7 questions to ask of your art 📝

Try this gentle, yet powerful, reflective exercise to boost your creative development

Hello there,

If you’re new here, a very warm welcome to you. I’m Emma, an artist and illustrator, based in rural England and my work is influenced by wildlife, stories and those small but significant, moments of connection with nature.

The Creative Flock is a cosy space where I share my creative journey and a peek behind the scenes of my life. I’m here to offer encouragement, advice and inspiration as you explore your own creative path.

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Slow and steady approach to January

If you read my first post of the year, you will know that I’m taking a slow and steady approach to January. As I've become more attuned to the ebbs and flows of the seasons, I’ve come to realise that my energy moves at a similar pace. In the past, when I tried to rush into the New Year with forced enthusiasm (whether with a new fitness regime, creative challenge or self-improvement goals) more often than not I would crash and fail at the first hurdle, accomplishing less than if I had waited for the right moment to take the leap.

For me, January is a month of recuperating after a busy holiday season, gathering my thoughts and planting the seeds for new ideas to grow.

Spotting the first snowdrops of the season in my garden

I was recently reminded in a note by

Emily Bazalgette

that Imbolc, the Celtic festival, takes place on February 1st and celebrates the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. February has always brought me more energy and it’s becoming apparent why!

Her reply to my comment resonated:

Yes, I find January can be a harsh teacher if we work against her rhythm!

Making time for reflection

Throughout my creative journey, the practice of reflecting on my progress and regularly questioning both myself and my work has been crucial to my creative development and it’s something I dedicate even more time to at the start of the year.