Rebekah West, Digital image ©2010

Everyday solutions to creativity obstacles

is a limited edition blog

by American artist/writer Rebekah West

April-October 2010, from Australia,  and still open for viewing

Explore 100 posts each looking at an obstacle to creativity and a solution for getting around, beyond, through, past or over it and to the art itself. Some posts are practical, others more whimsical. Hopefully they get you thinking, give you a few skills, or remind you that you know your own ways through. You can use the Categories button to the right to find an obstacle you’re facing or swing around the site any other way you like.

Visit the Top 10 Everyday solutions to creativity obstacles,

Visit the blogroll,

Comment on any post,

Subscribe at any time to hear about this blog’s development as a book and other opportunities for cultivating creativity and artistry, or go to and subscribe to her newest blog, water door, and join a blog unfolding.

Come subscribe to water door!

Rebekah’s second limited edition blog, 25 November 2010 – 25 March 2011

water door

unlocking wonder + diving into success

November 2010 to March 2011

Dear Readers,

Thank you for traveling with me on my Australian blog journey; 100 posts, 109 comments, and 1922 views warm my heart. It has been a pleasure to write to you. Your comments, whether here, in person or through email, have been gifts. Look for your Top 10 everyday solutions to creativity obstacles below.

Many of you have expressed a wish to keep reading, which I’m thrilled about. Stay subscribed to stay connected.

water door Blog

I’ll create a second stage blog for artists/creatives while I’m writing in France and Europe – from 25 November 2010 until 25 March 2011. It is about noticing, developing, and cultivating creative thresholds.

A book! Everyday solutions to creativity obstacles continues in a new form

Thanks to your advice, I’ll be taking a good look at this blog to see if it can develop into a broadly useful and stimulating book. My passion for artists runs deep, as you know, and if I can inspire more of us to join the party…I’ll do it! Thank you for your encouragement. I’ll be starting with the posts and pages that you read the most and your comments.

God is the color of my skin and other long-term projects

I will continue to update long-term projects here, so visit as often as you like.

Top 10 everyday solutions to creativity obstacles

1. #21 - I come before you to stand behind you to tell you something I know nothing about
   1. Obstacle – Simultaneously taking yourself too seriously and not seriously enough
   2. Solution – Choose the ecstasy of the real thing
2. #16 - Vulnerable to the colours of the sea
   1. Obstacle – Trying to explain
   2. Solution – Do the work
3. #61 – “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
   1. Obstacle – Can’t
   2. Solution – Reach out your hand
4. 10 Areas where artists can solve problems – 10 posts, all in one easy place
5. #40 – “Writing is my time machine, takes me to the precise time and place I belong.” from Guest Blogger Thea Easterby of Write, Change, Grow
   1. Obstacle – Technology
   2. Solution – Ask for help
6. 
   #8 – Kickin’ the solo blues 
   1. Obstacle – Thinking up ideas in isolation
   2. Solution – Let life move you
7. #48 – “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
   1. Obstacles – They’re what our heroes face
   2. Solutions – What our heroes find
8. #56 – “I will face my fear…And when it is gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.”
   1. Obstacle – The obliterating effect of transformation on the artist
   1. Solution –  Relish the force of creativity changing you
9. #19 – When getting it done is all you can think of
   1. Obstacle – Impatient for results
   2. Solution – Delight in staying on course
   

   Rebekah West, Digital image ©2010

10. #64 – “Color is life, for a world without color seems dead.”
    1. Obstacle – Missing the extraordinary
    2. Solution – Greet what moves you, ask it to dance

Top 5 page visits

1. Fremantle arts residency + GSC unfolding
   
2. About this blog
3. Community Interaction
4. God is the color of my skin
5. Gems & rubbish

Rebekah West, Digital image ©2010

QUEEN STREET, BRISBANE, Australia – 99/100

Obstacle – Sensing the tide turning

Potent moments unfold in our creative life when we can tell a change is afoot; toes tap a new rhythm, eyes take in fresh colours, old harmonies morph into original melodies.

Complicated speech makes way for simple yes and no.

Emotions run like currents on the ocean floor, felt slightly but not interfering.

Poignant moments when we know that the work we’ve made before constitutes the basis for what is coming next.

Magical moments when time skips a little.

