#CreativeMornings

[creativemorningsvancouver]

For July’s global theme of ‘treasure’ we are honoured to host videographer, storyteller, urban planner and musician, Uytae Lee.

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Uytae Lee is the founder of ‘About Here’, a YouTube channel and creative studio dedicated to helping people understand their cities better. In addition to the channel, Uytae produces the CBC series ‘Stories About Here’.

Every month we like to ask our speakers a handful of probing questions to give us a deeper glimpse into their life and relationship with creativity:

How do you define creativity and apply it in your life and career? For me, creativity is about organizing. Combining and rearranging ideas, words, paint, or whatever really into something that’s meaningful to you. In my work, this idea has given me the reassurance that I rarely (if ever) need to come up with something from scratch - I just don’t think the creative process works that way. I research, paraphrase, synthesize, reflect, and (more than anything) take inspiration from others to put something together that feels compelling for me. Where do you find your best creative inspiration or energy? I find much of my creative inspiration from talking to people. There’s something about a live, unscripted conversation where you let your ideas collide freely that helps me get out of my head.

What’s one piece of creative advice or a tip you wish you’d known as a young person? The creative process requires breaks. Your creativity often works behind the scenes, when you’re taking a walk, distracted, or even sleeping. When you’re feeling overwhelmed or stuck on a project, try stepping away from it for a day or two. When you come back to it, you’ll almost certainly find that your thoughts have refined and organized themselves into something much more coherent and easy to understand. I think it works this way because your memory is very selective for the things that feel most important to you. When you step away from a project, you’re letting your brain subconsciously throw out what didn’t really matter and hold on to what was most important. I wish I knew this when I was younger because it probably would have saved me from dozens of wildly unproductive all-nighters spent trying to hammer out a script while overwhelmed and sleep-deprived.

Who (living or dead) would you most enjoy hearing speak at CreativeMornings? Tony and Taylor from Every Frame a Painting

What fact about you would surprise people? I was part of a ukulele group for several years.

What are you reading these days? Order without design by Alain Bertaut

What’s your one guilty creative indulgence? Cooking videos, they’re so relaxing!

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[creativemorningsottawa]

CreativeMornings Ottawa: May 2023

Jane Porter on acceptance and the importance of leading with love

Accepting reality is not always easy. From climate change to social injustice to the decline of democracy, the greatest challenges of our time can seem threatening, overwhelming, or just plain impossible to solve. 

On the CreativeMornings Ottawa stage at Arts Court, Jane Porter invited us to feel the magnitude of these challenges, and to lead with love and compassion. Doing so starts with connection: with ourselves, our communities, and the land we call home. 

Connection is something Jane has consciously cultivated throughout her life. This includes in her community work as co-founder of Impact Hub Ottawa and through convening stakeholders as a sustainability consultant. Today, as an integral facilitator and founder of Bridge Building Group, Jane brings people together to have tough conversations that spark meaningful change and heal divides. 

The journey to acceptance and understanding can be uncomfortable. In her talk, Jane used a photography metaphor to break down her approach:

Zoom out to see the big picture and break free from your existing echo chambers. 

Zoom in and reflect on who you really are and what motivates you. 

Reframe why you do what you do. For example, Jane realized she pursued a career in sustainability because it gave her a sense of connection with others and to the land.

Focus and realize that two things can be true at the same time, depending on who you’re asking and what they’ve chosen to lock their viewfinder on.

Find a tripod to support your passions and purpose. When you feel like you’re on shaky ground, dig deeper into learning and your relationships to find the support you need. 

Finally, Jane suggested it’s time we find a new lens. Western society is oriented around growth mindsets and economic success. There is much to learn from Indigenous worldviews that compel us to think of the next seven generations, and consider the well-being of all our relations, human and otherwise.

The challenges faced by the world are not going to solve themselves. To accept—and act— during this period of existential threats we must first ground ourselves by pausing, getting curious, and finding ways to respond thoughtfully and with compassion for ourselves, our communities, and the planet. 

Thank you to Jane for sharing her personal journey and for providing such food for thought on a Friday morning. You can learn more about Jane’s professional facilitation work on her website or on LinkedIn. Watch Jane’s full talk here.

[creativemorningsmontreal]

May ’s Theme is Acceptance.

Acceptance is the act of surrendering to our reality, without judgment or fear. There are many things in our lives that cause us discomfort or pain. We attempt to change or resist them, to no effect. So we wave a big stick, keeping them at bay like a wounded animal.

Acceptance is weaving into your story what once caused you pain — and still might, to this day. You welcome that creature into your home, tend to its wounds, and feed it out of your hand. Acceptance is knowing that this feral animal lives side by side with your tender house cat of a heart, always.

