Why we should never grow out of creative play My late-night piano sessions aren’t about improving or getting things right. Instead, they’re about playing for pure pleasure, mucking around with melodies stuck in my head. It’s the kind of creative play kids do instinctively, turning learning into games with razor-sharp Read more…
Why a complete break is worth its weight in gold After four days break by the gorgeous Lake Maggiore in southern Switzerland, I feel refreshed and ready to jump back into all my creative projects. This week’s Creativity Helm newsletter is about the creative benefits of complete breaks and why Read more…
how to create without an agenda My tiny daughter would dive straight in with her paintbrush. I had too many questions rattling around in my head, such as what to paint, how to do it, what colour to choose first. It took having a Very Small Person to entertain for Read more…
How a little inattention can be the best thing when it comes to creativity I’m in the benign neglect camp when it comes to watering my plants. A little water when they need it, space when they don’t. And, just like my plants, your creative projects could probably benefit from Read more…
On trusting the creative process when you don’t know where it’s going I’m creating a piano piece with no plan, no vision, and no lightning bolt of inspiration. You don’t need a master plan to start creating something meaningful. It’s enough to begin with a few notes that sound great Read more…
Why formal knowledge isn’t a prerequisite for creativity You don’t need to be able to name the notes to make beautiful music. You don’t need to understand colour theory to paint. And you don’t need to know a plié from a pirouette to dance in your kitchen. I’m an expert Read more…
or how a simple tool can make all the difference to how we negotiate creating something A year ago I had a brainwave 🧠 I needed something to help my music students learn how to be strategic when practicing, how to focus on what needed the work instead of just Read more…
…and how to listen Little kids, it turns out, are able to recognise distinct emotions such as fear in music. So, what if music could offer us grownups the same unique track to emotional recognition that apparently works with little kids? And what if it could help us bypass our Read more…
Swan Lake reimagined Hello, I’ve only gone and reimagined a tiny, tiny snippet of the main theme of Swan Lake for piano 🦢 Is it derivative or is it original? Or does it just not matter, because, when it comes to creativity, you should be able to do what you Read more…
Why creative work feels different every time Every time I go swimming in the lake near our house it’s a different experience. The light, temperature, colour of the water, patterns on the surface, waves, ducks, people, boats, sky…It’s the same when I sing or play piano. It will never be Read more…
