From Chaos to Creation: Organizing for Artists
💡 Goal: Declutter your idea space and get your best work done.
Why It Matters
Most likely you have a way you like to capture your creative ideas.
It might be a notebook or a journal. A detailed Notion workspace. It could be the notes or voice app on your phone. Sticky notes. Napkins. Maybe some or all of these. It doesn’t matter.
At some point you will need to organize them to actually use them to create something.
The Resistor
Building a system 🤔
The problem for most people is that when they go to actually make something the notes and ideas are all over the place.
This leads to distraction and can be a roadblock for getting any real work done.
The goal is to build a system that works for you.
A Signal Path
Thinking Inside the Box
Twyla Tharp is an acclaimed American dancer, choreographer, and author who has had a profound impact on modern dance. Born in 1941, she has created over 160 choreographed works, won numerous awards including an Emmy and a Tony, and written several books sharing her insights on creativity and the artistic process.
In her 2003 book “The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life”, Tharp explains how she uses the “box method” to manage and nurture the development of her creative projects. Here’s a deeper look into how it works:
Concept
The box method begins with an empty box. For each new project, she designates a box specifically for that project. The purpose of the box is to contain all of the physical material related to the project. This can include notes, ideas, music, books, photographs, or anything else that might inspire or inform the piece she is working on.
Functionality
- Centralization: The box acts as a central repository for all creative resources important to a project. This ensures that nothing is lost and everything is easily accessible when needed.
- Physical Organization: Unlike digital files, the physical nature of the box allows Tharp to interact tangibly with her materials, which can be crucial in the artistic process where tactile sensations and visual cues often inspire creativity.
- Project Development: As the project evolves, so does the content of the box. It grows with additional materials that Tharp finds relevant, making the box a dynamic tool that adapts throughout the creative process.
Benefits
- Inspiration and Recall: The box serves as a physical manifestation of Tharp’s thought process, making it easier to track the evolution of her ideas and to revisit earlier inspirations or thoughts.
- Separation of Projects: By using a separate box for each project, she avoids overlap and keeps her focus on the specific demands and unique inspiration of each work.
- Ease of Review: When needing to return to a project after a break or to start a new phase, the box provides an immediate, comprehensive snapshot of where things stand, helping with continuity of thought.
The simplicity of the box method makes it a powerful tool for anyone looking to organize and develop large creative projects efficiently.
Three Cats
Learn more about the three cats here.
✅ Idea: Stop looking for things you have already found
🔺 Process: Seek to obtain what you already have
🔹 Result: Remember the origin of your path
Switch to Action
“If you knew how much work went into it, you wouldn’t call it genius. ”
― Michelangelo Buonarroti
Create Your Own Idea Box
Put Twyla Tharp’s box method into practice. Start by finding a box or container that resonates with your creative spirit. It could be something simple like a shoebox, or something more personal and decorative. As you go through your day, keep an eye out for anything that sparks your creativity or ties into your current projects. This could include:
- Sketches or doodles that capture an idea.
- Printed articles or pages from magazines.
- Photos, objects, or even fabric swatches that inspire you.
- Notes or papers.
Review the items you’ve gathered and place them in your box. Spend a few moments reflecting on how these items relate to your ongoing project or how they might inspire a new one. This physical collection will serve not only as an organizational tool but also as a tangible source of inspiration you can revisit anytime you feel stuck or need a burst of creativity. Keep this practice for a week, and note any changes in how you approach your creative work.
Go Deeper
Get The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
Read the Passfilter Notable about The Creative Habit.
Looking for other ways to learn to confront your shadow side? Try the Passfilter Creative Cards