Over the next 9 weeks, as we count down to the start of CREATIVE SHIFT on 7th September 2026, I’ll be sharing some of the themes, questions, and insights that arise through the process of creative self-inquiry that sits at the core of the programme.
If you’d like to join the waitlist, you’ll find a link at the bottom of this post.
Throughout the years, there have been many moments inside CREATIVE SHIFT where I’ve said, “This is one of the most important modules of the course.”
And every time I say it, I genuinely mean it 😄
The Visual Elements module is important, the Materials and Processes module is important, and the Play module is definietley important(!) There are so many parts of the programme that I value deeply - but the Noticing module is VITAL…! Because before we can understand ourselves, our work or our creative practice, we first need awareness. We need information, and information begins with noticing.
Noticing is a huge part of CREATIVE SHIFT. In fact, it sits quietly underneath much of what we explore throughout the programme - even within the other modules. The more aware we become of what we’re experiencing, thinking, feeling and responding to, the more information we have available to us 💫
When I think about noticing, I find myself returning to three areas that feel particularly valuable.
Noticing the world around us.
Noticing ourselves.
And noticing our own work.
Together, they can tell us an enormous amount.
As artists, we’re constantly absorbing information from the world around us.
We’re taking in colours, textures, shapes, conversations, objects, places, images and experiences every single day 🌿
Most of this happens automatically. We move through our days collecting impressions without giving them much thought, but every now and then something catches our attention and prompts us to pause. Perhaps it’s a colour combination that stops us in our tracks, a weathered surface, a flickering shadow, an overheard conversation that evokes a memory...
The interesting question isn’t simply what we’re noticing - it’s why.
Why that thing?
Why now?
What is it about that colour, texture, place or image that resonates?
The answers aren’t always obvious, but paying attention to what repeatedly attracts us can tell us a great deal about what interests us, what excites us and what we value 💫
Noticing isn’t only about what’s happening around us, it’s also about what’s happening within us.
What gives us energy?
What creates resistance?
What helps us feel open, engaged and curious?
What leaves us feeling flat, frustrated or disconnected?
The more awareness we develop around our own experiences, the more information we have available to us. I think many artists spend a lot of time trying to push through things without first trying to understand why the ‘thing’ is happening, we need to become curious to uncover this - it can be incredibly revealing.
Sometimes resistance is simply resistance, sometimes it’s fear, sometimes it’s uncertainty. sometimes it’s tiredness… The goal isn’t to analyse every feeling or find a neat explanation for every experience, it’s to notice. Because awareness often provides us with choices that aren’t available when we’re operating on autopilot.
The third area of noticing is our work itself. This is one of the things I find most fascinating. Many artists spend a lot of time evaluating their work.
Do I like it?
Is it working?
Is it finished?
Is it any good? (Though of course, we're usually judging this through our own criteria and beliefs about what makes artwork "good".)
These are all perfectly natural questions to ask, and they each have their place.
But what happens if we balance those questions with a different set of questions? Questions that are less about evaluation and more about gathering information.
What keeps showing up?
What colours do I use most often?
What qualities seem important?
What themes tend to be present / if any?
What decisions do I make instinctively?
Our work contains an enormous amount of information if we’re willing to spend time looking closely enough, this isn’t information about whether we think we’re “good” artists, or whether or not we’re doing things “right”. This is information about ourselves, and our sensibilities. It’s about what interests us, what feels “right” to us - and how we see.
And perhaps that’s why this week of CREATIVE SHIFT feels so important to me, noticing isn’t more valuable than the other themes we explore, but it supports so many of them. The more aware we become of what we’re noticing in the world around us, within ourselves and within our work, the more information we have available to us - and the more information we have, the more conscious our choices can become.
So perhaps the question isn’t:
What should I do next?
Perhaps the question is:
What am I noticing?
And as you reflect on that, I’d love to know:
Which area of noticing feels most relevant in your practice right now - the world around you, your own experience, or your work itself?
If these kinds of conversations resonate with you, CREATIVE SHIFT is my annual course for artists and creatives who want to develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their work and their creative practice.
The next CREATIVE SHIFT begins in September. If you’d like to hear more when booking opens, you can join the waitlist below.
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