Creativity Found: Finding Creativity Later in Life

Imagine turning a challenging life event into an empowering and cathartic creative outlet. That's exactly what Liz Alterman achieved when she channelled her emotions during a period of unemployment into a blog, and later, a published memoir. As she bravely tackled the stigma and emotional turbulence of job loss, Liz discovered a profound connection with a wider audience. Liz attributes her lo...

What is it like to truly reinvent yourself? To take the twists and turns of life and turn them into an opportunity for growth and reinvention? Imogen Tinkler did just that. From her unique upbringing in Pakistan, her work in the charities sector, to her leap of faith into food and foraging, Imogen's story is a testament to the power of resilience, hard work and staying true to your values. In...

Rewriting your identity Ever felt like you've lost yourself along life's journey, and wondered how you could possibly find your way back? In this episode, Claire chats with Caro Giles, a theatre arts graduate turned actor, teacher, mother, home educator, carer, and now published author. Caro shares her journey of finding and retaining her sense of self amidst the responsibilities of marr...

Art, life and advocacy In this guest episode of the Narratives of Purpose podcast, Claire Murigande  discusses with editorial illustrator Jean-Philippe Kalonji the role artists and culture play in social change. JP is an illustrator, comic artist, and painter stationed in the beautiful city of Geneva, Switzerland. We're taking a stroll down memory lane, reminiscing about JP's earliest da...

Creativity, the learning process, and the mesmerizing world of pottery. In this bonus episode I’m joined by Creativity Found Collective member Kelly Drewett and friend of Creativity Found Carola Moon, as we visit the pottery studio of fellow Collective member Debbie Page. You’ll hear about how Debbie makes her moon jars – and what they are – as well as a little pottery history. We discuss everythi...

Ever found yourself scrambling to manage your time, juggling motherhood while nurturing a creative career? In this episode of the Mother of All Solutions podcast, Laura Broderick chats with  Leona Fensome, remarkable mum of three, owner of an independent production company, and a Heritage Projects and Partnerships Officer at the University of Bedfordshire. This episode is a deep dive into her jour...

Navigating the UK criminal justice system and healing through creativity What happens when creativity and a desire for social reform collide with the harsh realities of the UK criminal justice system? Ella and Harriet of Glasshouse Theatre share their candid experiences of becoming prison officers, revealing the challenges they faced, and the impact the role had on their mental health. They discus...

The Creative Brain is a catalyst for change For many years Anna Stoecklein believed that creativity was limited to traditional forms of art, such as painting or drawing. However, after watching the Netflix documentary The Creative Brain, she realized that creativity is everywhere, and that everyone is creative in their own way. This realization was a game-changer for Anna, as it allowed her to see...

Making time for art. Jackie Sanders primarily works with abstract, geometric shapes, and bold colors using acrylic paint on panels. She creates visually interesting pieces that can be taken at surface value or can communicate deeper concepts and symbolism, allowing viewers to choose what they want to see in the art. As a child, Jackie was supported and encouraged creatively by her family, who even...

A printmaking class helps me to get over my fear of 2D. When Gerry Coles invited me to one of her printmaking workshops my initial reaction was that there was no way I would go because I would be rubbish. Regular listeners will have heard me saying that that should not be a reason for not trying a new creative activity, so of course I told myself off, and told Gerry I'd love to go. Find out h...

I've caught Maria Ramsey at a reinvention stage, having made the decision to stop teaching music and to explore other avenues that feel more creatively fulfilling. Maria is a multi-talented artist who has explored various creative outlets including visual art, poetry, and floral design. Growing up in a family that valued creativity and the arts, Maria was encouraged to pursue music, taking le...

‘Getting back to being more me’. That’s how Rich Chambers describes just one of the wider benefits he has experienced from taking the decision to ramp up his musical pursuits in midlife. As a teenager, Rich played guitar and wrote music, and was going to be a rock star. He let his school studies slip, barely passing his graduation year, and set out to become the next ‘big thing’.  Unfortunately, h...

