A photography practice session in the studio.
At the beginning of the pandemic in mid-March 2020, I found myself 1,000 miles away from home, visiting my then 89-year old mother. That original trip was scheduled for 4 days. I ended up staying for 7 weeks.
It had been close to 40 years since my mom and I had lived under the same roof. It was a gift on many levels. One of the biggest gifts was a discovery of a way to practice our shared love of creativity together.
My mom is a skilled watercolor artist. But, like many people, it can sometimes be hard for her to self-motivate and to paint regularly. In an attempt to jump start her back into painting - which I thought would be helpful in getting through the pandemic - I asked her to give me a couple of watercolor lessons while I was there.
Fast forward two years later, and - long story short - no-one is more surprised than I am that I actually LIKE to watercolor. My mom and I now meet weekly to paint together via Zoom, and in between we keep each other motivated by working on creative projects and trying out new ideas.
It’s safe to say that photography will probably always be my first “creative love,” but it’s been so freeing to try something new. At first it felt like I was cheating on photography when I spent time playing with watercolors, but I actually think it’s improved the way I approach photography. Through watercolor I’ve learned so much about color combinations, textures, and even composition.
Going back to basics and learning something from scratch has been eye opening. Lately, when I take pictures, or work with watercolors, I’ve been more open to try new things, experiment, and go in different directions. It’s a great reminder that creativity really is a practice.
How do you practice creativity?