ARTISTS TALKING

# 10 [15 April 2009]

I met Claire, the researcher today at the café in my local park. The cafe has outdoor seating and the weather was warm and pleasant, so we sat outside. I could look at the trees and grass as we sat and talked. She reminded me that I could do take my contribution out of the research at any point. That I my contribution would be completely anonymous.

And then the interview began.

She asked questions such as ‘what motivates you to do art? What does your creativity mean to you? What do you see when you look at your work? How do you feel when you look at your work? My answers were recorded -  to be transcribed later.

I brought along a selection of photographs of my work and I spoke a bit about them. I touched on things such as my childhood creative experiences, times in my life when I had found it difficult to express myself in creative ways and how that felt, how it felt to make creative work. I spoke of how enjoyable stimulating it can be to do an art course, of how supportive it can be to be part of a creative group, what it was like preparing for an exhibition, how and when you can feel validated as an artist, what it was like to receive attention support, praise and/or pay for your work.

At the end of the interview, after she said, ‘thank you,’ she asked, ‘How long do you think that you’ve been talking for? I looked at her watch. thought that I had been speaking for about forty five minutes and that her watch agreed with me. In fact, an hour and a half had gone by.

I did find it a fun and worthwhile experience.  I really felt as if I had just skimmed the surface of my own thoughts and feelings about art and that I could have said a lot more. Did I get any insights into my own practice? Well, I already knew that art is really important to me and that I’m passionate about it. But  I did gain  further insights.  Creativity is often regarded as different or even anti- social in behaviour and attitudes.  This can sometimes leave creative types feeling that they haven't got a voice or that somehow their voice is better kept hidden or quiet.  Talking about it really brought home to me that sharing  your creative experiences with others can bring support for your practice.    

 The researcher explained that she needed information to look into the psychology of creativity especially in regard to positive psychology. She offered to send me a copy of her research when it was finished. New information on the subject of creativity is of interest to any artist so... I look forward to seeing the conclusions of this research project.

# 9 [11 April 2009]

Claire,  the researcher, telephones one morning in the run up to Easter to firm up the day for our intended meeting and the recorded interview.  ‘Hi...its…the person who’s been emailing you,‘ she says. She sounds friendly, business like, sensible.

We agree on the morning of the 15^th April.

 She asks whether I have any questions and I ask her how many other people have taken part so far. She gives me a figure - 18 - and explains that the research is being carried out using mixed methods. Some of the research is based on ticking boxes. However, this on its own doesn’t tell very much about the psychology of creativity. The only way to find out more is to actually get people to talk about their creative experiences. She has chosen a range of people to take part.  Not only working and non working artists, but also people who do creative activities out of interest, and people involved in creative activities in community projects in order to get a range of creative experiences.

She also reassures me that because names will be changed when the material is transcribed, those taking part can speak in complete confidence. This means having the freedom to speak freely about creative experiences, as much as I want, for as long as I want. Most people, she says, because they have to think about it, gain an insight into their own creativity and practice.

We agree that I will send more detail about the location for our meeting to her via email. How will she get there? She has a driver, she says, who drives her everywhere. I have to say that I’m intrigued.

The holiday season is here. For me, this means spending time with family and friends. If you happen to be reading this in the holiday season then, I hope that you are enjoying a time of peace and relaxation. I also hope that you’re working on something creative and that it’s going well. 

 Happy Easter!

# 8 [11 April 2009]

The days for our suggested meeting have passed so I email again, confirming that I’m open to the experience, I’ll be available after the holidays. I give her the option of emailing or calling me to set a date for after the 14^th April and say that mornings or afternoons are best.

Over the next few days, I re-read the guidelines for participants and the terms of the interview. The guidelines give a bit more information about the topics that I might be asked to talk about. The research is about exploring the individual’s creativity, their beliefs, capabilities, their creative activity and experiences and what this means for them. According to the guidelines, I’m allowed to talk to others about the research process if I want - that’s good.  And if there’s any topic that I’ feel would be harmful for me to talk about any point, I should let the researcher know - ok. I can ask questions about the research into creativity - they will try and answer them. Great.

