintings and got really angry.
I demanded that she stopped copying me, and even involved the teacher in our quarrel.
I’m not proud of this moment, believe me, but at the time I felt that because I had tried this technique first, no one else should dare do the same.

My teacher had a hard time explaining to my 12 year old ego, that it was ok for others to try this technique and experiment with it, and see where it took them.
She gave me examples of artists using similar techniques and compositions, showing me how they all built on them and developed a personal style, at times similar, yet unique.

This is how creativity works – it builds on other people’s ideas, and grows from there.

In fact, if you wait to have an original idea before you create, chances are you will get very little done.

Everything has already been done. Nothing is completely original.

What is truly original is you, as there are no two people who are exactly the same.

You bring all your experiences and personality traits into your creations.

Chances are, there will be some overlaps with other people’s creations, but with time if you keep practicing your craft and pursuing new projects, you are bound to develop your unique voice.

Let me repeat this: nothing is completely original, and every time you create, you build on something that’s already been done, to some extent.

“Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing”. Salvador Dalí

Should you stop photographing a vase of flowers? After all, it’s already been done.

Flat lays became popular about 30 years ago, and were known as knolling. Should you stop creating them?

And was that the first time an artist decided to look at something from above?

Detail of Unswept Floor mosaic, 2nd century, Vatican Museum, Rome.

Judging by this mosaic, somebody else had already thought about it a long time ago, and in fact the Asaraton or Unswept Floor motif was quite famous in Roman times. The idea of looking at the floor and reproducing the debris of a Roman feast became a fashion craze, and I can see why they found this composition appealing – just think of all the pictures of flowers, leaves, and other botanical bits arranged in a similar fashion, and how popular they are on Instagram, for example.

How many still lives with a basket of fruit have been photographed? How many autumn leaves artistically arranged with apples and pumpkins? How many images of hands holding a cup of coffee? Countless, and the truth is, I enjoy them all – well, those that are well executed :)

I enjoy seeing interpretations of the same theme by different artists – bouquets, flowers and cups, wreaths, pretty doors, sunsets…
Some people think of them as too similar, a cliché.
Perhaps, but why use such a negative word, and focus on the similarities, instead of appreciating their individual beauty and diverse interpretations?

In the future, maybe not so distant considering the speed at which the world changes these days, people will look at our current times and think of photographers creating pretty flat lay images featuring flowers, leaves, cups of tea, and other everyday objects, or taking photographs of beautiful doors and house facades, or colourful smoothie bowls, as a movement, same as Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement, for example.

They might wonder where the need to create all these lovely images came from – maybe as a reaction to all the ugliness and violence, as a conscious choice to focus on beauty to somehow banish the darkness… but this is for another blog post.

I’m sure that in a few years trends will change, and there will be new clichés to complain about… Trends go in cycles, and if you just grab an art history book, you will notice how that’s happened through the years too.

Going back to originality – how can you be sure that you’re the first person to think of some kind of composition, and claim the idea as yours?

I recently bought a second-hand book about the meaning of flowers, and when I flicked through its pages I saw many compositions that are now popular on Instagram, and that had already been done almost 20 years ago!

The meaning of flowers – by Gretchen Scoble & Ann Field

The book was printed in 1998, and I wasn’t even aware of it until a couple of months ago.. And yet, I have seen so many teapots pouring flowers, animal shapes made of petals, flowers with scissors and ribbons…and they always make me smile.

After all, it’s possible to develop similar ideas.

I love nature, tea, books, and the seasons. I’m not the only one though, far from it, so I’m bound to share at least a few ideas with other creatives. It’s only natural.

Sometimes you don’t even consciously register what you see, until months or even years later you come up with an idea – and maybe think it’s original – only to come across the image that actually inspired you.

I have a Pinterest board called Styling Inspiration, where I pin images with styling and composition I like. When I occasionally scroll through it, I notice photographs that I don’t even remember seeing, let alone pinning. Yet I’m sure that at some subconscious level those images that I forgot about are still influencing me, and they might pop up as ideas in the future.

The way I would execute that idea is totally personal, as my way of seeing the world is the result of my personality traits and individual experience, and so unique, but the influence would still be there, even if I don’t remember it.

Sometimes more than one person will come up with the same idea.

In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert tells an anecdote about meeting up with another writer, and finding out that they both had thought of a plot for a book that shared uncanny similarities… and yet they had never talked about it with anyone, and clearly they hadn’t tried to copy each other.

Eventually Gilbert gave up on this particular book plot, for various reasons, but I’m sure that even if she had written it, it would have been in her own voice, and so quite different from the other writer.

In fact, I actually enjoy when several creatives are given the same brief, and everyone comes up with their own interpretation – like re-writing Cinderella, or recreating the same composition.

Sometimes a few of these images might have a similar style and composition, but after all artists from the same movement often share similarities in their work.

For example, Signac, Pissarro, Seurat, and Henri-Edmond Cross were all part of the Pointillism art movement and used a very similar technique. Their work is beautiful, and we can all enjoy their paintings because they kept creating, embracing the influences on their style.

Paul Signac – Au temps d’harmonie

Camille Pissarro – Children on a farm

George Seurat – A Sunday on la Grande Jatte

Henri-Edmond Cross – The Evening Air

The world would be a bit less beautiful if they’d stopped creating in the pursuit of complete originality.

Creativity builds on other people’s ideas, and only the individual viewpoint is truly original. To be more creative make sure to nurture your interests, live life to the fullest, and create on a regular basis. Accept the fact that you are expanding on other people’s work and ideas, embrace all the influences, and filter them through your own unique “lens” – your voice – to make them yours.