Hello all, Katy here. I'm the founder of Grow Creative. I'm a multi-disciplined designer and through the years I've worked in the tiniest of start ups all the way up to the most corporate of the corporate world. I've been lucky enough to live and work in NYC and many other places all over the US. I've been in wonderful life situations and... not so wonderful.
Do you want to know what has been one constant for me though my whole adult life? The thing that has never left me and has always been there waiting for me when I stray? CREATIVITY. My creative practice has shifted and evolved over the years and yet, it’s been my deepest and fullest practice. It’s served as a stress outlet, a centering practice and a spiritual prayer.
It’s looked like creating wild and ugly paintings, cut paper art, knitting, sewing, drawing, getting messy at pottery class, mending and mostly PLAYING. It’s my most reliable way to play in fact. A creative practice is where adults can feel safe to play.
And the sad truth is, as a society, we don’t give ourselves permission to take time to create or play. As humans, we’ve morphed into an over-productive and consumerist culture. Yep, I feel it in my life too.
As kids we are encouraged to create freely, we are told “Go Play!” and then something happens…. We grow up. We progress through school where slowly, our creativity isn’t appreciated anymore — or worse, it’s judged. And play is seen as something that belongs only to the little ones.
The things is —- YOU WERE CREATED TO CREATE. We are all born with this innate ability to make, to bring to life our ideas and imaginings. So allow me to welcome you back —-
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You’re already invited and you already belong.
Maybe you already have a creative practice of your own. Maybe you find yourself longing for expression or making something with your own hands or for creative ideas in your life and work. Maybe you just feel “blah” and you need a little play! No matter what you’re feeling now, there’s always opportunity to lean deeper into a creative practice.
And let me clarify what I mean by this — I don’t mean you try to be a professional artist or shame yourself for that painting or feel bad because of all of those wonky stitches in your first knitting adventure.
I've been a "professional" designer for 15 years and my creative practice is and always will be totally separate from my work.
To lean in is to open space for possibility. To see what sparks your interest and step forward. To try something new (beginner’s mind is truly the most creative place to be). To feel the freedom to quit half way through b/c — meh, you’re not feeling it anymore. And to also push yourself to finish when you want to quit because you feel like you are “failing”.
This is all very dear to my heart — it’s a tender place to feel grief about loosing your relationship with creativity, or worse, to try something new and feel embarrassed or shamed because you aren’t doing it “right” or there’s no logical purpose to it.
And we all know that our world needs us in high creative mode — there is no change that comes about apart from creative thinking.
I'm so glad you're here with us at Grow Creative —this is a new project whose very purpose is to make it easy and fun to re-engage your own relationship with creativity — for the sake of play and happy wholeness. We’re a small team right now, working to give you a million reasons to say YES to yourself and your own practice.
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Grow Creative exists to help you grow in your creativity, so much so, that your life shifts, your relationships are strengthened and your ability to create change in the world expands. Oh and did we mention, it gets to be FUN?
Check out our creative kits today!
We're working hard on something new -- a 6 month "pathway" subscription where you'll be able to focus in on a skill and learn through different projects and methods. First up is Visible Mending, a journey through repair art where you'll learn how to bring new life to your most beloved clothing and homewares. Launches in May!
Stay tuned for all the details!
Be well friends and keep growing.
xx
Katy