 And those taking part can withdraw from the study at any time, even after the recorded interview...

# 7 [8 April 2009]

I get a further email from Claire, the researcher. She writes that she appreciates that I’m willing to take part in the research into creativity. She says that she has conducted interviews like this before. She gives some further guidelines for the place where the research interview should happen. It should be a semi private place, local to me. It can be in a place like a café or a pub or an arts centre. The venue for the interview also needs to be at ground level and ideally have no steps. If I cannot think of anywhere, she will find somewhere like that for us to meet. But now that I know what’s required I find that I can think of some places that might be suitable. I mull over the available options. Ideas that come to mind include:

a) a local gallery hosted by artists-run group, Brent Artists Resource. This has the advantage of being a kind of creative backdrop to the recorded interview. This would be quiet, but would require some telephone calls asking for favours. There’s no guarantee of privacy or of even being able to use the space for this purpose on the day.

b) a café in a local supermarket. Might be private enough but a bit noisy.

c) a local pub. Has the added bonus of the option of sitting inside or out. Never been there before. Not sure about the situation with the steps.

d) a café in a local park. Been there before. Closer to home than the other three options. Nice views - picturesque. Also, if the café itself is not very private or quiet we could find a park bench or a bit of grass on which to sit.

After talking it over with the family,  decide on the café in the local park, Queens Park. I email her suggesting this as the venue and a time in the morning for two days this week. I want us to miss the lunch hour rush as I know that it can be busy. I give this info as a starter to negotiating a mutually convenient time and date.

I also suggest a good time for when she can telephone me over the weekend to confirm. But the weekend passes. No phone call. No email. Perhaps she’s busy with her own family matters and so on. Perhaps she hasn’t seen the email. Somehow I get the impression that the interview won’t take place before Easter now, but that’s ok. She’s already said that it needs to be before the end of April. I like the fact that she doesn’t want to hassle me over the telephone. I feel we’ll meet up soon enough.

# 6 [3 April 2009]

Got another email from Claire today, asking if I am willing to take part in the research. She apologises for the delay and hopes that I will be able to take part. I thought that I had already agreed when I had given my telephone number. However I understand the need for thoroughness of approach. I now have another opportunity to consider whether I want to be part of the project.

 Attached to the email is a set of guidance notes for those taking part in the research.

Before reading the guidance notes, I did have some vision of having to just talk to Claire on the telephone. But now see from her information for participants that the research will take the form of an interview at a place of my choice ‘ a community venue local to the participant‘. Its one - one and a half hours of interview. My name won’t appear on the final research paper and any names that I use will be changed. I didn’t expect it to be one and a half hours. There‘s no fee. I also have the problem of finding a suitable and appropriate place to host the interview. The interview is to be recorded so the place of interview needs to be somewhere quiet. But its entirely voluntary and I can back out at any time. I can say as little or as much as I like in response to questions.

 I say yes. That is, I email her saying that I am willing to take part and that I understand that I’ll have to sign a form. I don’t mention anything at this stage about the venue for the interview or the time or date. I need time to think. Where would be a good place for something like that to happen?

# 5 [2 April 2009]

Creativity in a Collapsing World Economy (2)

I think that in the world of visual art, the recession hit well before it hit the rest of the country. It can be viewed as a crisis. But on the other hand, it adds to the challenge when you have to juggle being creative with making ends meet.

Its easy to become despondent in the downturn. But I try to keep positive.

My advice to artists experiencing the recession? 1.Never give up. 2. Never become discouraged. 3. Streamline costs. 4. Pay off debts. 5. Cultivate calm. 6. Learn a new skill.   7. Have faith that art is needed now more than ever.

In terms of art work I’ve been completing outstanding projects rather than starting new ones. But I haven’t stopped being creative. I think about art a lot, plan work. I do something creative everyday. And then, of course, there’s this research into creativity project.

