Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Mind your Creativity

Creative thinking is much like the dance of life - a continual balancing act between rational and irrational, the possible and the impossible. No wonder it's so difficult to fit the creative process within the parameters of a 9-5 work day. The brain simply doesn't subscribe to such a rigid schedule.

Creative thoughts come and go at such a breakneck pace - the art is in learning how to harness the ideas when they come to you. After 18 years in the graphic design industry, I still find this a daunting task... to not consciously filter out the outrageous ideas before there is any merit found in them. Even more difficult to explain is the elation one experiences when finding a creative solution to a problem that has been posed to you. I must admit I do love being a creative professional, quite simply because it is such and exhilarating process.

Now I am facing the monumental task of becoming my own client. I have spent so very much time and creative energy marketing and promoting others during my career and now it's my turn. The truth of the matter is that I have never really made a concerted effort to promote my company, Gravity Art & Design. Word-of-mouth has been my most effective advertising tool. I find that if you continue to provide quality services for people, that positive word will get around.

After graduating from Sheridan College, I worked in the metro Toronto marketplace for years, where the word-of-mouth theory was quite effective, and the freelance projects were abundant.

Illustration had always been offered as one of my professional services, but I also began exhibiting my acrylic paintings, jewellery, and handcrafted metal books, in art shows and exhibitions, all over the province.

Five years ago, I underwent a huge lifestyle change by moving to Huntsville in Muskoka. It is here where we began to raise our children - in a rural area just outside of town, ad it is now, as I am preparing to send my 3 year old off to JK( he's far too young to be going to school!), that I am refocusing on stepping up promotions for Gravity Art & Design.

When we moved here, I was sure that getting a toll-free number would be enough to maintain working relationships with my design clients... and that did work for a while. But being a mom-preneur brings with it many challenges, and many new perspectives... Let's just say that juggling motherhood, design, artwork, metalwork, work time, playtime, maintaining old client relationships, while trying to acquire new local clients, all brings new meaning to the Art of Gravity.

I invite to you to join me on my journey in perfecting the Art of Gravity.