Loaded Brush

The Best Art

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:27:00 GMT

As a young traveler I once decided that I might sing for my supper, well actually, clean a hostel for a free night’s board. I lasted about two days before I reverted to paying cash. The manager smiled and said, ‘Cleaning toilets is a good way to find out what you don’t want to do.’ So how do we find out what we want to do?

Andy Warhol once famously said;
“Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.” Warhol was a conceptual artist, his ‘work’ and business was in the play with ideas. Much of the production was undertaken by his minions at his studio ‘The Factory.’ The ‘art’ therefore, is the process of thinking, the creation of ideas. In this sense, good business is having the best ideas and implementing them successfully.

I am currently training a Small Business Course for Mission Australia. As participants near the end of the course they face the reality of starting their own business and begin to express some fears and doubts. This conversation is always the most exciting for me, because it is in this space of the unknown that we discover the true reward of business, personal growth. Fears about time management, sales skills or any number of practical concerns highlight opportunities for learning and creativity. Like a blank canvas, a business offers no place to hide, but infinite choice and an ability to be your most authentic self, to decide exactly what you want to do and how you want to do it. And just like a canvas, you can always paint over whatever isn't working, get help, or start fresh with a new canvas! Good business, 'art,' is a process of creating, innovating, refining and reinventing ourselves, our staff, our product and our systems. To be the best we must understand, practice and manage the process of creativity and innovation.

Now of course, the toilet will still need cleaning, but you decide how, how often and by who!

Tears, Fears and delicious Doubts!

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:02:00 GMT

I am having a vulnerable week.
There have been tears, fears and yes, doubts a plenty. In Jamming terms I have been staring at a half finished canvas and it is messy, embarrassing, unresolved, ugly even.

This is generally the point in a Jam where people will once again turn to me for advice. I try to ease the struggle and occasionally offer a friendly opinion, but always resist ‘teaching’ or telling Jammers what to do, because of course there is no ‘right way’ and it is simply not my decision to make. It is also, like the first moment of facing the blank canvas, an opportunity with great potential for empowerment.

In her TED talk The Power of Vulnerability, Brene Brown shares the story of her journey into Vulnerability. She speaks about the discomfort of learning, having a “willingness to do something where there are no guarantees.” Her message is that we are born courageous creatures “wired for struggle” and our efforts to avoid or reduce the discomfort associated with this risk merely serve to dull the shine on our glorious imperfect lives and loves.

Having a willingness to share what is messy, embarrassing or unresolved is opening a door to learning, because learning is an exchange, a dialogue. We must be prepared to say to ourselves or to another ‘I don’t know,’ ‘I am afraid,’ ‘how can?’ ‘I wonder’ and then to boldly step into that space of discovery.

Yes, it was a messy week. I had my moment of tears, fears and doubts and I am so pleased! Excited and thrilled to be playing in a space of new learning! And grateful to those who have shared and supported me.

At the end of every Jam I thank participants for Sharing their Creativity. This is not merely ‘thanks for your business,’ but an expression of truly genuine gratitude for giving of themselves, sharing a moment of their beautiful vulnerability. What a special gift!

PROFESSIONAL LEADERS

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:51:00 GMT

I follow @guidedogswa on Twitter and they recently posted this deliciously adorable photo of their new trainees!

Now I am and will always be, a ‘dog person’ so it is not hard for me to immediately fall in love with this delightful duo. However knowing this pair are destined to be leaders, puts them in a class well above my neighbour’s yapping terrier.

So what qualities make these leaders stand out from the rest?

PLAYFUL – Puppies are playful. Like children and indeed the young of most species, puppies are curious and experimental. Exploring the world around them, they are prepared to take risks and push the boundaries with a natural instinct to learn and grow.

COLLABORATORS – Puppies play well with others. Trusting and friendly, with a few alert sniffs, puppies invite you onto their playground. Taking on different roles, sensitive to strengths and weaknesses, puppies learn from and respect the differences of those around them.

COMMUINCATORS – Puppies have acute listening skills, they utilise all their senses and absorb the world around them. They maintain awareness of their environment and nuances of even the smallest changes within it. From a friendly nuzzle to a cautious growl they communicate efficiently and effectively to those close to them.

INTEGRATORS – Puppies are well balanced. Making time to play and rest, they are present in the moment. Puppies are authentic in sharing their unique personality.

And finally wiki.answers.com suggests that a puppy leader

“should be an excellent problem-solver because it is impossible to predict every possible puzzle a dog might encounter in his working life and he must be able to apply what he knows creatively in new situations to make safe and reasonable decisions.”