Rain comes down in sheets, umbrella pressed against the body. Waves running up the shore, clawing at the sand, throwing perfect shells through the air. Flashes of light in the nearby bar as the photographer sees something.

A tempest.

Night.

Almost time.

Almost time.

A cry from the throat sounds raw. Human. Like it knows more than mind.

It’s dark. Why are you watching the sea?

Gratitude.

Solution – Feel your heart beat

Next week is a big week for me artistically, for those of you following my work. Thursday, 14 October I’ll be introducing and facilitating the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process through a Queensland Writers Week workshop. I introduced the process to the Carindale Writers’ Group six months ago, and through group yarning and response, have begun adapting its use for Australian sensibilities. If you know me, you know I am passionate about this process!

That same day, we will be launching Allsorts of Allshorts: a collection of short stories, which I co-published and designed. Included in it is one of my short stories called Drawing her in, an excerpt from the screenplay I’m writing. Copies are $15 if you’d like to order one (leave me a comment and we’ll figure it out – PayPal or otherwise).

___________________________

Countdown: 1 post to go!

To celebrate continuing artistic life, the colour red, and gratitude

Win a sketchbook!

Comment between 17 September – 15 October 2010

Each time you comment, your name goes in the hat to win this beautiful Italian leather sketchbook.

We’ve reached 106 comments but no one’s set a limit!

Obstacle - Almost done

She taps the keys, hits the period, saves the file and prints.

He sends the last pdf for approval.

The emails reference candy and wine instead of deadlines and decisions.

A wicked sense of humour flirts with the edges of her consciousness.

Tears flow during a skype across town because soon it will be across the pond.

Even though he sings to it, the repeating soundtrack in the coffee shop has worn out.

Perfection has imperceptibly been exchanged for excellence, endurance, discipline and softness.

Eggs are good. Still.

It turns out the mind has tuned, been honed and now hums along. The software does what the vision wants. The elements come together when handled, ideas and generosity work together.

New projects elbow their way in, eager for attention to, ready to blossom.

Solution – Live it

Next week is a big week for me artistically, for those of you following my work. Thursday, 14 October I’ll be introducing and facilitating the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process through a Queensland Writers Week workshop. I introduced the process to the Carindale Writers’ Group six months ago, and through group yarning and response, have begun adapting its use for Australian sensibilities. If you know me, you know I am passionate about this process!

That same day, we will be launching Allsorts of Allshorts: a collection of short stories, which I co-published and designed. Included in it is one of my short stories called Drawing her in, an excerpt from the screenplay I’m writing. Copies are $15 if you’d like to order one (leave me a comment and we’ll figure it out – PayPal or otherwise).

_____________________________

Countdown: 2 posts to go!

To celebrate continuing artistic life, the colour red, and gratitude

Win a sketchbook!

Comment between 17 September – 15 October 2010

Each time you comment, your name goes in the hat to win this beautiful Italian leather sketchbook.

We’ve reached 105 comments but no one’s set a limit!

Obstacle – Growing in the dark

Vessels for creativity

We are vessels for creativity. I don’t mean an idea, I mean the human element that holds together what our creativity flows through, fills up and stretches.

Our body vessel needs sleep, food, warmth, contact, care.

Our mind vessel requires clarity, a willingness to stretch,

You taught me to let go and give space to negativity rather than attention, that sometimes ramming yourself into a problem, hell bent on fixing it, can actually only exacerbate it.

Our heart vessel needs encouragement, literally filling with courage,

I have been visiting your blog – to stay close to you, connected, and to hear what you have to say. It’s a place where I feel understood and more patient with myself. Thank you.

Integrity

Sound, whole, complete, unimpaired. As artists, we are responsible for working on the vessel as well as the craft. That’s my opinion. And in my humble experience (and it has humbled me) creativity and the vessel, our heart/soul/body/lives, cultivate each other. As we foster one, the other’s potential awakens. If we neglect one, the other withers.

Privilege

Creativity is our privilege. Privilege. Use it, give it, teach it. Don’t wait.

Dreams

What if creative people don’t realise they are in fact – creative? Or – worse – that they don’t believe in creativity? What then? I guess I think of those we spoke about on your visit to Bather’s Beach that day. Them fellas and the younger ones – from whom creativity is just a dream – one they’re not privy to – for whatever reasons that life heaps upon ‘em! I guess I reckon this makes what we do all the more important, then!

