Throughout the course of these presentations, the idea of context surrounding career paths has become greatly apparent to me. When the speakers talked about their career choices, changes and passions, they outlined how, why and when they chose this particular road to follow as creative practitioners. While each speaker outlined a slightly different context for their work, there were a few categories these contexts could be placed into. There were; people that referred to their childhood as the driving force behind their practice (parenting, childhood experiences etc.), people that referred to their specific interests in materials/moral issues/artists and practices as their motive behind getting into their specific practice, and there were also people who specified a certain point in time or struggle they faced as the reason to continue or begin their path within their creative practice.
When Ben spoke about his background, he specified that being brought up within a creatively cultivating family prompted him to consider becoming a designer. By creating an environment that promoted creativity and a parent who indulged Ben in his practices at a young age, he was able realise his passions earlier on, even if his career didn’t turn out to be the one he expected it to be. Emma talked about her inspiration that came from artists that she discovered in her younger years such as Michael Borremans and Giuseppe Arcimboldo, these sparked her interest in art and painting in a darker, more gritty context, helping her to learn that she didn’t want her art to just be pretty imagery. By outlining the people, places and times that changed them as creative practitioners, Ben and Emma helped us to see how their work fits into their lives and how these things have changed the course of their careers and passions.
Paula spoke about a more career-changing moment that shapes the context of her current practice and that was seeing her relative struggle to eat with Arthritis. This prompted her to further her product design background and begin to create products that she feels will make a difference. By introducing this context and motive, Paula was able to give more meaning to her work, driving it with passion, rather than it becoming a monotonous job for her. By helping people with her practice, she is able to fulfil her motives and promote change within her industry. Carsten’s context was more of a historical/locational one. He spoke about his upbringing in Communist East Germany and how this grey, bleak landscape sparked him to create. By working in film, he was able to break free of that blankness and create beautiful work within a context inspired by his past.
I think, if I were asked to outline my context within my future creative practice, I would have to refer back to my upbringing and my growth within a creative household. As a child, my parents were both creative, both musicians, with my Dad being a designer by trade. I think that this environment prompted me to always think creatively and made me strive for more than just a ‘desk job’ from a very young age. I saw what my parents were doing, what they loved, and I wanted that for myself. When it came time to choose a degree and start to decide what I wanted to do in life, I never even thought I would do anything but something creative. I think that this is because of my upbringing, where thoughts were valid and ideas were always celebrated. This really prompted me to seek out my talents and strengths, rather than settling for doing something for the rest of my life that I neither enjoy or are very good at. I also think that being surrounded by creatives all my life has helped me to understand some of the ins and outs of different industries, helping me to further seek a career in creative practice.
Another thing that I think could contextualise my choices in life is my love of film. I think that exploring different, interesting world’s has helped me to broaden my horizons creatively. I see film as a way to explore a directors mind, and by watching films that have distinct characteristics or personalities, we are able to really evoke inspiration and ideation within ourselves. By watching films with these very prominent art styles and directions, I think that I am broadening my creativity, even if film is not particularly a direction I see myself going in, career-wise.
The last context in my life would have to be other artists. When finding inspiration in others, I am often sparked (like many are) to create myself. I find myself wanting to better my practice and understand my contexts and motives behind my work much more. I think that this push really helps me to surround my work with meaning and understanding, rather than just making meaningless works that don’t convey emotion or experience. I think that researching and finding out about, for example, Renaissance artists (in which I am very interested in), helps broaden my knowledge and creative skill greatly. I think that by expanding my mind creatively, I will continue to strive to be the best and most educated I can be within my chosen creative practice, wherever that may be.
ANABELLE 