# 4 [2 April 2009]

Creativity in a Collapsing World Economy  (1)

Few are escaping the effects of the recession right now. How would you expect the economic downturn to affect the creative practice of visual artists in particular? 

There are constant reports of how people are feeling the pinch. Extravagance and excess in spending is out. Frugality, mending and making do is in. People are definitely more stressed and keen to save money. This is the background to contemporary visual art. You would expect the visual arts to be deeply affected by the recession, for spending on visual arts to drop or to stop altogether.

For visual artists this translates as a drop in sales of their work and a big drop in income. Most of the visual artists I know struggle on a limited income which in the current crisis is now worth less. Opportunities like running art workshops have dried up. Many paid activities require a mass of form-filling and report writing to secure funding. Result: many artists are put off from applying for such funding such their skills lie in creating art work and not form filling or wordplay.

The overall result that you would expect from a recession, is for artists to be financially stricken, perhaps to the point where they cease their practice.

Even in a recession my brain still contain ideas for projects, painting, images. I went through a phase a few years back of gathering materials so that I have the materials. ((Need to get some purified linseed oil) I still get emails with offers and opportunities to take part in creative projects. But I am aware that the crunch is affecting my practice in other ways. There is anxiety, unpredictability, lack of funds. I am careful about how I use materials...

# 3 [2 April 2009]

Talking about my creative experiences is not such an easy thing to do. On previous occasions where I have had to give talks about my art work I’ve had some kind of brief from a client and so I’ve been able to tailor the talk to their needs and expectations.

Most of the time I’ m so involved in the project, it’s taking all my energy and concentration to get it going, do it bring it to conclusion or whatever. The only people I can talk to about it are the other people I’m working with, or my immediate family. Part of my practice as a visual artist is spent in planning, then there’s the actual doing. Then there’s reflecting at the end of the activity in order to absorb what you’ve learned from the activity. In all this, there’s rarely much time to describe the experience, put it into lots of words…

I hear nothing more from the researcher, once I’ve emailed, agreeing to take part. And this is how it can be with arts projects, especially in the current climate. Everything is taking place in a climate of uncertainty. The reports on the news is that the economy is collapsing. This week world leaders will meet to discuss what they can do about the crisis… I reason that maybe the project has had its funding pulled or that maybe the researcher has had to organise and co-ordinate other parts of the research. On the other hand, three weeks is not a long time in the arts world.

# 2 [2 April 2009]

Let me fill in a bit more background to this project. I’m a 2D visual artist living in London and I’ve been painting and drawing for much of my life.

What are my creative experiences? Well, they vary.  I can recall activities which I  have undertaken as a visual artist, fulfilled commissions, running or supporting art workshops for children and/or adults in schools or community settings, a stint as an artist in residence in a school and so on. I have taken part in real and virtual art exhibitions and am a member of various art organisations.

The invitation to take part in current research into creativity got me thinking about my own art practice and experiences. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that it might be a interesting project for me to do, that I might learn something from the experience. So, without waiting for the reply I emailed her with my phone number, saying that of course I would be willing to talk and that I could be contacted by email or phone.

After emailing her, agreeing to take part, I’m gripped with excitement by the idea of research into creativity. My mind continues to throw up questions. Isn’t creative work itself a kind of research into creativity? What kind of tests and experiments might you set up to look at something like creativity?

# 1 [27 March 2009]

Would I be willing to talk about my creativity, creative experiences and creative practice? Any contact would be at my convenience. They could answer any questions I might have before deciding to contribute. The researcher had got my name from an artists  website, Artscape,  which carries a directory of visual artists.

I wanted to ask how and why my name had been selected. What was the research trying to prove? What sort of stuff would she want to know about my creative experiences? Would it be personal stuff? 

Anyway, I  emailed with some questions of my own. How long would it take? Could it be like a short interview over the phone?

Then I decided that this was a little paranoid, especially since the email had been so polite and reasonable. Perhaps it would help others for me to talk about my experiences.  Perhaps I could gain some insights into my own practice...