Hello! How is 2021 treating you all? We know it has been harder than usual to make that fresh start everyone hopes for in the new year, but we have some exciting workshops coming up to give everyone a shot of creative energy!

All of the details for these workshops will be released soon, but first we wanted to talk a little bit about creativity. How do you feel about your creative side? Maybe you love experimenting and trying new things, whether it be painting, cooking or crafting. Maybe you’re a professional artist, or maybe you don’t feel creative at all. 

We thought it would be fun to hear from three GoMA Youth Group members about their creative processes! We’d love to hear about yours too. Send us pictures of your art on Instagram and we’ll put it on our story! @goma.yg 

Hollie

Hello! I’m Hollie. I want to work as an arts curator in the future and I’ve been getting a lot more comfortable with my creative side in the past couple of years. I’ve been trying my hand at photography, collaging and creative writing recently. I also get a chance to be creative with my degree in Museum Studies and at the GoMA Youth Group – planning events, suggesting ideas and doing new things with amazing artists! Don’t get me wrong though, I’ve never been totally confident in my creative abilities. Every time I try something new, I need to hype myself up and remember it isn’t the end of the world if it isn’t perfect. When I was young, I would cry in frustration when my drawings weren’t the same as my friends’, and I still struggle to give myself the space to ‘fail’.  It took me a while to realise that just because I’m not good at something the first time, it doesn’t mean that I can’t keep trying or just enjoy the process.

Aqsa

Hi GOMA blog readers! I’m Aqsa from the Goma Youth Group.

I am a multi-media artist based in Glasgow working with photography, film, poetry, and print to create large-scale ambitious installations in which the audience (YOU), can immerse yourself and become a part of the work. My artistic practice looks at the intangible inner nature of human beings through the cinematic space, which has been a long-standing source of fascination in my life.

My creative process begins with reading, writing poetry and drawing. These help me research ideas, strengthen old ones and generate new avenues of expression. If I am struggling in the process of developing work – during lockdown, or periods of low motivation – I always go back to those initial three mediums which help anchor me.  

As a lover of all things cinema and film related, it is usually the initial step into my creative process. Film informs my multi-media practice, how I think and research my ideas and the way I work with other materials. Using the structural components of film – visuals, sound, editing – I look to construct a space for an audience to connect with personal narratives, offering launch points toward further thought. 

When lockdown began, I had just finished my exhibition for the New Contemporaries at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. This meant I was working from home and had to adjust my creative process to fit within my small space at home. I went back to my older ideas, artwork, and research and began to play with them in new ways. This reflection helped me to understand where I wanted to go next and I find that regularly doing this is key to the development of my ideas.

If you are an artist, maker, DIY hobbyist, or a beginner creative who is struggling with generating new ideas or overcoming lack of motivation, then I recommend going back to stage 1, PLAY! 

Natalie

Hey! I’m Natalie. I’ll be honest and say that while I consider myself to be a creative person, the thought of identifying as an “artist” or “creative” is quite scary to me! Despite being crowned the winner of a colouring-in competition at Kelvingrove as a toddler (an accolade my mum has treasured ever since), my skills in drawing and painting are pretty much non-existent. Throughout high school, I was mostly interested in my English classes and learning the electric guitar to prepare for my absolutely inevitable appointment as the next member of Paramore. As a former culture journalist, I have also always loved reading and writing about all sorts of creative people; researching their life and work to discover how their specific circumstances have shaped their outputs. It has taken some time for me to realise that being a “creative” person isn’t all about sitting behind an easel or cranking out a note-perfect rendition of a song. There are also people out there who have to find creative ways of managing their time, or who find creative but practical solutions to some of the most serious problems in society. Identifying as “creative” can be open to anyone and any discipline, and I find that really empowering. It’s something I always try to remember in all aspects of life, but especially when working on creative projects like the GYG!

We hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about how we tap into our creativity. It isn’t just about materials, you need time, confidence and inspiration too! Our upcoming creative workshops will give you all of these, so keep an eye out on our socials and Eventbrite to get involved:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goma.yg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoMAYouthGroup

Twitter- https://twitter.com/gomayouthgroup?lang=en

Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/goma-youth-group-24727644278