Embracing what cannot change can help you gather the energy to change what must. Accept these truths: you cannot make another person love or see you. You did not finish everything before the sun set on another day — and you didn’t need to. Every moment will pass, the blissful and the excruciating. It’s the hardest lesson, but one we need the most: the grace to let go. Our Lexington chapter chose this month’s exploration of Acceptance and Robert Beatty illustrated the theme. 

[cmbengaluru]

CMBLR #75 #CMSANCTUARY Defining a Sanctuary by Sanjeev Pednekar | 1Shanthi Road | 08.01.2023 | Organized by TEEPOI

Talk #75, where Sanjeev Pednekar (founder of Prani the Pet Sanctuary) will talk about Defining a Sanctuary, touching upon the complexities of wildlife conservation in the current day through his experience over the 15+ years in the fields of research, rehabilitation, education and other forms of environmental engagement.

Thank you to Suresh Jayaram for hosting us at 1Shanthi Road Studio Gallery

CMBLR #75 #CMSANCTUARY

[hebrewbyinbal]

Being creative in Hebrew! Singing, Dancing, or Painting. Which one are you or do you have a different way to create?

Comment Below and don’t forget to sign up for my new Hebrew Course at discounted savings!

http://kck.st/3H8kvGC

[dailyfont-com]

Meet Superbusy Activity, a playful and cheerful font with a unique handwriting style, offering three styles: Regular, Outline, and Text. Perfect for adding fun to titles, headlines, logos, and branding projects.

Link: https://l.dailyfont.com/7Lrje

[creativemorningsmunich]

Happy Holidays and a great New Year 2025!

At CreativeMornings Munich, we've had an exceptional year filled with captivating events, thought-provoking discussions, and inspiring interactions, all in Munich's most beautiful locations.

We had 11 wonderful events at great locations all over Munich. 

We also tried something new this year: At our ‘Night at the Museum’, we developed a unique tour especially for our community. It was organised in and by the TUM Architecture Museum at the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich.

We look forward to organising more events of this kind. If you have any suggestions, ideas or feedback: Please do not hesitate to contact us!

💙 A big thank you to all our great speakers, the lovely hosts at the cool locations, and of course, to our amazing community! It's so nice to see you every month and chat with all of you! We wish you wonderful and relaxed days with your friends and families and would love to see you next year at one of our events! 

Our theme for January is #JOURNEY. We'll share all the details at the start of the new year.

Meanwhile, you can check out recordings from our previous events.

[creativemorningschicago]

Give special cheers to our Digital Illustrators 🖍️ Katya Balakina (@xrenobl) and 🖍️ Coté Soerens (@cotesoerens) for turning our December's Audience Takes the Stage speakers into visual notes. 📝

Check out this graphic recording about our 3 super-talented audience members on the theme CYCLE. ♻️ 🛞 🌀

[creativemorningsbasel]

CYCLE – unser Thema im Dezember 2024

Ein Zyklus steht für einen Kreislauf regelmäßig wiederkehrender Dinge oder Ereignisse. Unsere Welt verläuft in Zyklen. Auch unsere Events verlaufen in Zyklen - des Zusammentreffen, des Austauschs und des wieder Auseinandergehens. Diesmal haben wir die Zeit genutzt um gemeinsam mit euch auf das vergangene CM-Jahr zu blicken. In entspannter Atmosphäre, mit viel Zeit zum gemeinsamen Schwatzen, Lachen und gegenseitigen Kennenlernen wurden bei unseren tollen Gastgebern, den Bikespezialisten von Obst & Gemüse, kleine Geschenke ausgetauscht und versucht herauszufinden, wer der jeweilige Secret Santa war.

Unsere neuen Partner von Leihlager gaben und vorher einen Einblick in ihr tolles Projekt. Herzlichen Dank, dass ihr Creative Mornings nun unterstützt und herzlichen Dank an euch, unsere Community! Denn ihr macht Creative Mornings zu dem was es ist! Wir freuen uns auf viele tolle Events im nächsten Jahr mit Euch! Hohoho und bis gliii!

Fotos: Dirk Wetzel Video: Marcello Keller

[creativemorningsportland]

#CMcycle

Our theme for December is Cycle.

Our Freiburg chapter had sustainability in mind when they chose this theme — from their swarms of cyclists commuting to work to their robust recycling programs that recover and reuse 69% of the city’s waste. 