For more information on how to learn from these unique animals and their trainers go to
http://www.guidedogswa.com.au/

But first tell us how do you measure up to these generous and gifted leaders?

What De Bono doesn't tell you!

Tue, 03 May 2011 03:21:00 GMT

So you have put on a red hat and a yellow one, invested in some postits and colourful markers, generated some ‘random words’ and brainstormed more than a dozen uses for an umbrella. You’ve tried to get ‘out-of-the-box’ and ‘off-the-wall’ but somehow you are just a bit stuck. I mean you don’t even own an umbrella, what difference does it make how other people choose to use them?

De Bono has done a great deal to encourage an understanding of creativity as a skill and process. One, which we all participate in, and can practice and improve. However De Bono only gives us half the recipe. Typical of a science trained doctor, his approach is one of follow the instructions step by step, voila, Creativity!

Any amateur chef will tell you following the recipe does not always result in the cookbook picture! And of course that is ok, if you are happy with the taste, but De Bono’s tools for too long have left a bad taste, or sadly no taste at all!

Mastering any skill, from climbing to kissing involves some technical aspects, the method or instructions. However there are elements one can only learn from experience, the language unique to that skill. Rock climbers learn to read the rock, as well as the weather and perhaps the body language of the climbers they rely upon. Chefs learn the language of food, the smell of a ripe tomato, the texture of a certain sauce. These sensibilities are developed over time and practice. So what then is the language of Creativity?

The great news is that the language of Creativity is all languages, your language, the Hundreds of Languages.

Every experience you have builds your repertoire of what IDEO’s Jane Fulton Suri calls ‘Design Sensibilities.’ Elements of rhythm, gesture, texture, light, humour and perspective to name just a few. These subtle intuitive components are drawn upon personally and professionally and building our awareness of them increases our ability to make thoughtful, powerful and creative decisions.

Suri writes “develop the design sensibilities of your employees as a business asset with two important benefits: more refined intuitions about the needs and desires of your customers and greater confidence in making intuitive judgments to resolve complex problems with well-rounded solutions.”

So how do I develop design sensibilities? Come and talk to us, it is what we do.

Creative Collaboration and Conflict

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:04:00 GMT

Our Lemon tree has been particularly abundant, producing deliciously juicy fruit, thanks to the recent rains. In fact, so prolific has the growth been, we harvested this strange piece last week.
The obvious contest between two young shoots produced this rather gnarled octopus – like anomaly. At first glace this appears to be a lesson in potential for self-destruction (or at the very least contortion), when consumed by the battle of direct competition. The rather unappetising result suggests no real winner. But of course this view rests on a rather narrow concept of ‘Lemon,’ that is round, singular and whole.
The more I considered this marvel, the more I admired the collaboration of the two shoots. Struggling for limited resources they joined together to survive and thrive. Indeed there is conflict, but the battle has produced a creative adaptation of our traditional notion of a lemon.
What are some of the conflicts with which you struggle that might benefit from a creative, collaborative change in perspective? Tell us your citrus story!

Christmas Jamming!

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:19:00 GMT

Tired of the same old office Christmas party? This year celebrate with an Art Jam!

Click here for details!

Ways of Seeing

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:17:00 GMT

One of the great skills of Artists, Designers or Entrepreneurs practice is an ability to See, that is, to observe or notice things of interest. They are then, usually particularly talented at reading, translating or applying these observations creatively. But it starts with seeing!
We are constantly exposed to a barrage of information on all our senses. Being able to categorise, negotiate and certainly disregard much of this data is a skill, which whilst necessary, can become too effective in narrowing our attention. We train ourselves to only take note of the ‘important details.’ But ask yourself, how important do you feel when someone spells your name incorrectly? Small, but Significant!
So how do we recapture our attention to detail?

1. Document It – You don’t have to be Leonardo Da Vinci to keep a notebook handy (in fact Leonardo would no doubt envy your iphone!). Drawing can be a fantastic way to develop your observation skills, if you can learn to focus on the lines you see, not what you expect to see. However you might simply snap a photo, write down a few words (twitter it!) or even record yourself a voice memo. ‘It’ could be anything you experience, a smell, the shape of shadows, the feel of your desk, the colour of your foot. Begin with a loose goal to make a unique, yet random record of your week. If it helps you might imagine an audience, but don’t try to make these fragments hold meaning, the exercise is simply to observe.

