CREATOR
INTRO BY A.D. Cook Most lately, I’ve been working with my friend and mentor (and contributor to this website) Frank Mallinder on his particular project, his workbook titled LIVING YOUR EXCEPTIONAL LIFE. His forthcoming book covers a lot of ground,
How long did that take? That is often the first question I get asked when presenting a new artwork. I always thought it an interesting question because aside from imaginative endeavors, I am never asked that question regarding non-creative activities. I find it to be an interesting question mostly because I believe creative time is different for each of us. I might be able to create something in a month that would take a year to complete for someone else or vice versa.
Art Is About Creating, Not Recreating. As a lifelong creative, I’ve always been fascinated by different art processes and techniques. This curiosity has led me to seek new ways to express my creativity constantly.
Through its systematic approach, The Artist’s Way encourages readers to develop their creative potential through self-discovery, mindfulness, and spiritual connection. Ultimately, the book teaches us that creativity is not just a skill set but a way of life.
“Remember, you must die,” says Memento Mori in Latin. That phrase reminds us of our mortality, mistakes and failures, and the inevitable transformation of life into death. It is something that humans are deeply aware of and what separates us from other species. It is a famous philosophical concept that dates back centuries and serves as a reminder that death is inevitable.
Is this your best work, may be the most important question you ever ask or answer for yourself.
I’ve often read that a goal is a dream with a deadline. Or, a goal without a plan is just a wish. I imagine we’ve all heard those thoughts or variations at one time or another. This past year, I had a couple of concrete goals, one regarding my physical well-being and another for my art creation and writing, along with smaller goals within each of the larger goals.
Start With The End In MindWhatever it is, see it first, entirely in your mind’s eye, and create what you see. There you go, end of post, end of story, fini. It’s as simple as that. The end. Like Forest (aka Mr. Gump) might say, “That’s all I got to say about that,“
In August of this year, as part of his Red Hand Files correspondence project, legendary musician Nick Cave was asked questions about creativity and ChatGPT by two fans, Leon and Charlie. Nick replied with a single letter, which Stephen Fry joined us to read at the 10th anniversary Letters Live show at London’s Royal Albert Hall in November 2023.
The Merriam-Webster Time Traveler tells you when a word was first used in print. I also love its other feature, the “Select a Year” button, where you can enter any year and see what words were published that year.
“I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be.” — Rick Rubin
Those three words, “CREATIVE ENERGY EXCHANGE,” resonated with me and were forever ingrained within my creative psyche. As much as I can, I enjoy sharing that with others, especially artists, designers, and writers, mainly because we tend to create solo more than most other creative people.
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