creative unearthing podcast with emma freeman

In this episode, I talk about the power of encouragement in my art practice and how it opens up new possibilities and deeper creative energy within me.  

Encouragement is such a powerful force that can energize and motivate us to keep exploring and discovering new creative ways of expressing ourselves. So many of us have had painful experiences of being criticized for what we create or we just feel unsure about our creative abilities and those tender places within us can be soothed and healed through encouraging words, through encouraging creative opportunities and spaces to be in. The encouragement can completely shift things inside, I have discovered, it can soften those hardened places where we have convinced ourselves that we can’t do something or are bad at something and suddenly new energy can flow there, like when a knot in a muscle gets massaged out. The creative energy that naturally wants to flow can move and inspire us and can feel incredibly powerful. We are all so much more powerful than we realize. 

Creating art, attempting new mediums and materials that intimidate us but feel exciting too, is so good for the soul. And I find that the smallest amount of encouragement can have a huge impact-if someone says that they love what I created or that is beautiful, or wow, that is amazing! Even if I start to say, “well…I don’t know…” or doubt it, the magic is already happening inside of me, that energy of encouragement is working it’s way through my body and finding those stuck and hardened places of creative fear and doubt and is starting to massage them to get them unstuck. 

I love encouraging people in my life to do the creative things they want to do.  I take time to say kind things about what they are creating or encourage them to do something they mentioned wanting to explore. I seek out spaces where I can receive some encouragement - in art classes, by sharing what I am creating with friends and online. It isn’t about focusing on getting constant validation-that is different. That is a compulsive need to be held up by others because we haven’t discovered our own powerful foundation to stand on yet. Encouragement is more expansive than validation. Validation feels to me like the insecure version and encouragement is the secure version. Encourage yourself. Start to talk to yourself in encouraging ways. 

I use quotes around me in my art space to encourage me all of the time, to give me that boost of encouraging energy to keep me going when I get stuck. A few of my favorites are: “Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain.” -Carl Jung “I simply do not distinguish between work and play.” -Mary Oliver “So you see, imagination needs moodling-long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering.” -Brenda Ueland “I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else.” -Pablo Picasso “I shut my eyes in order to see.” -Paul Gauguin 

Emma Freeman, the host of Reflections from my art table, is a queer mixed media artist, teaching artist, designer and dreamer. Her art practice is experimental, playful, tactile and meditative. She works in many mediums including textiles, fibers, book making, cyanotype, drawing, collage, printmaking and illustration. She teaches art classes online, creates greeting cards, fabric collections, and fine art collections. You can learn more about her and see her work at www.emmafreemandesigns.com.

Find her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/emmafreemandesigns.

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