Creative Thought Space |
Nicole Novak | Brisbane, Australia | www.niklectic.etsy.com www.madeit.com.au/Niklectic
Independent Artisan, Designer, Importer, Founder of Niklectic
What do you think being creative means?
I believe being creative can take many different forms within our daily lives. It can be as simple as deciding what to cook for dinner and how to present that dish, especially if you are having guests over. Or it can be deciding where to place a certain plant in relation to others in your garden, having a vision of how you want that space to end up looking. And of course it can mean creating something out of an idea in an endless array of media. In my field of crafting this can include anything from sewing cushions and letting the pattern on the fabric dictate the finished product to simply deciding whether edging is needed or to use the selvedge as a feature in itself; or upcycling items such as tea cups into pincushions. For me at the moment, being a new mum, ideas with a relatively quick timeframe are what I aim for. But in saying that, once I can see the idea’s fruition, I will make half a dozen at a time.
How do you include creativity in your life?
See q1’s answer!! I try to include creativity in my everyday life through what some would perceive as being mundane, like cooking. Having recently moved house I’ve been afforded the opportunity to creatively look at a new space and see how I want to convey that space to myself and others, inside and out. I also utilize the time my little one is sleeping to get crafty and make items to add to my repertoire of pieces and expand my Niklectic range.
What are your thoughts on how your life has influenced your creative imagination, and how your creative imagination has influenced your life?
I’ve been lucky enough to have travelled quite extensively over the last fourteen years and although the internet has made the world a smaller place there is nothing like travel to broaden your horizons and expose you to so many aspects of a different culture that surely do infuse within your creative juices. Architecture, history, landscapes, food, smells, the way colour plays in different lights - these all remain with you long after you return home, and whether or not we remember every detail vividly, they are there in the recesses of our mind. In saying that, I think my creative imagination has influenced my life in the way that I still wish to travel, to soak up the heritage, culture and scenery that has influenced the creative souls who have tread that ground before me. With age comes a higher appreciation of every little thing you encounter, so along with the obligatory inspirational visits to museums, galleries, show piece gardens and standout architectural delights, there are certain things, places, experiences, moments in time that cannot be replicated or explained but touch your soul.
What, if any, exercises do you do to get into a creative mode?
Getting myself in a creative mode can be as simple as cleaning up my craft room!!! Seeing things you have stashed away and getting one of those light bulb moments as to what you can do with that piece of fabric, china, paper etc. Outside influences could be flicking through one of my home decorating or craft magazines or jumping on the internet to see what the other amazingly talented creative souls are up to. Pinterest is one such site that gets way too much of my time, usually when I’m in bed about to go to sleep, who knows where that inspiration will end up in the sponge of my mind’s dreams?
How important do you think creativity is in life?
I believe creativity is very important in our lives, but as I’ve mentioned before, I do believe we can harness some of our creativity to enhance our everyday lives and in some ways make it more ritualistic; otherwise our everyday lives of working and those seemingly mundane chores will sap that creative juice right out of our inner being. Finding the time though, however little to be creative in a more artful manner is highly appreciated and soul-restoring. Note to self - must work on time management, or put the little fella in daycare for a day of crafty rejuvenation!!!
I believe being creative can take many different forms within our daily lives. It can be as simple as deciding what to cook for dinner and how to present that dish, especially if you are having guests over. Or it can be deciding where to place a certain plant in relation to others in your garden, having a vision of how you want that space to end up looking. And of course it can mean creating something out of an idea in an endless array of media. In my field of crafting this can include anything from sewing cushions and letting the pattern on the fabric dictate the finished product to simply deciding whether edging is needed or to use the selvedge as a feature in itself; or upcycling items such as tea cups into pincushions. For me at the moment, being a new mum, ideas with a relatively quick timeframe are what I aim for. But in saying that, once I can see the idea’s fruition, I will make half a dozen at a time.
How do you include creativity in your life?
See q1’s answer!! I try to include creativity in my everyday life through what some would perceive as being mundane, like cooking. Having recently moved house I’ve been afforded the opportunity to creatively look at a new space and see how I want to convey that space to myself and others, inside and out. I also utilize the time my little one is sleeping to get crafty and make items to add to my repertoire of pieces and expand my Niklectic range.
What are your thoughts on how your life has influenced your creative imagination, and how your creative imagination has influenced your life?
I’ve been lucky enough to have travelled quite extensively over the last fourteen years and although the internet has made the world a smaller place there is nothing like travel to broaden your horizons and expose you to so many aspects of a different culture that surely do infuse within your creative juices. Architecture, history, landscapes, food, smells, the way colour plays in different lights - these all remain with you long after you return home, and whether or not we remember every detail vividly, they are there in the recesses of our mind. In saying that, I think my creative imagination has influenced my life in the way that I still wish to travel, to soak up the heritage, culture and scenery that has influenced the creative souls who have tread that ground before me. With age comes a higher appreciation of every little thing you encounter, so along with the obligatory inspirational visits to museums, galleries, show piece gardens and standout architectural delights, there are certain things, places, experiences, moments in time that cannot be replicated or explained but touch your soul.
What, if any, exercises do you do to get into a creative mode?
Getting myself in a creative mode can be as simple as cleaning up my craft room!!! Seeing things you have stashed away and getting one of those light bulb moments as to what you can do with that piece of fabric, china, paper etc. Outside influences could be flicking through one of my home decorating or craft magazines or jumping on the internet to see what the other amazingly talented creative souls are up to. Pinterest is one such site that gets way too much of my time, usually when I’m in bed about to go to sleep, who knows where that inspiration will end up in the sponge of my mind’s dreams?
How important do you think creativity is in life?
I believe creativity is very important in our lives, but as I’ve mentioned before, I do believe we can harness some of our creativity to enhance our everyday lives and in some ways make it more ritualistic; otherwise our everyday lives of working and those seemingly mundane chores will sap that creative juice right out of our inner being. Finding the time though, however little to be creative in a more artful manner is highly appreciated and soul-restoring. Note to self - must work on time management, or put the little fella in daycare for a day of crafty rejuvenation!!!