I hate watching young dreams getting crushed by a jaded older generation(s)! If dreams are carriers of creative thought and want – it’s a wonder that creativity gets where it does at times…Yay for the tenacity of youth and their creativity! Bring it on, I reckon!

Solution – Reflect the light

Rebekah West, Digital image ©2010, public art

Next week is a big week for me artistically, for those of you following my work. Thursday, 14 October I’ll be introducing and facilitating the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process through a Queensland Writers Week workshop. I introduced the process to the Carindale Writers’ Group six months ago, and through group yarning and response, have begun adapting its use for Australian sensibilities. If you know me, you know I am passionate about this process!

That same day, we will be launching Allsorts of Allshorts: a collection of short stories, which I co-published and designed. Included in it is one of my short stories called Drawing her in, an excerpt from the screenplay I’m writing. Copies are $15 if you’d like to order one (leave me a comment and we’ll figure it out – PayPal or otherwise).

______________________________

Countdown: 3 posts to go!

To celebrate continuing artistic life, the colour red, and gratitude

Win a sketchbook!

Comment between 17 September – 15 October 2010

Each time you comment, your name goes in the hat to win this beautiful Italian leather sketchbook.

We’ve reached 105 comments but no one’s set a limit!

To celebrate continuing artistic life and the colour red, and

to thank you for helping me reach 100 comments as this blog comes to a close,

Win a sketchbook!

Comment between 17 September – 15 October 2010

Each time you comment, your name goes in the hat to win this beautiful Italian leather sketchbook.

We’ve reached 103 comments and I still hope to hear from you! Reading and responding to others’ comments is welcome.

__________________________

Rebekah West, Digital image ©2010

SOUTHBANK, BRISBANE, Queensland – 96/100

Obstacle – Knowing your creative or artistic voice

Creativity lives in choices. This way, this timing, this colour, this perspective, voice, timbre, quality, texture, taste, tone.

Creative people ask questions.

Creative people whinge/whine about their art.

Creative people like and dislike, rant, opine, regard and disregard, gravitate toward.

Creative people want it just this way. Not that way! To be clear…This Way.

You get the idea.

Conscious, successful, thriving creative people listen to these ramblings, they listen to themselves talk and they take note. They respect what they say (see, hear, notice) because therein lies how their creativity manifests. It’s how they communicate. It is what makes them unique. If their work goes to market, it is what makes their work appealing, salable, and sustainable.

Seems obvious. Isn’t.

Try this:

When you make an artistic choice, maybe when you’re wrestling over something, make the choice you want. Just you. Because it is what you want, the way you want it.

Solution – Value your artistic choices

1. Line
2. Form and structure
3. Design
4. Emphasis
5. Gesture
6. Augmentation
7. Contrast
8. Time

Rebekah West, Digital image ©2010

Rebekah West, Digital image ©2010

MORETON BAY, QUEENSLAND – 95/100

Obstacle – Doing

5:30am

Packs film, protects lenses. Zip.

Checks batteries, drops in hat. Zip.

Into the bag: nuts and dried fruit, jars of hot Rooibos tea with honey, stainless steel cylinder of water, sunscreen. Tuck it in. Zip.

Extra dry clothes, thongs, big umbrella, jackets, slippers for afterwards, blanket. Zip.

Sun’s rising.

It’s all together.

Brighton Beach

Lens open, recording. Watching waves, watching, watching. Between, over, under hand rails. Mesmerised. Shivering. Two pelicans glide nearly in unison a finger-width above the water, graceful in motion.

Fog in distance turns to rain overhead. Huddled under umbrella, camera on lap, facing shore, watching tide retreat, nose dripping, thinking of bakery. Water hits ripples on sand, or makes ripples, or is ripples… Cold, wet, hungry, this footage reason for coming. Dry car arrives! Fling it all in to thaw. Warm, chewy donut covered in chocolate.

Bribie Island

Sun struggling to show something. Wet sand. Waves lulling. Notice what zips by: yellow surf board, green jacket, red and yellow life guard. Aperture, shutter speed. Hunched over camera til nap steals eyes shut. Sun warms. Drizzle, pull sleeping bag in tight, tuck camera under umbrella. Rain comes fast and whole beach bolts for cars. Washing feet under spigot. Eat nuts, fruit, drink tea, put on slippers. 1:30pm. Ahhhhh…

Time’s done it’s number. Looking back over the day, having done it and been undone.

