Artist's Toolkit with Jay Harper
I asked Jay to share a few of her creative tips with us ahead of the class.....
- I believe being creative all comes from a state within so my first tip would be to try to clear your mind as much as possible. When I’m in the studio painting, a random thought / job I have to do might enter my head. I have noticed time and time again that it really stifles my painting when this happens. For creativity to flow you must be in that flow state. It may sound cliche, but freeness in creativity definitely starts with freeness in the mind.
2. Don’t be scared. I feel this is a very vital point. We can all put a lot of pressure on ourselves for something to turn out ‘right’ or be what we envisaged in our heads. However this doesn’t allow for mistakes, and mistakes are very important when creating art. None of us are perfect and neither should be what we create. We learn as we go and I believe the process of creating is always far more important than the outcome. I tend to treat all my paintings like a scrapbook as I don’t do pre-drawings. This works for me and allows full freedom in the moment of painting, taking away the pressure of something having to turn out a certain way.
3. I think the third point I’m about to make can differ depending on how much you’re creating art and whether it’s a job for you. However over the years of painting I’ve had to remind myself time and time again not to compare myself to other creatives. It is only through practicing this thought process that my style has become what it is today. We can and will all have influences, but it’s important to believe in your way of creating, and follow this path as much as possible as it will lead to somewhere interesting the more you do.
4. Don’t be precious. This I feel is also linked to point 2. There really is no right or wrong in creativity. Try not to tell yourself what it has to be and instead allow yourself to play as much as possible. Some of my favourite art is the art that looks more naive. It can take practice to create art like this as an adult where play is at the heart of making it.
5. Be open to different mediums. Different mediums can change the way you work and you can find new interesting outcomes by trying new things. This also goes for different tools!
