two creative minds
a collaboration between Rebecca Collis and Kate Rutter as part of the media stringer mentor program
They say that creative people are very dependent on the right side of their brain and share characteristics that are common to other creatives; is this just a stereotypical analogy? According to a range of sources on the Internet creative people are often highly imaginative, inclined to daydream, they enjoy solitude, are open to new experiences, can be sensitive to surroundings, think differently and think deeply.
Recently connected through the Media Stringer Mentor Program, artists Kate Rutter and Rebecca Collis have different artistic styles so they decided to share a little insight into their creative minds and journey so far to reveal the differences and intersections.
Rebecca Collis
My art merges imagination and memory, drawing on the books that I loved as a child in the 1980's. This has been my primary source of inspiration for the last couple of years, I love the whimsical creatures that emerge from my memories as they launch themselves onto the page. I spent most of my childhood with my nose in a book, one of my favourites was Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree series; I think I read and re-read them so many times I wore the book out!
I’ve always painted and expressed myself through art all through primary and high school, my favourite destination was the art block at lunch time. I absolutely love painting animals. They produce a humour and whimsy art that resists taking life too seriously.
My education background is Graphic Design and Industrial Design. i’ve dabbled in mixed media, charcoal, pastels but it wasn't until just recently that I discovered my love for watercolour after attending my local art class. Watercolour is such an expressive journey as each colour bleeds over the paper. It's an exciting adventure every time, you never know what is going to happen.
During the day I work in a very boring job crunching numbers, busting to get out at 3pm. My mind is full of ideas bursting to get onto the page. My daughter says all I do is paint! I’ve spent the last 11 years of my life working and running very busy hospitality businesses. This is the first time that I’ve been able to explore something that I am truly passionate about. Louey was my turning point. I felt so at home painting this beautiful vivacious bird. She just leapt off the page shaking her tail feather!
When you get to the point where you are no longer thinking about how to paint and questioning yourself about whether it looks good or whether people will like it you can give over to the paint and the brush, allowing them to become one. Putting yourself out there can be the MOST daunting thing! Once you do it the rewards start to follow and you get involved with a community of like minded people, which is amazing! It's so cool to get feedback and encouragement from artists that reside halfway around the world. I always get super excited to see who they are, what they do and where their social media journey has taken them.
The greatest journey you can take is your own, "You do YOU...”
Kate Rutter
I was very inclined to use my imagination growing up and life on the farm fuelled my ideas. My parents probably dreaded the messes I’d make down at the creek with tin, iron posts, and bailing twine but these ‘eye-sores’ were, in my mind, log cabins with beautiful flowing (twine) curtains that I’d share with my siblings, cousins and pets. My cousins told me recently that it was good someone was a driving force full of ideas when we were kids because it meant there was never a dull moment!
Creating art constantly, writing poetry, or even songs on multiple pieces of paper with my guitar on my lap at home was very common for me, but my sentences were littered with spelling mistakes as I wasn’t interested in wasting time on the boring side of English, I just enjoyed the creative side. My daughter is very similar to me and I now understand that her little pictures, notes and words on sheets of paper are her way of self-expression, which I fully endorse!
I would say that I was, and still am, a huge daydreamer. At school, the primary classroom windows were too high to see out of from my desk so I studied the 12-foot ceiling details and imagined the next new contraption I could make with items from home instead of listening to the teacher. Now I constantly think of new, humorous cartoons I could be creating that might relate to a country person that would hopefully make them chuckle.
Being in the company of others is nice, but solitude is something I’ve always enjoyed for my creative thinking. I also prefer a one on one or small group situation, and if there’s an opening for a one-liner, I’ll say it! I love visiting new places and seeing things I’ve never seen before as I think that makes memories. For me, going to the same holiday spot every year is a wasted opportunity, preventing you from exploring new things, but if you need a break I understand that a familiar spot is good too. My surroundings can certainly spark my imagination.
I think I do tend to think differently and deeply. Going off what people have noticed about me and mentioned. Sometimes I feel things aren’t as ‘noodles’ as I make it out to be in my head. Thinking too deeply and overthinking can be a problem for me .
On reflection, I think I do embody some of the typical creative traits!
