A different invited editor, writer, publisher or storyteller will curate the features page each month. This will give a different insight into the wide range of written practices that exist in the north east of Scotland. This page will change in terms of format and outlook depending on the approach taken by the guest features director. It may for example be: a magazine page; sound files; film clips or a critical review. There will also be an archive of past features. If you would like to be considered as a guest features director please contact us at info@creativeculturescotland.co.uk

To view more written word related features click on: written word feature archive

Be Inspired with Art Spur
by Bernie Ross

This new website is where we celebrate the artistic temperament. If you feel like a square peg in a round hole because of your art; if your decision to go freelance is deemed suicide; or if you’re just wondering what other artists or writers think about how to ‘make it’ in the commercial world, then meet some like-minds at Art Spur http://www.artspur.co.uk

I grew up with the smell of turps in my nostrils and I was encouraged to draw, paint, carve, knit, sew or glue at every vacant moment. “You have a great gift;” said my artist dad, “you’re creative and you’ll never be bored.” He was right.

Embracing Arts and Crafts

Being so immersed in the artistic life meant that it was taken for granted I’d study art and design at college. I did and sadly wasted the potential it offered: I needed to work out for myself during my early twenties that my greatest strength and inspiration was in my writing. Building my own business as a writer then followed, complemented with my ability to do my own design and publishing . . . until I burned myself out.

Though I still need to write, I don’t want to just write anymore. I want to embrace all the arts like a child again. I want to share with others in exploring the creative temperament that is so fragile, so precious and valuable.

Art Spur Can Appease Frustration

Art Spur http://www.artspur.co.uk/ aims to examine how it feels to be artistic, looks at ways to help ourselves out of a mental block, encouraging us to persevere in the face of frustration, hopelessness, or yet another rejection.

The dilemmas are familiar: how can you earn a crust without compromising your artistic integrity? How do you remain inspired in the face of responsibilities, of churning out mundane pot-boilers, of bending to requests for ugly commercial money-spinners, coping with essential paperwork, or bouncing brightly away from bureaucracy? Is teaching your subject as a job, conducive to it and stimulating or does it run you dry? Is success something to avoid? Indeed, is it something you fear?

The answers to these questions are different for everyone and many of us are still searching for our individual answers. It’s part of the mystery of this temperament. Sharing ‘what works for us’ can give others ideas to try or give them confidence to go for it.

Every artist will recognise the problem of how to get the balance right; and there’s more to it because even when you get it right your own mood suddenly makes you want to chuck it all in and take up another discipline or get a proper job instead. The simplest word of encouragement inspires you for a week and the slightest criticism might throw you into despair or, conversely, fill you with determination to prove your critic wrong.

Welcoming Interaction

Creative expression is at the heart of Art Spur.co.uk. Whether you scribble, scrape or sculpt there are sure to be days when it seems life would be easier if you didn’t. There’s space on The Melting Pot page for saying what you think, anonymously, and a form that asks what you’d like to see ‘for the arts’. Or you can just email me direct through the site. My long experience in both editing and mentoring means your subjects will be handled with integrity and discretion.

At Art Spur I’m looking to discuss the various idiosyncrasies of the creative life on a one-to-one basis as well as in the free newsletter, Arts Incite. In the first issue there are articles about cross-fertilisation of disciplines; about getting the balance right; there’s a ‘creative kick-start’; and lots more. I always reply to emails promptly because I’m a diehard communicator. Interaction helps me to make the website relevant to you.

Don’t Miss the Newsletter

There’s no catch. Whilst I’m hoping to sell a few books and bespoke services to pay my way, my real interest is in altruism: I believe in giving away lots of freebies and plenty of goodwill, it’s what I was put on this earth to do. You might say, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” and wonder where’s the catch? There is none. Creating and giving away Arts Incite offers proof that I can write, shows what I can do in designing a book (with hyperlinks that work), it offers a showcase for other artists’ images and provides a chance for publishing ideas from artists and writers who deserve a chance. It is as open to you as to ‘better known’ names.

Meaningful Thoughts, with No Strings

As artists I think we are all loners, so one-to-one emails about the trials and tribulations of doing what you do, albeit against all the odds, is fine with me. Art Spur is where meaningful thoughts are shared in the ether, sometimes only in passing. Visit the site http://www.artspur.co.uk/ and amble around, get your copy of Arts Incite (without any commitment whatsoever, forever) and have direct contact for immediate discussion here, now. It might help ease the frustration to know you’re not alone - or it’ll add a stimulating dimension to an already satisfying artistic life.

Arts Incite Issue # 1 is a PDF, can be opened and read with a double-click on most computers but if not, you can download the software for free here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

If you have any more questions or simply want to send a feature please contact us at: info@creativeculturescotland.co.uk