Category Archives: Creativity

Sisyphus

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Carter Gillies

What I believed I was doing in my life before cancer: I had been thinking of the difference between a person with no imagination (surely a figment?) and people who read for fun, who make and look/listen at/to art, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Creativity, Ephemera, Imagination | 1 Comment

The potter’s place

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Carter Gillies

Something I had written a few years ago: “Being a potter isn’t a ‘job’. It’s being the nexus of a very special community that forms to create and sustain beauty in the humble corners of daily life. Every time you … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Ceramics, Creative industry, Creativity, Imagination, Pottery | Leave a comment

Better pottery through accuracy and precision

Posted on April 9, 2017 by Carter Gillies

“I don’t think you can talk about progress in art—movement, but not progress. You can speak of a point on a line for the purpose of locating things, but it’s a horizontal line, not a vertical one.” Donald Barthelme Several … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Creativity, Imagination, metacognition, Pottery, Wittgenstein | Leave a comment

Branding

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Carter Gillies

Written after reading another shameless suggestion that artists NEED brands. And apologies in advance for being such an ass. I think brands are just fine for the people who do prefer to work that way. That can be an honest … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Arts advocacy, Arts education, Creative industry, Creativity, Imagination, metacognition, Wittgenstein | 7 Comments

“What gets you up in the morning?” and other wisdom from the Linda Christianson workshop, acts one and two

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Carter Gillies

A few weekends ago I had the good fortune to attend a workshop offered by Linda Christianson. She is not a stranger to me. She was, in fact, my teacher back in the day. Could that really have been almost … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Arts education, Ceramics, Creative industry, Creativity, Imagination, metacognition, Pottery | 2 Comments

Recovering the Mojo

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Carter Gillies

You have perhaps heard me moan about the pitfalls of ‘signature style’ over the years, but it perhaps takes an extraordinary circumstance and not a little courage to be willing to change. We can get too comfortable with our personas … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Creativity, Ephemera, Imagination, metacognition, Pottery | 12 Comments

Why is art a luxury?

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Carter Gillies

“I forgot armed robbery was illegal!” A joke told by Steve Martin What would it mean to forget armed robbery was illegal? What makes that so funny? Would it be like forgetting where you put your keys? Like forgetting someone’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Arts advocacy, Creativity, metacognition, Teaching, Wittgenstein | 2 Comments

Giving the public what it wants only perpetuates the abuse of artists

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Carter Gillies

I read a post by an arts administrator the other day and was disappointed by how art was being taken almost entirely as “serving the public”. Its as if art is only defined by what it does for an audience … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Arts advocacy, Creative industry, Creativity, Imagination, metacognition | 1 Comment

‘Curing’ starving artists

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Carter Gillies

Written in response to yet another marketing and business solution to the difficulty artists have in making a living. ——————————————– When you describe something as needing a cure you have already accepted that there is a problem. I understand the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Arts advocacy, Creative industry, Creativity, Imagination, metacognition | 4 Comments

The Darwinian fate of Dreams, redux

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Carter Gillies

My blog just blew up yesterday as someone shared an essay written some 4 years ago. Thanks whoever you are! Its a good essay about the precarious lives creative people have, written after my worst ever sale. I encourage you … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Arts advocacy, Arts education, Beauty, Creative industry, Creativity, Ephemera, Imagination, metacognition | Leave a comment