There’s a strange thing that happens when you start to create something. And that’s not just art! The Mind Games start! Is this a good idea? Will it work? What will people think etc? We’ve spoken about it before. Imposter Syndrome can kick in and all those questions, fears and doubts can take over. And, in some cases stop you from even starting that thing you had in your mind! I’m here to tell you, once again, to ignore those fears and do it anyway! Take action and create!
Read MoreDo you ever find yourself thinking about all the things you’d like to do, rather than well, actually doing them? Or maybe you’ve got loads of half-started projects left unfinished occupying valuable space in your brain? And, as time goes on, the ideas and the projects mount up, until you’re not even sure which ideas are good, which to start or which to finish, and you end up spiralling into frustration and crippled by all of the creative possibilities? Well, I do! And I’m sure I’m not the only one. So, I figured I’d explore a few ways of remedying this frustrating problem I’m having, and maybe some of the tips might help you as well if you’re suffering from the same thing.
Read MoreFirstly, what is a muse? Is a muse simply the source of an artist or creator’s inspiration or, is it much more complex? Over time, the term ‘muse’ has become a bit contentious for some. Often portrayed as female, ‘The perception of the muse is that of a passive, powerless model, at the mercy of an older artist.’ But is this really the case, or should we be rethinking this outdated and simplified idea around the subjects that have inspired some of the world’s great art?
Read MoreWell, that got your attention, didn’t it? I hate to disappoint you if you’ve found yourself here under false pretences. I’m sure another quick Google search will find you exactly what you’re looking for haha! As for the rest of you, I’m sure you’re here for the art and not just the provocative title of the blog, right? Well, whatever your reason for being here, let me show you some of my ‘Free Nudes’.
Read MoreSelf-perception! It’s an interesting subject. How do you see yourself? But, perhaps a more interesting question is how do others see you? Are you the person you think you are to the people around you?
Let’s face it, we live in a world obsessed, it seems, with what other people think about us. Social media validation seems to be, sadly, like the number one currency right now. But I’ve always been much more interested in what the people in my real life think, rather than the views of people behind a keyboard or screen who, in most cases, I’ll never meet.
I’m interested in people! It’s a subject that I’ve always been interested in. But, after a couple of weeks up an isolated mountain in Spain, with time to reflect on the deeper things in life, it’s a topic I’ve been thinking about much more.
Who are you to the people around you?
Read MoreI started Creative Nowhere Land because I was in a rut! Well, more of a creative black hole to be much more melodramatic about the whole thing! I'm sure I'm not the only one who's felt like this. It can happen to every creative from time to time where you just feel a little stuck for ideas!
Now, if you’re feeling a little like that, and are in need of some tips and tricks to help you stay creative, then you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to share with you ‘7 Ways to Stay Creative’. These 7 ideas come from a longer list of ‘25 Ways to Stay Creative’ that I'm sharing as a free downloadable poster that anyone can use. So, be sure to read to the end to find out how to get your free copy!
Read MoreFashions come and go! But naked is always in fashion! Or is it? Well, for one person I recently got the chance to collaborate with, it most definitely is! They’ve made a successful career out of it! International NFT selling, art nude model, Rebecca Perry (https://www.rebeccaperry.net/).
Read MoreGroundbreaking, provocative images. Cinematic and erotically charged narratives that, throughout his 50-year career, were a mainstay of the pages of Vogue as well as many other publications. His images pushed the boundaries of fashion, art and advertising helping revolutionise photography forever. A photographer that hated political correctness, who merged fashion photography with fetishism and nudity which earnt him the nickname ‘The Father of the Nude’ and ‘The King of Kink’. His images, often controversial, conflict opinions still to this day with some calling them empowering and some misogynistic. ‘A gun for hire’ or a great artist? Whatever your opinion, for me, he is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring and greatest photographers of all time. There is only one Helmut Newton!
Read MoreWhat is art? I know that’s a big, debatable and somewhat philosophical question but I’m serious, what constitutes art for you? As an artist and creative, it’s something I’ve obviously thought about and looked into quite a lot over the years. But, I thought I’d Google it and see what the internet seemed to think. The answer I got is probably as debatable as the question itself but, here it goes… According to Wikipedia, ‘Art is something that can stimulate an individual's thoughts, emotions, beliefs or ideas in some way through the senses’. Well, that’s very broad and all-encompassing, right? So my next question is…What is ‘good’ art?
Read MoreWe’re all on a journey! But, sometimes we become so focused on the future destination that we can forget where we’ve been and the things that have led us to the point in time where we are now. I think it’s important to reflect and look back at your story, and that journey, from time to time as a reminder to yourself of how you got here and how far you’ve come. Well, I had the chance to reflect on my own story recently, and take a trip down memory lane, when I was asked to be a guest on a podcast called ‘Career Advice for the Clueless’.