2. Frame It – It can be difficult to observe something you ‘see’ everyday. Try reframing it! Put it somewhere different. Great Art has often been nothing more than an Artist moving a thing or idea somewhere unexpected, such as Duchamp’s Fountain, a urinal he exhibited in 1917. http://bit.ly/ab3mx5
Moving something puts it in a different context, changing its relationship to the world. Try putting your rubbish bin on an office chair or on top of your desk for the day and consider how your idea of rubbish changes with this increased status. We literally frame our precious photographs, but everything ‘has its place.’ Shift your world, shift your thinking.

3. Transform It – Make a small thing big, a coloured thing black and white, something 3D flat. I once accidentally photocopied my shirtsleeve and was fascinated by the result. Transforming things is another way to reframe them, giving new perspective. Technology can provide helpful and non-destructive ways to transform things (computer simulation), but sometimes it is ok to just go ahead and melt GI Joe! The artist Christo explores transformation by wrapping things, including most famously the Reichstag! http://bit.ly/4kD0jw

4. Transform yourself – If you can’t wrap the Reichstag, or change a thing or idea (or person) try transforming yourself. This will in effect change your relationship to the thing. We regularly do this to some extent, modify our behaviour or look depending on a situation. Heels, make-up, a telephone voice. Try using your non-dominate hand, stand when you usually sit, affect an accent for the day, or a whole new character if you are able. Designers often physically put themselves in the place of their clients to have first hand experience of this perspective. Imagine what you might discover if you traded places with a friend, colleague, family member or pet for a day.

5. Be in Dialogue – The first four points listed were techniques to practice and develop your observation skills, but perhaps most important, is to adopt an attitude of seeing. As seeing is something most of us are fortunate enough do from birth, we tend to arrogantly neglect our practice of this incredible gift. Take a position of being in Dialogue with your space, that is, to have an encounter in which your relationship to an object or idea is open to change. From this position, you will truly begin to see.

Turkish Games

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:15:00 GMT

Those of you who have been following me on Twitter http://twitter.com/loadedbrush will know I have been in Turkey for the past month, drinking tea (to which I am addicted), eating eggplant (more addicted) and smoking the odd cigarette (shhhh! Not remotely hooked). I am proud to report I won at least one match of Backgammon against a local.

Now granted, he had to slow down considerably to match my tedious pace and continue to remind me that the blank face of the die was the worn down four, but a win is a win! Naturally he claims he allowed it to be so, hospitality and all! Of course I know this not to be the case, as at the beginning of the second game we made our very serious bet!

Feeling I had already taken somewhat of a risk merely being female, alone and fraternising with men in such a place, I was not altogether keen to press my luck with further gamble. However my opponent insisted. I countered with,
“Why can’t we just play to play?” After all, I thought, isn’t that what I do so well? As author of The Play Ethic, Pat Kane, wrote “To play is to express one’s full humanity.” It was amusingly pointed out to me that with a bet on the table, I was far more likely to play in a way that reflected my true nature.

There is a moment at the beginning of an Art Jam, when the silence of the blank canvas calls for participants to roll the dice and the risks are perhaps greater than any bet. I could not deny the precious value of this moment. I quickly agreed to what turned out to be a rather tame wager of a bag of pumpkin seeds.

But of course, as my friend also knew, the real game begins when the paint is flowing or the dice are thrown, and tea and talk and new understandings emerge. “If our immediate social universe is about risk, openness and opportunity, then our personal lives must be about energy, enthusiasm, health and optimism, all those capacities needed to enter the fray.” P. Kane

Stay tuned for more reflections on Turkish time and enjoy the games.

The Mother of Invention

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:14:00 GMT

We are told Necessity is the Mother of Invention, but reading Naturally Better by Kristen Morrison, I am struck by just how deeply our notions of what is necessary can vary. Most would agree a Necessity is ‘something essential, a basic requirement.’ I quite enjoyed this definition though, “the quality of being necessary or of not being able to be otherwise.” I think there is much that we simply feel, believe or are driven by, which, perhaps not necessary, is just unable to be otherwise.
Necessity in fact is usually quite boring and uninventive. It is when we strive to improve our situation beyond mere survival that things begin to get creative!
Fortunately for Gryffin, Kristen’s son born with Down Syndrome, his mother embraces her essential creative self to effect powerful change.
The story of their first few years together is the story of creativity and learning at its best. Embracing a spirit of Play (Chapter 2, ‘The Adventure Begins’) Kristen dedicated herself to the learning process. Her book, an amazing Document in itself also includes excerpts from her diary and photographs, as well as letters and notes demonstrating the value of Communication and Collaboration in her journey. Her Integrated approach in an Environment, which inspires and supports learning and growth is contagiously exciting.
Whilst a fantastic resource for anyone interested in a natural approach to child health, this book is a testament to what can be achieved when we value learning and trust in ourselves. Kristen is an inspiration; I encourage everyone to read her story.

