Keeping the Fire
Unlocking Our Inner Creativity: Local Artist Katie Whyte shares her journey of overcoming creative blocks and fostering everyday creative habits.
@Prestige Media
Published 19 July 2023
Written by Sam Kirby
Photography by Prestige Media & The Homey Studio.
Not many of us think of ourselves as “creatives.” We reserve that label to apply to an elite few, a special creative club that we’re not talented enough to be a part of.
And yet, the case could be made that ‘to be human, IS to be creative’ and that almost every activity we undertake requires a level of creativity. The reality is, within each and every one of us lies a creative flame, an imagination, and a spark of self-expression that, as we go about our days as a lawyer or a sales assistant or a mum, we use to plan, innovate, problem-solve, and strategize (all very creative activities).
As a former accountant myself I can attest that accountants are in fact some of the most creative people you will ever meet (and not just the dodgy ones you hear about on the news), and I can’t even begin to image the level of event-planning, art-directing, problem-solving, schedule-coordinating, and tantrum-managing that mums juggle on a daily basis (ever seen a mum tactfully diffuse a two-year-old in Target who didn’t get their way?. . . . that requires some hostage-like levels of negotiating skills and a whole LOT of creativity).
But whether you’re writing a novella, choosing paint swatches, or building a business plan, what happens when it ‘just doesn’t seem to flow’? – when the ominous creative block strikes, decision paralysis sets in, and we find ourselves uninspired and lacking motivation. Well for us, we talked to local artist Katie Whyte about her personal experiences with overcoming creative block and the techniques she uses to keep her mojo flowing.
For many, the name Katie Whyte is a familiar one (and if not by name, then definitely by her work). The local artist is known for her recognisably vibrant use of colours and somewhat-familiar abstract forms that feature on several large-scale murals across the CBD (Carnival Lane and Newlands Lane the most recent additions), around the region at the likes of Windy Acres Lavender Farm, and more broadly around Australia. Her paintings and drawings feature in many a business and home around town, she has her own collection of earings, and was commissioned by clothing brand Jericho Road to design for past winter collections. Indeed, for those that follow Katie’s art, it seems that she is always on the go, with an endless supply of projects, and an endless supply of creativity.
What may come as a surprise then, is that ‘just like the rest of us’ Katie too, has and still does, experience these periods where the creativity feels like it can be M.I.A.
“I stopped making art for eight years after I graduated from painting at university” Katie explains. “I started to become so concerned about the end result that the worry stopped me from enjoying the process, and [even now] I find being online can quickly dissolve my creative drive and leave me deflated and defeated…before I even begin.”
“Comparison breads self-doubt, and being stuck as a spectator can stop you from exploring your own fascinations, and telling your own story. Now I find it best to unplug when I am in the studio”, she affirms.
Part of the breakthrough when you are experiencing any kind of creative impasse, is also recognising that it’s actually very normal and it’s something everybody goes through. In fact, it’s actually a part OF the creative process.
@TheHomeyStudio
Katie adds, “if creativity is the channelling of imagination into new ways of seeing, then a creative block is often [just] a necessary step to change perspectives”.
“I think the most helpful advice I received actually came from a young artist who once told me ‘I love painting but some days I don’t feel like it until I have a paintbrush in my hand’. Just start doing the thing. Don’t wait for inspiration first, just start drawing or painting, taking photos or writing, and it will find you. Creativity comes from action, not out of thin air.”
Perfectionism too, and the need for something to be perfect immediately, is another big enemy to the process, and ultimately, what is perfect is just one person’s opinion.
“After realising that being an artist is a part of who I am, I started to play in the studio and allowed myself to make mistakes, understanding that it’s part of the process and that a first attempt at something is not supposed to yield perfect results. That is why it is called a “practice”. So, I vowed to just keep painting for myself first, to gradually learn what I enjoy and improve my skills with no time limit or expectation. I feel like I am just getting started”.
“In 2020 I did a short course in Creativity in Entrepreneurship at the University of Southern Queensland. Part of the research involved exploring methods of forming habits to cultivate creativity in daily practice. These were embracing procrastination with play and experimentation, forming small daily rituals such as drawing and branching out to learn something new.”
“Whenever I am feeling lost in my studio, I like to use those three approaches. Most days I work on a series of small drawings in my sketchbook to get started.”
“Keeping a sketchbook has been a common practice since high school, but only recently did I realised what a significant role it plays in informing my work. It allows me to sketch ideas, plan colours and try out new styles and compositions with drawing media such as colour pencils and black ink pens. Rather than create a painting for every idea I have, a sketchbook allows me to document them, and play with new ideas in a limitless way. And there is a sense of creative freedom in that. Still to this day all of my mural designs begin as a small drawing in my sketchbook”.
“If I’m really stuck, I let it go and branch out. Instead of getting frustrated, I distract myself by getting lost in research and experiences that will help me understand the idea I am pursuing from a different perspective. This can be in reading, writing, listening to music, seeing a concert, watching a film, and spending time with people in creative fields outside of painting such as music, photography, and dance.”
“And, when all else fails, I get out of my own head by stepping outside the studio and going for a walk in nature, usually with a camera in my hand.”
Katie’s final piece of advice, “have fun, enjoy the process, make a start and see where it leads.”
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