Our world runs on cycles. There’s the frantic buzz of the 24-hour news cycle. The boom and bust of economic cycles. The changing seasons. Every plant, animal, and organism exists in a life cycle of birth, growth, reproduction, and death. Water flows through a cycle of evaporation into vapor to condensation in clouds to precipitation that falls as rain or snow. The menstrual cycle. The circadian rhythm of our sleep cycle. 

Just as crops are grown on a rotation cycle to replenish the soil, our own creativity requires a cycle of inspiration or inputs, followed by a burst of productivity or entering a flow state, and finally a period of rest or contemplation. 

Cycles are circular and keep things moving. Which cycles are you living in tune with? And which ones are you fighting vainly against?

Our theme for December is CYCLE. It was chosen by our Freiburg chapter in Germany and illustrated by Isabell Meister.

[creativemorningsderby]

Have you registered for your free festive fun spot at tomorrow's CreativeMornings/Derby event?

We'll be seeing out our CMDerby 2024 in style with 🌍Thom Baker

Whilst your waiting check out this month's playlist:

[creativemorningsvancouver]

We are quite excited to host chef, restauranteur, 
author, and activist, Meeru Dhalwala, who will share her compelling story of creativity through the lens of June’s global theme ‘reverie’.

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Meeru moved from Washington, D.C. to Vancouver in February 1995 and has since been cooking and running the kitchens and menus at Vij’s and Rangoli restaurants. Vij’s has been hailed by the New York Times as “easily among the finest Indian restaurants in the world.” (Rangoli closed after 17 years in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Meeru also wrote all three award-winning Vij’s cookbooks.

In 2021, Meeru created a small community business built from her learned ethics in the food industry: My Bambiri (baby) Foods. My Bambiri sources from BC organic farmers and sells on income-based pricing: three price options based on a family’s specific finances. She has also partnered with Food Stash Foundation to sell My Bambiri at their markets for low-income families who face many economic and social barriers. In October 2022, Meeru relaunched her annual international food fair called “Joy of Feeding” that is held at the UBC Farm Centre for Sustainable Food Systems.

Meeru holds a MSc in development studies from Bath University, UK, and brings her passion for humanity into her business and cooking practices. She is one of Vancouver’s most prominent promoters of women in business, climate change and sustainability, and healthy-elegant cooking. She proudly sits on the Board of Directors for the Green Party of Vancouver. For her professional and community work, Meeru has received honorary doctorates from both University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.

Every month we like to ask our speakers a handful of probing questions to give us a deeper glimpse into their life and relationship with creativity:

How do you define creativity and apply it in your life and career? I imagine and then come up with ideas. Lots of ideas, of which most aren’t realistic, but contribute to the final ideas that I/we can execute. I love the process of ideas popping or slowly coming to form in my head. I love the crazy ideas that are impractical and the ideas that could make stories if I were a novelist. I say the word “IDEA!” in the Vij’s kitchen and staff stops whatever we’re doing, get excited and hear the “IDEA!” Half of them result in all of us just laughing b/c while even saying it, I realize it’s not practical or just sounds silly coming out. My kitchen staff doesn’t rely on me to run the daily kitchen—cooking, ordering, loading, prep, etc.—but they rely on me for my “IDEA!” And if I love my idea, I don’t let it go.

Where do you find your best creative inspiration or energy? From running in my neighborhood—not any neighborhood or trail. Running is combination of my familiar surroundings and my body igniting me—my brain is dancing while my body is doing all the physical work. Whatever is on my mind—whether my family, trying to save some aspect of the environment, imagining being dead, imagining my comfort place on this earth, a work issue, coming up with recipes, etc.—it’s done with abandon while I’m running. Within 10 minutes, I lose myself in imagining, pondering…and daydreaming about my past in relation to today.

What’s one piece of creative advice or a tip you wish you’d known as a young person? Find a solo activity during which you feel abandon and…yes, lose yourself in reverie! I run. All those times when I was crying or stressed about my home life or school life, if I had gone out running and released that stress energy, the weight would have lightened and so many windows would have opened. Doesn’t have to be a physical activity—it can be knitting or drawing.

Who (living or dead) would you most enjoy hearing speak at CreativeMornings? George Eliot or Graca Machel. Intellectually attuned and gracefully passionate, brave women. Middlemarch is still relevant as a compelling storyline and observation on humanity’s social concoctions. Women and children’s rights activist Graca Machel was the First Lady of Mozambique at an important and crucial time. Her husband (the President) was assassinated via a plane crash. Later, she became the First Lady of South Africa, as wife of Nelson Mandela.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? Fly to Vancouver from Washington D.C. to meet a guy I was talking on the phone with for a month (back in 1994) and, after spending 5 days with him, deciding to marry him asap. I left my hometown, friends and career in human rights and economic development to move to Vancouver. It resulted in a new and completed unexpected career, two beautiful children and 17 years of marriage. I don’t know how, but I grabbed the confidence in love before it escaped in the form of common sense.