Spoilt Rotten!

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:13:00 GMT

I was recently accused of being spoilt. English is not my friend’s first language, so I am not sure Spoilt was exactly the word he sought, but in spirit at least, I had to agree. And it is not the first time this sentiment has been expressed! An Italian I once knew told me when I spoke about Australia he was reminded of Amsterdam, a city notorious for its freedoms.

In both cases there was certainly a cultural element at play. Of course being Australian, I HAVE been ridiculously spoilt and by more than just cinnamon soft, snow-white beaches! But I think I was most spoilt, by my mother, who gave me the most precious and valuable gift of learning and creativity. The gift of choice, which I now pass along to others.

This week I took part in a discussion panel with the crew at Creatif (soon to be aired on WestTV.) The discussion centred around the reasons why creativity makes us feel good or is good for us. At its core, Creativity (learning) is first a process of taking a risk or trying something new. This is frightening of course, but also very exciting. As Robin Wiliams once said,

“When you create you get a little endorphin rush. Why do you think Einstein looked like that?”

In the case of Jamming, participants smock up and are charged with this thrilling anticipation and willingness to Play and create (even those who believe they are ‘not creative’ and ‘can’t do this’) Very quickly the questions start flowing, as fast as the paint,
“What do we paint?”
“How do you…?”

And so begins the process of problem solving, the heart of creativity. It is this thrill, beyond the initial adrenaline rush of jumping on stage or plunging your fingers into a cool block of clay, that offers the most reward. Making decisions, discovering delicious success or the possibility to try again. I suspect it is this freedom, which even in the most challenging circumstance I am able to maintain, which makes me somewhat spoilt! Creativity is a gift of choice and flexibility, a process or attitude, which is inherently empowering. And of course it is this empowerment that makes creativity so sexy!

So go on, Spoil yourself! Get creative!

Oh! The Places we will never go!

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:11:00 GMT

Roy Lichtenstein 1964

This image hangs in my office to remind me to go places I was never going to go! To do the things I was never going to do and never thought I could.

Vicki is the friend I turn to when I catch myself saying I can’t.

The original of this painting hangs in a museum in Budapest. Whilst travelling though Europe, my friend and I had become caught in the vortex that is Prague (another story!) Virtually from our first day there, a lovely American lad set about convincing us to go to Budapest. Now of course, Budapest was not on our ‘agenda.’ We were rapidly running out of money and we didn’t have time/visas etc.. We had a dozen reasons why we were not going to Budapest.

Of course being American and deliciously young, our friend had a charming immunity to ‘No.’ He persisted with, “WHEN you go to Budapest, you will stay at such and such” and “WHEN you go to Budapest you will eat..” and of course, “WHEN you go to Budapest you will meet Vicki.”

We stayed in Budapest for four weeks, tried to leave, got lost looking for the train station and stayed another two weeks, in surrender to the place we were never going to go! I have many fond memories of the city and cherish all my experiences there, as well as friendships that may never have been if it were not for Vicki.

What was the last thing you did that you never expected you would?

Oh the places we were never going to go!

The sound of Space

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:04:00 GMT

In my former life I was a teacher. Yes I am a rare breed, I survived high school twice. But it was a narrow escape both times and now I have managed to move in next door to a school whose siren blares 6 times a day, clearly to reassure residents that the prisoners, er that is, students, are by no means masters of their domain.

Fortunately I have come to realise that mastering your domain is the very lesson we should be learning, for your Space, is the often less-than-silent partner in everything you do. It plays a part, for better or worse, in your mood, your productivity, your physical, psychological and social being.

Some people are particularly good at making and maintaining beautiful spaces; I call them creatures of comfort. They prioritise their space and know how to make it suit their needs. Now before you have an attack of guilt over your miss-matched, unwashed coffee cups, remember ‘beautiful’ is a relative term. Expensive, big or even neat, may not be the most beautiful, efficient or appropriate space for you. However, be warned, your space is invariably shared by others who will have entirely different definitions of beauty.

So what are the factors which impact your space? In this and following posts we will explore the six main elements which shape your world.

SOUND
I have recently developed a deep professional crush on Julian Treasure. A Sound Specialist, Julian presents a wonderful TED talk about the four main ways sound affects us.

julian_treasure_the_4_ways_sound_affects_us.html

Unlike my sister, who needs complete silence to work, I actually find some background noise or music quite reassuring. However the persistent yapping of my neighbours dog so raises my blood pressure that not even the native birds which happily frolic and sing in our sprinklers can compete. Fortunately I have discovered the solution to my pain stop-barking-dog-neighbourhood-barking-complaints

Sound plays an important roll in all of our Jams, we use a variety of music and it is always interesting to watch the subtle changes in the mood of play.

