Stanisland Magazine

Has your inspiration run dry? Ways in which we search for it are being diluted, and it’s harming the way we work and seek awe.

More often than not, elements of the day take shape in the form of awe, like a whispering coach poised to take control of function when directing oneself for creative output.

It appears in many forms, from looking at bold textures to attending the furore of open galleries. Inspiration can strike at any time, amalgamating its presence like goods loading onto a forklift truck in a warehouse, ready to be shipped to the brain.

Executive function is the harsh mistress of inventive freedom and happiness. Its purpose is to assist us in reaching our goals, and it too must have its own executive function—one that is controlled by the very individual it seeks to support.

Yet, in a landscape that modern practice may deem outdated, its value is being utilised less. Instead, we are turning more to the dimension of online scrapbooks and collages when it comes to augmenting creative drive.

Why Is Your Creativity Blocked?

Snapping anything and everything for memory it seems, can affect the mind and the way we process our thoughts. By using a camera to capture memories, we a signal to the brain that another, external organ, if you will, is handling that part of its job for a particular moment.

In short, the memory function of the brain may not recollect specific moments simply because that task has been replaced/outsiurced to your smartphone. When it comes to forming ideas catalysed by inspiration, one can only imagine how detrimental this is when seeking motivation to create.

Social media has changed the way we work and the world forever. Yet its impact pales in comparison to being fully present in front of enigmatic and visually stimulating media.

Modern creatives are also guilty of copycat repetition on a consistent basis. For example, portrait photography often looks the same and lacks originality, despite their arresting quality.

This cheapens the execution dulling our impression of recurring images, no matter how impressive. How many portraits have you seen with flowers attached to a model’s face or hair? Is it creative if everyone cultivates the same ideas? No.

Read: Are we surprised that social media poses risk of harm to children and adolescents? No

The world it seems, myself included, has substituted the grandeur of cultivating ideas in person for the bookmarking of articles of interest at a later date on a smartphone. This, ironically occurs sometimes on one or more devices, coercing us to psychologically forfeit the merit of experience due to the nature of a mobile’s everyday application. Even the innocent action of photographing moments can impact the way we work.

In addition, using social media and a smartphone is a physically exhausting process caused by a neurochemical imbalance in the brain which, from a creative perspective, will compel one to use it more thanks to a lack of energy. This in turn stops the excitement of seeking new experiences which the brain can convert into ideas.

How To Find Inspiration

It is rather simple and there are no two ways about it. The answer is largely driven by addiction, and by using this word you already know what I am going to say – your phone is the problem.

Regaining control of instinctual artistic practice will rely on optimising the way you use it. For example, instead of photographing items for later reference, write down what you saw, describe and perhaps even illustrate it.

When attending galleries or events, take in what you see, smell, and touch. Talk to people in person regarding your practice rather than message a contact online and seek feedback on ideas.

Tackling phone addiction is difficult, but it can be simple. Resist using your phone or change your scenery; generally speaking, they both amount to the same thing.

Photo credit: Gaspar Uhas