Read MoreThey say that ‘collaboration is key’ and that ‘two heads are better than one’. I think ‘they’, whoever ‘they’ are, might be right! Collaborating with others can offer up new perspectives or ideas and can help push a project to another level. A level that perhaps you wouldn't have thought of if you only ever work independently. When you find the right people to collaborate with it can be incredibly inspiring, open new doors and maybe push you out of some of your comfort zones. And, that’s exactly what happened to me when I was approached about a visual collaboration by, up and coming, Bristol-based DJ and music producer, JJODA.
Read MoreIt’s that time of year again! Resolutions being made and goals being set with that optimism that comes with the start of every new year. What about you? Are you a goal setter? Got any resolutions you’re already struggling to stick to? Or are you not bothered with any of that and just going to take 2022 day by day and see what surprises it brings? (Let’s face it, after the last couple of years who knows what will happen in this one?) Whichever side of the ‘new year goal setting’ camp you sit on I thought I’d let you know some of my ‘intentions’ for the year. I’m guessing the title of the blog might have already given them away, but stick with me if you want me to expand on them a little…
Read MoreHave you ever felt like you’re a little misunderstood? Maybe you think about or see the world differently or your ideas and ways of expressing them are sometimes lost on the people around you? Or you feel like perhaps, you’re just not ‘normal’? Well… I’m here to tell you that I feel all of them but I’m trying my very best to embrace it because I’ve realised that I’m definitely not normal and neither are you!
Read More‘Not Safe for Work!’ Now, I ummed and ahhed about whether to even put the ‘NSFW’ label on this blog because, realistically, this post is more about celebrating a win as an artist rather than the shock and awe, of some, to the naked body. Trust me you’ll find far worse scrolling on social media that could possibly be ‘NSFW’ than what you’re about to see and read here. Call it a polite warning though? But now I’ve got that out of the way and got your attention let’s get back to the win that I was talking about.
Read MoreLife can be weird sometimes! You can go from being complete strangers with a person, to being friends, to perhaps being more than friends, to being complete strangers again, in what can feel like a blink of an eye. Don’t get me wrong in some cases, it’s important for that person to become a stranger so that we can learn and grow as people and in other cases, you can feel like you’ve lost something important that might never be replaced. The connections we make with our fellow humans can shape our lives in many ways and I’m sure we all have ‘strangers’ who we wish we still had in our lives as well as ‘strangers’ who we are more than happy to leave in the past. We can learn from all of them!
Read MoreWhat’s your art about? What are you trying to say? Have you found your ‘artistic voice’? Some big questions there so I’ll give you a minute to think about them… If you answered all of those questions with ease then hats off to you but, for some artists, me included, these questions might not be so easy to answer. But first and foremost let’s start with the main question, what the hell is your ‘artistic voice’ anyway?
Read MoreHappiness is Bullshit! Look, I don’t believe this really for one second. I’m genuinely a pretty happy person and love my life for all of its ups and downs but, with blog titles like ‘Handle with Care’ and 'Melancholia’, I can see how you might think otherwise. I get it! Trust me I do, and I’m not unaware of the fact that the subject matter I’ve chosen to share with you here in Creative Nowhere Land, albeit sporadically, has been a little heavy or emotional and maybe not the most comfortable of reading for some of you. But what I will say is that it’s been honest!
Read MoreHow are you feeling? It’s a big question that’s often greeted with a quick response of ‘Fine!’, or some other generic comment and then we move on. But seriously, ‘How are you actually feeling? Are you really ‘fine’? I genuinely hope that you are and everything is going well in your life. But, even if it is, how often are you checking in with yourself and your own mental health and how honest are you being about it, not just with people around you but more importantly with yourself?
Read MoreMelancholia is defined as a feeling of great sadness. It’s an old fashioned word but, interestingly, and maybe worryingly, one that seems to have been coming back into fashion in recent times. It’s 2021 and over the last year, I’m sure everyone reading this has experienced their own forms of melancholia, in some form or another, big or small. Whether that’s having your normal routines taken away from you, being cut off from friends or family during lockdown, business and financial worries, relationship struggles the list goes on. Whatever the cause I think we can all agree that it’s been a difficult time. We’ve all had to find ways of dealing with these feelings and everyone, I’m sure, has different methods that work for them. For me, my therapy comes in the form of creating. So, with a little inspiration from one of my favourite photographers, I got my head down and started to create in an attempt to address some of my own feelings of melancholia.
Read MoreWhen you see yourself, what do you see? Is the person looking back at you the person you want to be and living the life you want to live, if not, why not? Do you see yourself as a monster or a masterpiece? Sometimes we have to take the time to look a little bit deeper at our lives and, in some cases, be brutally honest to answer some of those heavy existential questions.
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