Tell us what sounds inspire you or fill your space?

Hen’s Jam

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:04:00 GMT

Your Hen’s night is a special occasion to make shared memories with your friends and celebrate and honour the inimitable bond of womanhood. It’s also a great opportunity to be a little bit naughty, in a get together with the girls that will be talked about for years to come!
This was the goal for Bridesmaid, Lisa when planning her sister’s Hen’s night in Perth and thus she sought out and found Loaded Brush!

The evening’s activities were a heavily guarded secret (challenging given the Bride’s interrogation skills prior to the day and many excuses to peak through preparations early in the night!) Nevertheless the bridesmaids managed to surprise Steph with a Loaded Brush Hen’s Jam.
Whilst the cocktails flowed facilitator Cellina gave the girls a few tips on balancing brushes with bevies as they excitedly awaited the arrival of their model! Sporting a chic art smock the model appeared and cheekily invited the Bride-to-be to remove his shirt and choose a pose. Cheers went out as the girls raised their glasses and initial trepidation melted into smiles. The joy of mixing colour and sharing a lively challenge filled the bohemian atmosphere of fun and friendship, along with some of the hen’s favourite tunes.
Immersed in their own painting the girls soon begin to remember their empty glasses and eager to see what their friends were up to they gradually mingled sharing laughs and hidden talents. One by one they surrendered their brushes and went forth as newly creative creatures, the buzz lingering in the night.
As a final group photo was taken for the Hen’s special DVD memento of the evening the model contemplated the winner of the coveted Hen’s Jam Trophy! Prizes were awarded to several of the girls for their colourful interpretations of the nude and as they disappeared into the night, paintings in hand, smiles and laughter filled the air.

THE MOST IMPORTANT WEDDING TRADITION

Mon, 02 May 2011 02:15:00 GMT

I have a friend who seems to attend weddings often enough to rival Hugh Grant! Fortunately he is male, so virtually all he need do is have his suit dry-cleaned and show up! Now whilst dry-cleaning costs have risen, it hardly compares to the costs a female will begin calculating from the moment they RSVP. A new dress, hair, make-up, nails, shoes, gifts, transport and even accommodation may all factor in. By the time the Hens party is being arranged many guests are beginning to consider ways to reign in the budget and sadly the Hens is often a casualty.

Here are 5 reasons you should put the Hens Party at the top of the Wedding priority list!

1. Connect with other wedding guests

It was my great pleasure to host a Clay Play Hens Jam for my cousin’s fiancée. In attendance, amongst more than 30 women of all ages and backgrounds, were both my Mother and my Aunt. Naturally my Mother knew none of the Hen’s young friends or family and I suspect was somewhat apprehensive in a room full of strangers. It didn’t take long for some rather raucous debate about the degree of creative licence exercised to foster friendships amid tears of laughter across the whole room! However it was my great delight to hear that at the Wedding itself the young guests remembered my mother and made a point of saying hello, with smiles and winks! The pre-wedding fun of a Hens can really help break the ice and provide an opportunity to build new connections without the formalities which surround the Wedding Day.

2. Honour the friendship of Women

There are many wedding traditions that leave me puzzling, but the one I am increasingly honoured to be part of is the Hens party. I cherish all my friendships, but there is something unique about my female connections, a special relationship that I know I can always call upon in time of need. In fact, it is biological. Time with female friends is known to reduce stress amongst many other benefits. A Hens party respects and celebrates this unique bond.

3. Show your Support

Getting married is ironically one of the top ten most stressful life events (according to the Holmes and Rahe stress scale.) Take this opportunity to let the Bride know that you support her as an individual. Whether you are a friend from childhood, a soon-to-be relative or new ally, be present and go with the flow!

4. Because it is fun for you too!

My philosophy is that a great Hens party is for everyone! Embarrassing the Bride and boring or ignoring the guests is happily a dying tradition. The plans and activities may not be your first choice, but put on your dancing shoes anyway (or kick them off!) and find your fun in the experience and the company!

5. Share a Memory

Finally, long after the last of the Wedding cake has been eaten and you can’t remember who you danced with on ‘the big day’, the laughs shared on a Hen’s night will be relived over coffee and chaos for many years to come. A unique Hens experience is a gift that will be cherished always.

So the next time you are asked to ‘save the date’ ask which date the Hens Party will be and make it a Must not a maybe!

Como Art Jam!

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:19:00 GMT