How Artists Stay Connected With Themselves to be More Creative

"Creativity requires you to stay present and connected with all that you are."

"My stuff is the raw material of my writing." Writer and therapist Dennis Palumbo

“Each one of my characters has some part of me.” Actor Amber Tamblyn

“Your most private experiences and aspects of your internal life all come together and, one creative moment at a time, they become your art.” Psychotherapist Mihaela Ivan Holtz

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What is inspiration about? Where do we find or stumble across creative ideas, and the motivation to do something with them?

Actor Michael O’Keefe commented that “In a way the rehearsal process in theater is even more interesting than the performance.

“It may not be as fun but all of my experience, beliefs, and creativity is called upon to journey into the heart of a character.” (From his old site.)

Amber Tamblyn noted in an interview: “I did a lot of writing with my father (actor/choreographer Russ Tamblyn) who always encouraged my budding imagination.

“I think all true artists should be inspired on multiple levels.

“I wouldn’t consider myself an actress. I have a hard time even being called one because it puts you in a box, on a shelf where everybody else is picked from.” …

In another interview she compared her career to Stockholm Syndrome:

“Like, just constantly going back to my abusive captor. I love you so much. You want me to weigh 98 pounds? I’m working on it! I’ll totally get a facelift for you!”

From my article Amber Tamblyn: artists should be inspired on multiple levels.

That is another aspect of our relationship with our creative work: Are there elements of working with others (directors, actors, book editors, studios and so on) that negatively impact our emotional balance, sense of self, energy, motivation?

Checking in with ourselves, and perhaps making more effort for self-care, can help us keep doing the work we love.

Inner life and inspiration

For actors and other artists, their levels of inspiration can be wide-ranging, but one of the most meaningful areas for creating a character is your inner life, as actor Cynthia Erivo notes:

“Each one of my characters has some part of me. With Belle in Widows (2018), her physical prowess and the way she moves is very close to me. Darlene in Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) could be the most like me in spirit.

“She has this very strong will to survive; she never really gives up, and if she does, it’s not without fighting. Music is a part of her, which is something that’s very important to me.” (From her imdb bio.)

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Psychotherapist Mihaela Ivan Holtz helps creative people in TV/Film, performing and fine arts.

In one of her articles, she emphasizes inner life connection:

“Creativity requires you to stay present and connected with all that you are — your talents, skills, and vision, as well as your feelings, thoughts, and inspiration.

“Your most private experiences and aspects of your internal life all come together and, one creative moment at a time, they become your art.”

She notes there are “moments of creative bliss,” when you “merge with your art.”

But there are also “moments of the creative mess. You feel like you don’t know what to do or how to do it. Everything feels like an experiment and you keep making mistakes and repeatedly trying something new.”

These “messy creative moments” can be very challenging, she says, but “you can eventually find your way back to creative bliss.”

She emphasizes the critical value of awareness and staying connected:

“To get through the challenging moments that are part of any artistic career, you need to know how to stay present and connected throughout the whole process of making art or preparing for a performance.

“You need to be present in the face of all the wonderful creative experiences and you need to stay connected even in moments of frustration and confusion.”

From her Stage 32 article 3 Strategies to Help Build Creative Intimacy.

See many more articles on her own site Creative Minds Psychotherapy.

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Continued with quotes by actors Anthony Hopkins, Carla Gugino, Jungian Psychotherapist David Richo and others.