Promotion and networking for creative-activity businesses The Creativity Found Collective offers multiple ways for members to connect and to promote what they do, and in this bonus podcast episode I delve into the origins of creativityfound.co.uk and the Collective, both born out of the Creativity Found podcast. I explain how I wanted to create a platform to help people explore their creativity an...

How to ease the symptoms of Tourette’s Syndrome and start drawing again, without spilling ink all over the carpet! Guest  Fish Lee tells me about how his local TV weatherman played a key part in his getting to the bottom of a mystery illness that had plagued him physically, emotionally and behaviourally since he was a child, and how that diagnosis helped him to start drawing again, without spillin...

Facing fears and taking risks.  Robert and Linda are classical pianists who have found a unique way to combine their music with comedy, stories, and improvisations. But the shows they devised had never been done before, and were very different to what was expected of concert pianists. So, as classical musicians, Linda and Robert were unsure of how their ideas would be received. The first time they...

Playing piano together (one piano, four hands) was an experimental idea for married couple Linda and Robert, one that taught them a lot about themselves and each other, which you can find out all about in the next, more usual episode of the podcast. In the meantime, enjoy their beautiful playing in this extract from their show called From Mistresses to Manhattan, whether you are listening while th...

Maybe it's not the right time, but never say never. Natalie Smart loved working with textiles as a youngster, from hand knitting to making her own clothes. Unfortunately, Textiles as an A-Level subject was discontinued at her school just as she was about to join the sixth form. Natalie was quite academic, so she had other choices. Faced with the decision of whether or not to take out a loan t...

The science teacher who chose to break free from practicality, utility and patterns in textiles and paint. This week’s podcast guest, Claude Larson, has been sewing for years, while also teaching science classes to middle-school age teenagers in the US. A few years ago, Claude decided to throw out the patterns and instructions in favour of a new era of experimentation.  She stopped making practica...

Overcoming concerns about your singing voice post-menopause.  Suzanne Noble had concerns about the tone of her voice after not having used it for many years. However, as you’ll hear in the show, she needn’t have worried, and with the help of coaching, encouragement and an inquisitive personality, Suzanne now has an ever-evolving musical repertoire. Suzanne Noble began her university studies – in t...

Childhood memories inspire a self-publishing project in retirement. When Jill Phillips was growing up, creative pursuits such as painting and writing were not activities that her working-class community ever thought of doing, they were considered luxury pastimes for the more wealthy Londoners. That was in the mid 1960s. Fast forward to the 2020s and Jill has published a memoir of life on Lamlash S...

How crafting can alleviate MS symptoms. To keep her hands busy and her mind calm, Helen Hill crochets blankets for orphaned baby rhinos, among other things. Her passions also help her to manage her MS symptoms, to sit still where usually her symptoms force her to be constantly active, to calm her restless legs, and generally to escape the everyday. Helen was good at her studies, at school and as a...

The inventor of the revolutionary Chalk Paint believes that everyone is creative. Annie Sloan had a dreamy, independent young life, which continued into her business career, since without a dream and an independent attitude, Annie's world-renowned Chalk Paint may never had been made.  Annie was 41 years old when she invented and manufactured Chalk Paint, while also painting for clients and wr...

Helping you find your unique writing voice. Just because you’ve got a solid background and experience in something that you are good at and successful in, doesn’t mean you have to stick with it if you no longer enjoy it. For this episode I’m speaking with Rowena Roberts, who became disheartened in her role as a sought-after copywriter so, with some guidance and courage, found a new channel for her...

Dance, books, drama and singing, and why making this podcast is so important to me. For this episode I’m speaking with . . . well, actually, for this episode my friend and fellow podcaster Rabiah Coon is speaking with me. Rabiah’s More Than Work podcast aligns brilliantly with Creativity Found, so please enjoy this episode and head over to More Than Work to find more great listening. In my own Cre...

Sally Ward's experiences as a finalist on Sky TV's Portrait Artist of the Year competition Sally Ward had to decline her well-earned place in Sky’s Portrait Artist of the Year competition in 2019, but in 2020 she entered again and to her utter surprise made it all the way to the final. Sally painted Melanie Sykes, Bernadine Evaristo and Eddie Izzard, and was very relieved that she didn’t...