Getting Un-Stuck Workshop Preview

Hello Creatives! This week, in honor of the expansion of two of my Creatively workshops to the Columbia Art Center this Summer, I am giving you a sneak-peak of what you can look forward to if you attend the “Getting Unstuck” workshop (which is available now at Root Studio!)

At this workshop you can expect to meet some amazing local talent, and in the beginning of our time together we all swap information about our work, current projects, and where we may feel stuck and/or need a boost of creative energy.  The goal of the workshop is to get a push into the flow-y, energized space where we are ready to resume our work. 

Once we have all met, we will review some information that you may have already explored in previous blog topics.  The thing about being “stuck” is, there are many reasons, explanations and sources of the stuck-ness.  To do our best detective work, we need to review some of the context and information we already know about creative people.  So we will discuss the following possible explanations for being stuck:  

        This is individualized; where are you stuck? 
            Diametrically opposed traits of productivity vs rest
            Product vs process oriented
            Perfectionism
            Overworked 
            End of a phase
            Need mindfulness/exit intellectualizing/conceptualizing       
Next we will explore the following approaches to troubleshoot getting unstuck: 
        Approaches: 
            Meditation for mindfulness and being fully present to senses; tap into         
            body needs and inspiration
            Cross-modality; goal to take of “product” focus and perfectionism
            Regressing images, supplies, approaches; goal to “play”
            Repetition; goal to nurture creative rests and reenergize flow
            Look at other work; goal to get perspective and see if you are 
            overworking
            Critique: hear from others feedback, identify where your needs are, if you 
            need to change direction, if you need to pursue or edit, give voice to help 
            gain insight


Feeling “stuck” is very specific to you, and unfortunately in one workshop we cannot try many of the things that may help you- but there is one specific practice that we will dabble in: that is the process of cross-modality.  I will have each participant engage in a project similar to what they currently feel stuck on.  I will then introduce you to two alternative modalities that are not your standard and probably not your strength.  I will lead you through using these to get unstuck by directing you to go back and forth from them to your original piece- taking bits of inspiration and energy along the way. It is here we spend the meat of our workshop. In addition to my feedback, I expect you to communicate with each other, also garnering a kind of “cross-creative-flow” to help you in your process.

At the end of every workshop we will have a critique.  This is not an art critique you may be familiar with from art school, for example, as it is not product focused.  We will take the time as a group to talk to and hear from each member about their experiences, their struggles, any “aha” moments, and give supportive feedback to each other. We use the important insight from others to reflect upon our own experiences and needs.

You can expect to leave with ideas, energy, started pieces, new techniques, new inspiration and enthusiasm to bring to your workspace.  You will not leave with a masterpiece but you will leave with some small pieces to take the energy you have found from the workshop.

The workshop is 90 minutes in total. It is available currently at Root Studio (here) and soon to be at Columbia Art Center (more details to come!) 

Feeling stuck? Ready to change that?  Tired of reading things to try and ready to dive into some practices? This could be for you!​

(C) 2018 Creatively, LLC