There’s a gray area between creative work and play. Work can inspire play and vice versa—the things we do in our downtime can influence what we think about, what we’re inspired by, and how we show up for work. I’ve always embraced this idea, but it’s taken on new meaning for me this past year. Not only did I begin working remotely full-time (like many of us did), but I became a first-time Mom to twins.
There are many ways parenthood has inspired my creative work; some I expected and others I found surprising. One way is through reading more children’s books. Story time provides lots of artistic inspiration, from Bemelmans’ watercolor illustrations to the clever rhymes of Sandra Boynton. I especially love the classic poetry of Goodnight Moon.
Another way motherhood has sparked creativity is through tidying. I enjoy making toy installations for the twins to wake up to and kickstart their playing. This exercise challenges me to iterate, coming up with different compositions using the same materials. It also helps me embrace the cute clutter in my life. In other words, I practice identifying my controllables and letting go of the rest.
Here are some other ways Square creatives are getting inspired these days.
