
A couple of dear friends are doodling and noodling on new creative projects and ventures. Iām so excited for them that I worry my cheerleading might distract from their focus. Itās a balancing act.
Our recent chats have inspired me to doodle and noodle more about my own creative habits and processes. Good doodles. Good noodles.
Long story short: I see creativity like a Rubikās Cube. While it may look simple, not everyoneās gonna solve the puzzle. And even if they do, chances are good they wonāt solve it the same way.
Also, some arenāt interested in solving the puzzleā¦they just like to fidget and play.
From my point-of-view, whether youāre twisting and turning the colors or just admiring the cube as it is, thereās value in all approaches.
As long itās moving, itās grooving in my book.
In the beginning, when you first pick up that Rubikās Cube, thereās this rush of excitementāa thrill that comes from the possibilities. You start twisting and turning, and maybe the colors align effortlessly. But more often than not, they donāt.
Thatās where the challengeāand the fun for meātruly begins.
Youāre faced with choices: Do you continue twisting until you reach perfection, or do you put it down, satisfied with what youāve explored? (Or do you Google how to solve it fast? No judgmentā¦looking for solutions is creative too.)
The middle part, the 'in-between,' is where I often find myself. Itās the space where ideas get tangled, where progress can feel both exhilarating and exasperating. Itās where the work happensāwhere you grind away, sometimes joyfully, sometimes begrudgingly. And sometimes, you get stuck, staring at a side of the cube that just wonāt come together no matter how many times you turn it.
But hereās a secret Iāve learned (the hard way):
Thereās no ārightā way to solve the puzzle.
Despite what all the experts and gurus want you to believe, there are ways you COULD solve it, but there are no ways you SHOULD solve it.
Sometimes, restarting is the best move. Sometimes, you need to walk away, let the cube sit for a while, and return with fresh eyes. And other times, finishing means embracing the imperfections, knowing that the process itself has been valuable.
As I reflect on my own creative journey and output, Iāve realized that itās okay to (re)start and (re)finish as many times as needed. Each attempt, each twist, and turn, is a step forward, even if it feels like youāre spinning in circles.
Creativity isnāt always about perfecting the puzzle; itās about the willingness to engage with it, to explore its possibilities, and to find meaning in the act of creation itself.
So hereās to the beginnings, the endings, and all the messy, beautiful things in between. Whether youāre solving the Rubikās Cube or simply admiring its colors, I believe your creative journey is uniquely oursāand thatās what makes it so damn fun and inspiring.
Thanks for reading!
Clint
WORDS OF WISDOM ON CREATIVITY
āCreativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didnāt really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.ā
Steve Jobs
āDonāt wait for inspiration. It comes while working."
Henri Matisse
āYou canāt use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.ā
Maya Angelou
āArt is never finished, only abandoned.ā
Leonardo da Vinci
āYou can be cautious or you can be creative, but there's no such thing as a cautious creative.ā
George Lois
"You use a glass mirror to see your face. You use works of art to see your soul."
George Bernard Shaw
āA creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting lifeā
Elizabeth Gilbert
MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Last week, I got inspired to make my longest montage to date.
At almost an hour, making Masters Of Photography taught me so much. About photography (and video editing). Itās a celebration of a few of the countless photographers whoāve elevated the technical craft into an art form in the last almost 200 years. Iām so proud of how it turned out.
Hope you have a chance to watch:
A NOTE ON REVISING + REWORKING
If youāve ever visited my Shops, Substack, or YouTube channel, you may have noticed subtle (and sometimes drastic) changes to the look and feel of them. I regularly update art, videos, and postsā¦itās part of my process. And part of my (undiagnosed) OCD.
YouTube doesnāt always love my tendency to tweak thingsā¦especially thumbnails. Iām currently on a time-out from adding custom thumbnails. God, I love being treated like a child. Not. Itās always something stupid with them.
So if you ever hit a dead link, chances are I missed removing or updating it. Feel free to let me know. Or not. Whatever works for YOU, boo.
Just thought Iād bring it up. Have gotten a few notes recently from folks thinking posts or videos got deleted. Nope. Just unpublished or updatedā¦by me. šāļøš
MORE FROM COLLIDE PRESS
Ko-Fi + Linktree + Shop + Storefront + YouTube
I totally agree and liked the quotes on creativity. Some people beleive (are they taught that by teachers or parents or both?) mthat there is right way to do things - systematic, follow the rules etc. This isn't true. There are many ways to do something - some more or less efficiently. Insights and discoveries emerge from accidents, dreams, playing around, experimentation.
Clint, that was inspiring. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with problems of being a homeowner.
I needed to step back and take a fresh look. Took me a LONG time to admit to myself that I am Gay altho have been "accused" of being Gay for quite awhile. Now I take pride in it and don't get down when someone says something about it. It's funny that "str8s" seem to be SO bothered by someone being Gay when it has zero effect on them. Probably overcompensation.
Regards,
Jerry