The amazing Shannon Kinney-Duh is my guest this month answering Five {5} Creative Questions.

Shannon has been teaching yoga for 9 years, and has been actively exploring her own creative journey throughout her life. What she loves most is discovery and learning new things, and inspiring others to do the same. As she practices yoga and makes art, she feels more deeply connected to her true self.

Her life’s mission is to create, connect with and enliven joy, personal growth and the unlimited potential in herself and in others.

She is also a certified Hatha Yoga Teacher through the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago, and completed their Kriology program. She’s participated in Eric Maisel’s Creativity Coaching program and the Holistic Life Coaching program through the Spencer Institute. She has years of experience teaching and facilitating individuals and groups in creative exploration and mindful living. She loves all art forms, especially fiber, intuitive painting and art journaling. She considers herself a student of life.

You can find her online at Free Spirit Knits.

1. What does creativity mean to you?
Creativity to me means living in the present moment. It’s playing with my son, it’s making messes, it’s getting lost in paint, it’s thinking a new thought. I believe a big part of creativity is embracing our authenticity and letting it shine.

2. What is your creative process, and what tools do you use to stimulate it?
In order for my creativity to shine best, I need to take good care of myself. This means that I have to find balance between my family life and personal interests. My balance comes when I take time each day for stillness. This might be taking a yoga class, or listening to a guided meditation, or writing in my journal, or simply stopping for 5 minutes to notice my breath. I feel stillness is the key to connecting to our heart centers, the place where our intuition and creativity lives.

3. What is your most creative time of day?
I think this is such an important question. I have learned that my most creative time is first thing in the morning. I used to use all of my vital energy during this time cleaning the house, folding clothes and running errands. I found that by the end of the day I was mad and exhausted because I could never find any time for creating. Now, I honor my natural energy and head to my art room when I wake up. It’s a routine my 2 year-old is used to as well, and he’ll pull out his paints or train set and create alongside me. It’s my favorite part of the day.

4. How do you infuse creativity into your daily life and tasks?
Being a mom – integrating creativity into my daily life is a must! I feel like most of the activities I do with my son are creative in some way. If I pull out his paints, I might paint along with him, or pull out my journal and write a bit. If I take him to the park I’ll turn my cell phone off and walk slower so that we can really enjoy being in the moment. If I find a new recipe I love, I’ll let him help me cook it, then I might take a few photos and share it on my blog. Integration is something I’m getting so much better at, and I feel much more creatively alive because of it.

5. What creative tip or resource would you like to share with our readers?
Recently, I have integrated my biggest passion in life; art, writing, journaling, yoga, meditation, and inspiring others – into an e-course called Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery. This course is so near and dear to my heart. I have had 100’s of people join me in this journey from all over the world, and I have to say, connecting, sharing and growing with like-minded explorers in a creative, mindful way, has become a wonderful complement for those on a creative journey.

I truly believe we are ALL creative and deserve to feel like artists. We all know our life’s purpose, and how to live with more meaning, creativity and joy, yet with the craziness of life most of us forget. Inside Our E-Course helps us remember.

• THANKS Shannon!

I am happy to introduce Karen Gielen this month, as she answers Five {5} Creative Questions.

Karen is a mother, artist, writer, and graphic designer. At 69% right and 31% left, she is considered an extremely right brain dominant thinker. Her interests include portrait illustration, advertising and marketing, graphic design, painting, singing, writing poetry and children’s stories, knitwear designing, photography, and numerous arts and crafts. Her repertoire of creative interests is constantly changing and she is learning that she needs to allow her creativity to flow where it wants to flow. Some days it wants to come out in her writing and some days only a pencil or paint brush will do.

Find Karen online blogging or tweeting under the handle cre8tivkj.

I believe creativity is something everyone is born with. It is taking our thoughts, emotions, and experiences and turning them into something others can touch, see, or hear. As human beings we are all meant to be creative. It pains me when I hear people say they do not have or they are not very creative.

2. What is your creative process, and what tools do you use to stimulate it?
My creative process varies from day to day. Some days it just flows and words and images come without effort. Other days I need to allow a problem to incubate after researching and brainstorming. I tend to be an internal problem solver and I don’t usually pass my ideas by others before executing them. I am inspired by many things. Sometimes I will draw an image that comes to me in a dream. Nature can inspire a poem or a painting. I can overhear a conversation that will spark an idea for creative expression. Sometimes necessity will drive me to create something to serve my own purpose. Other times I will play and explore and creative ideas start flowing. My creativity usually has a domino effect, one idea will spark an idea for a completely different type of expression, when I write a poem it will spark an idea for a short story or a painting, etc.

I have many creative times during my day. When I wake up, often times I will have pictures in my mind that I will sketch out and sometimes I will paint or draw them in more detail later. I have had entire children’s books clearly defined in my mind when I wake up. My creative juices will start flowing while I run, shower, and many times when I am trying to go to sleep at night.

Since I have small children and a very busy household, my environment is often times very chaotic and noisy, if I don’t have a piece of paper or sketchbook handy at all times I will lose ideas quickly. Whenever I get a quiet moment I cherish it and I’ll sit down and write or draw. I am working on finding balance between my busy household, caring for my children and nourishing my creative spirit.

The more ways you find to express your creativity the more creative you will be. When you have many experiences to draw from when addressing a problem or even expressing yourself, often times, you can take techniques from one area and apply them to another in a new and creative way. Also, allow yourself the opportunity to play. When we play our minds relax and creativity is more apt to flow. I have found if I discover on my own how to do something I am more creative with a medium.

