Creativity Found: finding creativity later in life

Growing up, Joanne Robinson was creatively encouraged in primary school and loved to draw for hours at home. However, her passion for art was dampened when she entered secondary school and was told by an art teacher that she wasn't very good. This negative feedback led Joanne to believe that she didn't have a talent for art, and she abandoned her artistic pursuits.
Joanne joined the Royal Air Force and years later, w...

Adventures with yarn, needles and hook
Delve into the colourful world of crochet with my guest Jane Crowfoot, also known as Janie Crow, as she shares her journey from average student to renowned crochet designer, author and the founder of her own brand.
Jane opens up about her early creative experiences, her education in textiles, and the pivotal moments that led her to discover her passion for crochet. She discusses the ch...

Portraying and valuing everyday family life
As a film photographer Rachel Larsen Weaver captures authentic and imperfect moments, particularly highlighting the nuances of motherhood and family life. Her work showcases the real and raw aspects of these experiences, steering away from the facade of perfection often portrayed in mainstream media and on social platforms.
In this episode Rachel talks about her journey from bein...

Helping everyone to find their sparkle
From a young age, Jessie Elliott struggled with the idea of being her authentic self, feeling the pressure to conform to certain preconceived roles and expectations. She felt the need to shrink herself in order to fit in, stifling her creativity and inner voice.
After the tragic loss of her father, Jessie took a bold step to move from Australia to Scotland, seeking a fresh start where...

Corrie Legge was following Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, and during reading deprivation week – which she expanded to include other external distractions such as TV and social media – was at a bit of a loose end, having put the children to bed at her babysitting job. This period of quiet reflection resulted in a flurry of writing, something that Corrie hadn’t done for many years, having been put off by other people’s comments in...

Navigating life's ups and downs by embracing creativity. 
In this episode Gaelle Jolly shares her journey from feeling unfulfilled in her job and struggling to find her place in a competitive sector, to discovering a passion for creativity that provided solace during difficult times.
Despite previously not seeing herself as creative, Gaelle has found an outlet in hobbies including photography and calligraphy, which eve...

Perseverance through practice and imperfection
As a child Bianca Giarola loved drawing, partly influenced by her aunt – who encouraged her and her siblings to explore their creativity – and encouraged by her father – who would buy her those wonderful big colouring sets. However, as she entered elementary school she found that art was not particularly valued by her teachers and society in general, and she eventually stopped draw...

From selling sweets to Cyndi Lauper to being questioned by the US Secret Service, Shirley Novack has lots of stories to tell, but when her father died she came across the story that she wanted to write down.
As a child, Shirley's Eastern European parents’ conventional beliefs were not to her satisfaction, so she worked tirelessly, pursuing education and working alongside pioneers of fetal surgery, despite only holding an a...

2023 Great Pottery Throw Down contestant Rebecca Norris tells me how she reignited her creative flame through pottery while navigating the demands of a teaching career.
Rebecca was brought up in Northern England, where working-class values often overshadowed her artistic ambitions. She recounts finding solace in art during her school years and the subsequent pressure to prioritize a pragmatic career over her creative interests....

How a group of senior ex-servicemen and women experience the calming and therapeutic facets of pottery, and through that explore human connection, creativity, and the sheer joy of crafting.
I was invited by Emily Chilvers to Royal Hospital Chelsea to find out more about the pottery sessions she runs there, to meet and chat with some of the pensioners that enjoy spending time in the pottery studio and, of course, to see what the...

Remember the joy of finger painting as a child or the thrill of your first dance recital? As adults, we often lose touch with these creative pursuits, trading them in for routine and productivity. In this episode of the Feminine Roadmap podcast, Claire Waite Brown (that's me!), the creative mind behind Creativity Found, is here to challenge this notion. She shares her personal journey of reconnecting with her love for the arts...

When the day job is a launch pad for creative exploration.
Tammy Euliano is an obstetric anesthesiologist who has transitioned from authoring a medical textbook with her mentor to penning a mystery novel, and in this episode we dive into her backstory, explore the challenges she has navigated, and discover how her writing journey has enriched her everyday life.
From a young child engrossed in books and music, to a successf...

Heather Moore, a former teacher turned printmaker, shares her journey of rediscovering her passion for art and creativity, and making the decision to leave a stressful career in education. 
As a youngster, Heather believed her art would only ever be a hobby, as many young people do, but after having her daughter she started to realize its importance and value in her life.
In this episode Heather discusses the challenges s...

Navigating change and inspiring creativity.
Kerry Lyons shares her inspiring path, starting from her childhood love for art – influenced by her architect father – to overcoming societal expectations and enriching her everyday life through her artistic pursuits.
Kerry opens up about a transformative quarter-life crisis that saw her end a long-term relationship, sell her house, take a solo trip to the US and move to Dublin. ...

Swapping the 9-to-5 office job for a home recording booth
While managing databases during the day, Martin Whiskin spent all of his spare time gigging with his band as well as handling a lot of the promotion that came with that. He enjoyed learning about photography, videography and design that came with that role, but never considered himself to be creative.
As a shy youngster, music was an expression of self and a confide...

Imagine turning a challenging life event into an empowering and cathartic creative outlet. That's exactly what Liz Alterman achieved when she channelled her emotions during a period of unemployment into a blog, and later, a published memoir. As she bravely tackled the stigma and emotional turbulence of job loss, Liz discovered a profound connection with a wider audience.
Liz attributes her love for the written word to her...

What is it like to truly reinvent yourself? To take the twists and turns of life and turn them into an opportunity for growth and reinvention? Imogen Tinkler did just that. From her unique upbringing in Pakistan, her work in the charities sector, to her leap of faith into food and foraging, Imogen's story is a testament to the power of resilience, hard work and staying true to your values.
In this guest episode of Naomi Me...

Rewriting your identity
Ever felt like you've lost yourself along life's journey, and wondered how you could possibly find your way back?
In this episode, Claire chats with Caro Giles, a theatre arts graduate turned actor, teacher, mother, home educator, carer, and now published author. Caro shares her journey of finding and retaining her sense of self amidst the responsibilities of marriage, mothering, and home ...

Art, life and advocacy
In this guest episode of the Narratives of Purpose podcast, Claire Murigande  discusses with editorial illustrator Jean-Philippe Kalonji the role artists and culture play in social change.
JP is an illustrator, comic artist, and painter stationed in the beautiful city of Geneva, Switzerland. We're taking a stroll down memory lane, reminiscing about JP's earliest days of falling in love with ...