If you could open a door and go anywhere, where would that be? My partner is a dry suit (meaning he dives in cold waters) scuba diver and travels to all waters of the world to dive, take photos. His “comfort place” in this world is the silence and being solo under water—complete opposite from mine. He lies there with his camera, watches and waits for creatures to swim, fully in zen mode. This level of silence and alone-ness intimidates and fascinates me. I would LOVE to turn myself into an invisible and weightless being, and be on his shoulder while he does this. I would not want to disturb his zen. For me, this would be like magically living in a dream.

What are you proudest of in your life? Giving motherhood my all, by which I don’t mean just love. The most important moment of my life so far is when I first looked down at my newborn and felt/saw the look in her wide eyes, settling on her mom’s face. I call this “Newborn Eyes”. Newborn Eyes are the energy of my personal life. I’m proud of fully and honestly engaging with my two daughters as humans and not as my extensions. I’m proud of calling them out on their shit and not worrying if they like me or not, or if they’ll rebel. I’m proud that I never stopped being me for the sake of being a mother.

If you could do anything now, what would you do? Have each human above the age of, say 6, in this world watch the animated documentary film “Flee” for its subject matter and b/c its engrossing storytelling. I want all of us watching at the exact same time so we are aware of sharing this experience together, as one. So, a bit of magic or super sci-fi high tech required here. Some of the bravest and most loving people in this world are “refugees” and “migrants”. These are labels for some, but for me they are my mom and dad.

What books made a difference in your life and why? The Employees by Olga Ravn. This book is potentially our real future with real humans co-existing with AI types of humans. It’s beautifully written. It’s a very short book and I read it twice in a row.

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[creativemorningstrn]

Francesca Comisso on Cycle

Francesca Comisso è storica dell'arte, curatrice e tra le fondatrici nel 1997 di a.titolo, primo collettivo curatoriale in Italia e tra le prime realtà a operare nello spazio pubblico con progetti a carattere partecipativo e transdisciplinare. 

È referente del programma di produzione artistica Nuovi committenti nell'ambito dell'omonima associazione internazionale. È autrice di articoli, saggi e ha curato volumi tra cui, il più recente edito da NERO: "Comphost. Immaginari interspecie". 

Dal 2024 è docente all'Accademia Albertina di Torino, dopo avere insegnato al Politecnico e all'Università di Torino, all'Accademia Carrara di Bergamo, a NABA e IED. 

[creativemorningsmontreal]

April’s Theme is Movement.

The body in motion is a thing of beauty. Our cells shake kinetic energy through the finely articulated instruments of muscle, ligament, and bone. We blink, we pulse, we dance. Some even pull off feats of human athleticism and daring, from which we can hardly look away.

Movement is a universal state of being. Even at rest, the matter we’re composed of is in motion — subatomic particles whir about at dizzying speeds, to create the sense of solidity. The things that appear still — the earth beneath us, the trunk of a tree above us, is but a trick of the eye. They move slowly but at a staggering scale.

When we move together, we can build social and collective movements. Like a murmuration of swallows, we can form sweeping visions of a world never seen before. Our collective energy directed like a mighty river flowing downstream, taking unexpected and winding turns to carve mountains.

Our Wellington chapter chose this month’s exploration of Movement, Hannah Webster illustrated the theme, and Mailchimp is presenting the theme.  

[cmbengaluru]

"The goal was to find happiness but the golden gate views were more stunning than the bridge I was really looking." - Apurva Kothari (Founder, No Nasties)

[creativemorningsbarcelona]

Soy Esther (con “h”), la cara visible del estudio de diseño y comunicación que lleva mi nombre - Esther Barniol. Junto a un equipo de mujeres creativas y profesionales, trabajamos para mujeres que lideran sus negocios.

Desde hace siete años, lidero el programa Comunica’t, por el que han pasado más de 300 mujeres. Este programa va más allá de enseñar a las marcas a comunicar más y mejor; las ayuda a destacar y a conectar con su audiencia. Se ha convertido en una comunidad de mujeres, un espacio de conexión donde crecer personal y profesionalmente.

Esther Barniol en CreativeMornings

Aprende de tus ciclos.

A través de mi experiencia profesional de 25 años al frente de un estudio de diseño y comunicación, hablaré de los ciclos: qué pasa cuando se cierran, qué aprendizajes te llevas y cómo podemos honrarlos para ponernos en valor.