• Forward, backward
• Speed, tempo
• Beginning, middle, end
• Transitions
• Compress, expand
• Moment, phrase

Solution – Time undone

__________________________

Countdown: 5 posts to go!

To celebrate continuing artistic life and the colour red, and

to thank you for helping me reach 100 comments as this blog comes to a close,

Win a sketchbook!

Comment between 17 September – 15 October 2010

Each time you comment, your name goes in the hat to win this beautiful Italian leather sketchbook. We’ve reached 102 comments and I still hope to hear from you!

To celebrate continuing artistic life and the colour red, and

to thank you for helping me reach 100 comments as this blog comes to a close,

Win a sketchbook!

Comment between 17 September – 15 October 2010

Each time you comment, your name goes in the hat to win this beautiful Italian leather sketchbook. We’ve reached 102 comments and I still hope to hear from you!

__________________________

SOUTHBANK, BRISBANE, Australia – 94/100

Obstacle – Thinking in straight lines

Ebbs, flows, tides, expanse, waves, smacks, energy in vast quantities. Cover, reveal, roar. Light smooths, glitters, shines, weight, surface tension. Consistent whether Coral, Pacific, or Indian.

Just when I was beginning to see the colours of the sea, I met a river.

Choppy, ever-changing, in a hurry, impacted by each boat, moody, jumpy. Light skips, streams, pops.

Ah, a pool. Smooth, ripples. Light turns into boxes, lanterns swirling around an axis, and broken lines, pixels lining up into shapes if you lie with your face on the edge.

I round a corner painting time.

Changed perception, eyes, brain, heart.

Changed outcome, vision, connections, purpose, direction.

Changed.

Changing.

Changed.

Solution – Turn the corner when you get there

To celebrate continuing artistic life and the colour red, and

to thank you for helping me reach 100 comments as this blog comes to a close,

Win a sketchbook!

Comment between 17 September – 15 October 2010

Each time you comment, your name goes in the hat to win this beautiful Italian leather sketchbook. We’ve reached 101 comments and I still hope to hear from you!

__________________________

CARINDALE, BRISBANE, Australia – 93/100

Obstacle - Thinking having a life is an obstacle to creativity

One of the things I’ve learned is that I like life, having a life. I love my friends and family. I’m intensely curious.

Another thing I’ve learned is that I like solitude, working hard on my art. I want not only excellence but my best and deepest, to make brilliant work. I love diving in, being transported and staying there. When I emerge, I am changed.

Part of being an artist or creative of integrity, at least one way of looking at it, is to be a full-fledged human being. You get to perceive what is around you, feel things fully, observe, listen, try, fail, taste, grow, grow older, grow old, feel young, feel full of vitality.

Today I hugged, shared food, walked alongside, advised, cried on the shoulder of, grinned at, cheered for, heard condolences for, worried about, waited for, was waited for, appreciated, smelled blooming grapefruit trees with, read aloud to, spoke with, solved problems with, was supported by, was tended to…other human beings.

The photograph is part of my God is the color of my skin project, it’s water, light and time. Last night, I saw the water differently and shared the experience.

Solution – Embrace life and it will embrace your creativity

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To celebrate continuing artistic life and the colour red, and

to thank you for helping me reach 100 comments as this blog comes to a close,

Win a sketchbook!

Comment between 17 September – 15 October 2010

Each time you comment, your name goes in the hat to win this beautiful Italian leather sketchbook.

The goal is 100 comments by October 15 and we have 95 so far! Can we get there?

_____________________________

BRISBANE RIVER, Australia – 92/100

Obstacle – Do I know enough to do it?

Deadlines looming.

A lizard drinks the sunshine, arched back, mouth wide open.

Two rainbow-coloured lorikeets flit and chatter amongst hot-pink coloured bottlebrushes. One is not too happy about a visitor.

Water laps, pools, sways, tugs, ripples, touches, streams, reveals, rots, discolours, carries, hides, carves.

Following the river.

Everything that is behind us is behind us, what’s coming along is coming along. It’s spring in Brisbane, autumn in Colorado. Time to flow.

Have camera, sun is setting over the river. It’s time!

Solution – Act when you know to act

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