Playful ways to get creatively inspired by the seasons
As Winter sets in I wonder how each of the seasons affects our creativity and how we can make the most of their impact on us.
It’s not just the aesthetics of the seasons that we tune in to, it’s the energy too. If we really connected to the world around us and opened our creativity to what it was saying, what would we hear?
Winter, for me, like many others, is a time for turning inwards, for cosy afternoons, hearty food and enjoying the calm, darker days after the dazzling brilliance of summer. I find my art has taken a turn towards the magical. I think I love these seasons because they are a time of change. In Autumn we celebrate harvest and get ready to hibernate over winter. In Spring we awaken and start the growth we need for the coming year. So really, it’s no wonder my art has started reflecting the atmosphere and magic of this season.
There are two ways to look at the seasons; the outward elements or ‘what is nature doing’, and how you feel about them or ‘what’s my seasonal story’?
What if we could use these wonderful influences to help our creativity flow?
Spring
Spring is all about growth, energy and the return of light. I always feel ready to travel and have a spring in my step.
Summer
Summer is a time to be in full bloom, it’s languid, bright and dazzling. I always feel luscious, sociable and outdoorsy.
Autumn
Autumn is a magical time, we harvest, we cosy up, we slow down. I feel the enchantment in the air in Autumn, I love to be indoors with my family or in the blustery wilderness.
Winter
Winter is a cool, quiet time, dormant but thoughtful and sometimes a little sharp and icy. I really do hibernate in winter, I turn inwards and celebrate the darker days.
Three ways to get creatively inspired by the seasons
- Take out a note pad or journal and jot down what you love about each season, what inspires you or what you remember most when that season seems far off. Now write down the way you feel in that season and the things you like to do. You will soon realise that you have a colour palette, creative subjects and ways to act on your creativity right there! Things and places you remember are subject material, mood and colours give you palettes. The way you feel tells you what energy or rhythms you might be able to tap into.
- Make a multi-sensory mood board for each season. It could inspire writing, cooking, performance, painting or anything! Go through photos you took and add them in for a personal touch. Stick on real objects that activate touch or smell, add a song to each mood board that captures its seasonal spirit.
- Create a seasonal wonderland. Make your room or garden look like a different season. Dress it, light candles that smell of the season, change the lighting, wear different clothes and eat seasonal foods. How does it feel, are you getting a new perspective? Do you feel the energy of your chosen season? Now create in that space and see what happens!