Finding Creativity in a Digital Era

Finding inspiration to create has never been so challenging for me. I don’t know about you, but with all the time I’m spending on my social accounts trying to market myself, I feel there is very little energy left in the day to create. Instagram and Pinterest have been great for promoting Backward Prints, and I really have grown fascinated with figuring all the ins and outs of how to be successful while using these platforms. You could say I really LOVE marketing which is wonderful. During this Pandemic, I’ve had more free time since all my arts shows were canceled. I’ve had time to paint and draw more, and to be a student again. I’ve spent ridiculous amounts of hours cleaning up my website, and finding new ways to make income. Now this is all really great, because I know when things go back to shall we say “normal” whatever that means, that I will have all these new ways to help my business grow, and that’s amazing. But, at the moment, I’m trying to better understand how I can maximize my energy each day, and limit my screen time.

I asked myself a few weeks ago, “Brynne, how can you find balance in your week, and allow more space to create?” Here are a few things I’ve come up with. I’m a work in progress, but aren’t we all.

1. Get focused with To Do Lists for what you need to accomplish each day.

2. Prioritize your day. Do what’s super duper important first. That could even be taking care of yourself. Working out and eating healthy are non-negotiable for me.

3. Carve out an afternoon to create, and I mean create with just doing that one thing. Screen Free TIme and all! Put some music on, dance, sing, enjoy. Be present.

4. Getting Organized: I make a few pieces of art each week, then spend 1 day photographing the art. I try and film timelapse vidoes while I’m painting and screen printing as well. Now, I have lots of content to pull from. It takes the guessing out of what I’m going to post each day.

5. Try using an ap like Plann or Planoly. These aps allow you to get a better idea of how your content will look on Instagram. You can also pay per month to schedule your posts ahead of time.

6. Limited Screen Use. I’d like to have a Screen FREE Day. Soulful Sundays will now be Screen FREE Sundays as well. Eventually my goal will be to get off Social Accounts 2 days a week. At the end of the day, I always think of my self like a gas tank. Everything we do each day depletes us. Being efficient with my time is extremely important to how I get the most out of each day.

I think that I’m getting closer to simplifing my online business. Running a creative business is tough but so rewarding. At the end of they day, I want to make sure I’m taking the time for myself #1, and #2 I have time to make art. I’ve been finding it too easy to get sucked into the Instagram or Pinterest vortex for hours being left feeling depleted and tired. These aps. are so easy to look at, they’re engaging and beautiful, and they are calling for our attention 24 hours a day. I don’t want them to run my life, and I know I’m not the only one experiencing this. If you haven’t watched the Social Dilemma on Netflix, check it out. It’s AMAZING!

I hope you found this blog post helpful. Happy creating!

~Brynne

P.S. Enjoy the 3 new Gauche painting’s I recently made. They are 4.5x6. I orginally planned on painting 1 small piece for 7 days. Though I haven’t made 7 of these, I have been making art daily for the past 2 weeks. Be gentle with youself and be flexible with your goals.