We Asked the Artists: How Often Do You Create?

Some artists create whenever the muse strikes, whether that’s daily, weekly, or monthly. Others find inspiration in making a daily habit of creating. Find out how these artists create a schedule for creating and what method works for them. We asked the artists:

How often do you create? Do you have a schedule that you stick to, or is it a more organic process?

“My process is mostly organic.  I have thousands of images to choose from… and because I have pieces in a few stores here in Los Angeles, I am often prompted by the seasons or upcoming seasons to be honest.  Inevitably while looking for one image I fall in love with another, and then I’m off in that direction.  Right now for example, I am displaying a line of Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France.  These were images I took several years ago and yet it is now that I am putting them out there.”

— Michelle E. Black

Michelle E. Black is a photographer and artist that has been published in Somerset Studio Gallery, Somerset Home, Somerset Holidays & Celebrations, Somerset Apprentice, and Somerset Studio.

“Now that I work full time from home, I try to have a plan for my mornings. After dropping off the kids at school ,I come home and spend any given time on the computer (promoting, newsletters, answering emails), and then I go into my creative space, work on existing projects, prepare orders that need to shipped, or even clean (cleaning my creative space ALWAYS gives me new ideas). After I pick up the kids, it’s all about balance. I squeeze in every minute I can, but if I don’t get a chance to get back to creating, that’s perfectly OK, too. I’m thankful to have my creative space in my house because this allows me to go back to creating on and off throughout the day, even if it’s only for five minutes at a time. I can be stirring the spaghetti sauce and then sneak in five minutes as it cooks….I can be folding the laundry and squeeze in another five minutes when I’m finished putting it all away. I feel like there are always moments to grab to get some creative time. Once the house goes to be bed ,I relax for a while, but always end up going back into my creative space and playing for as long as my eyes stay open.”

— Cat Kerr

Cat Kerr has been published in Somerset Studio, Somerset Studio Gallery, Belle Armoire Jewelry,Sew Somerset, Somerset Memories, Jewelry Affaire, Somerset Holidays & Celebrations, and Belle Armoire.

“I create everyday…perhaps not Sunday, but sometimes Saturday.  It is what grounds me; I don’t consider it a discipline, but rather a practice of sorts. I generally arrive in my studio by late morning and spend the day there. I am not constantly working on a project, but I am continually surrounded by inspiration that feeds me and lodges in my psyche in a certain way that will eventually translate into creative output.”

— Anna Corba

Anna Corba has been published in Mingle, Somerset Studio, and HandCrafted, as well as publishing her own book, Doodling in French: How to Draw with Joie de Vivre. Her book and stamp line are available at The Shoppe.

“I have no set schedule, I simply create when life allows me to do so although the level of DT commitments I might have at any one time have to be taken into account and any deadlines for Stampington Challenge Calls which have caught my eye, I especially like to submit to The Stampers’ Sampler on a regular basis.”

— Lynne Moncrieff

Lynne Moncrieff is an artist living in Perth, Scotland, and has been published in Somerset Studio, Somerset Studio Gallery, Take Ten, Haute Handbags, Somerset Life, Somerset Holidays & Celebrations, Sew Somerset, and The Stampers’ Sampler.

“While I do not have an official schedule, I find that I create nearly every day. Some days I may only have a limited amount of time but I would always rather fill that time with creativity than just about anything else.”

— Seth Apter

Seth Apter is the author of The Pulse of Mixed Media and his work has appeared in Somerset Memories, Somerset Studio, and Somerset Apprentice.

“All day long, every single day! I take time out to run, eat and sleep, oh and play with my pets. I really have a few different creative hats I wear, when I am interviewing someone for the magazines I keep to a strict schedule, interview, transcribe, write and turn in. Don’t get me wrong; interviewing super talented artists, chefs and entrepreneurs is an amazing privilege! It is invaluable. I have learned so much and am privy to extraordinary things, and I do so love it! It’s just a different type of ‘play.’ Setting a strict schedule on that end keeps things clear for the completely organic, meandering process of pouring, sculpting, painting, sewing, gluing, photographing, beading, sketching and whatever else I can get into!”

— Sandra Evertson

Sandra Evertson’s work has appeared in Somerset Home, Somerset Studio Gallery, Somerset Studio, Artful Blogging, Somerset Workshop, and Altered Couture. She has also produced five, whimsical stamp collections that are exclusively available in The Shoppe.

“I usually create something daily even if it is only a doodled image.  My creativity is generally kick started by the intention of straightening up my area or supplies.  I’m not even aware of the moment I stop cleaning and start creating.  There are times when I come out of my “trance” hours later to see what I have made.  It is an interesting state of mind.”

— Renee Zarate

Renee Zarate has been featured in Art Journaling, The Stampers’ Sampler, Somerset Studio, Take Ten, Somerset Studio Gallery, and HandCrafted.

“In general, I would say about 50% of my time is creating new work and the other half is working on business tasks. I don’t have set creative days, I work more on what is most pressing. If I have a client deadline, I may need to put that at the top of the list that day rather than PR tasks.”

— Claudine Hellmuth

Claudine Hellmuth is an artist and illustrator whose work has appeared in Where Women Create, Stuffed Magazine, Somerset Studio, and Artful Blogging. She has also produced a line of stamps available in The Shoppe.