• THANKS! Karen.

This month we feature the inspirational Andrea Schroeder. You may know her better online as the author of ABCcreativity. But above all else, Andrea is a creative being and believer in possibilty. Andrea takes this sense of possibility, blends it with sparkles and secret messages about the magic and wonder of life, and uses it in all of her creative work, infusing it with flashes of inspiration and reminders of what an incredible being you are.

After graduating from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada with a bachelor of applied arts in fashion design, Andrea explored many different avenues of art and design including costume design, textile design, textile art, knitting, cloth dollmaking and interior design.

Andrea has also spent years studying new thought and other spiritual and philosophical teachings and is currently an accredited new thought healing practitioner at the Centre for Conscious Living in Winnipeg, Canada. Andrea describes this as ”a believer in possibility, a creator of dreams come true and a mentor for others in creating their happily ever afters.” Andrea blends spiritual and artistic creativity in all of her creative work, which is filled with maps that will guide you on your path in creating your own “happily ever after”.

1. What does creativity mean to you?
i see myself above all as a creative being in a creative universe. my inspiration, intuition, uniqueness and gift flow through my creativity out into all parts of my life. creativity is life for me.

2. What is your creative process, and what tools do you use to stimulate it?
my process is simple – be present with my creativity and let it flow. i see creativity is a way of life and not something to pick up and put down. so i don’t really use tools to stimulate it, i try to live in a way that nourishes it. if i ever feel creatively blocked, i take a break and get centered (usually with meditation, rest or play) and the creativity quickly starts to flow again.

3. What is your most creative time of day?
morning.

4. How do you infuse creativity into your daily life and tasks?
i bring fun projects with me everywhere – i always have coloured pens, a sketchbook, and a knitting project with me. i love to really pay attention to my surroundings and be inspired by them – the colour of the sky, the shape of the leaves in the trees, the colour of the wall in the restaurant, everything. when you really notice what’s going on around you, everything can be inspiring. life is so amazing!

meditation is really key for me in living a creative life. i share some of my guided meditations here.

• THANKS Andrea!

Five {5} Creative Questions is a new feature I am starting this year on the blog. Each month, I plan to highlight a different creator and have them answer the same 5 questions on creativity, their creative process and inspiration. I hope you enjoy!

Our first guest is the talented Dee Wilcox, who you may already know from the fantastic blog, Creative Perch.

Dee is a graphic designer, marketer, and writer. A little bit about Dee… she is 50% right-brained and 50% left-brained. Her interests are rather eclectic, and she believes the combination of these two qualities makes her a better writer. She loves trend-watching and all things design. She believes that public art can raise the spirit of a community and lift the individual spirit, as well. She loves the art and process of creating. Creating is in her blood. Her creative bent is her favorite thing about herself.

1. What does creativity mean to you?
I believe creativity is both an innate ability and a skill that we can develop to bring a creative approach to every aspect of our lives. In other words, creativity allows us to bring new ideas and concepts and approaches into existence that were never there before. It also allows us to tweak current ideas, develop a new perspective, and see things in new ways.

2. What is your creative process, and what tools do you use to stimulate it?
My creative process generally begins with working a problem over in my mind. I become aware of a new challenge, or that something is lacking in a particular area or project. Sometimes I “sit” with the idea for awhile – I think about it in an inactive way. For example, I might keep a particular problem in the back of my mind while I am working in my garden or walking my dog. Other times, I begin the brainstorming process right away, and then let the ideas incubate for a while. Usually either after the brainstorming or incubation process, I find what seems like might be a potential route or approach to tackling the problem or project. From there, it is usually trial and error until I come up with something that seems like a fit. Then, I test it – usually by asking people I trust for feedback. Usually, at that point the process begins again.

The tools I use to stimulate my creative process can vary quite a bit. I rely a lot on the Internet and on relationships. I am constantly reading magazines and blogs, and I use Evernote to clip ideas that inspire me. The Internet is also great for researching topics that I have absolutely no knowledge about. I rely on relationships to give me real world feedback. I also invest in experiences and resources – these often expand my creative horizons in ways I could never achieve on my own.

3. What is your most creative time of day?
I am usually most creative in the morning, before I’ve checked my email. My mind is clear, and the house is quiet. I can think with more clarity, and when I am writing, words seem to flow more easily. Occasionally I’ll have a creative burst in the afternoon or late evening, but I try to plan time in the morning to work on projects that require my best.

4. How do you infuse creativity into your daily life and tasks?
Many times, I have to intentionally make room for creativity, especially when a day’s projects or tasks feel the farthest thing from creative. I make time to read blogs by creative people, and I listen to music that inspires me throughout the day. I have a “go-to” playlist in my iTunes that really helps me get into a creative groove. Another way that I try to keep a creative atmosphere going on even my most un-creative days is by crafting my environment. I have a workspace that is full of things that inspire me, and when that isn’t working for me, I spend the day working in a stimulating environment – a coffeeshop, a bookstore, a museum.

5. What creative tip or resource would you like to share with our readers?
The difference-maker for me is always honoring the fact that we are made creative. We were never intended to shut out our creative selves in pursuit of other, perhaps more “practical” qualities. Making time for creativity refreshes the heart and can in turn influence every other aspect of life. To me, creativity isn’t something that I have time for on the weekends. It has become something I honor and make room for in my life every day.

• THANKS Dee!