EP 36: Re-Ignite your Creativity

Our mission is to give you tools and strategies that will help you move from being stressed to feeling your best.

Our guest is Faigie Kobre, a former early childhood educator and high-end portrait photographer. Faigie switched careers in her 50's to become an elementary school art teacher. She also got very into art herself particularly alcohol inks and teaches women how to reignite their creativity through this magical medium. Faigie is passionate about helping women who don't feel artistic, tap into the healing nature of art.

Co-hosts Deb Timmerman and Barb Fletcher are certified HeartMath® Trainers, and certified stress educators, who are skilled at helping people discover the power of living form the heart.  To take the Stress and Wellbeing Assessment in Canada, click here. To take the Stress and Wellbeing Assessment in the US, click here. 

Transcript

SPEAKERS

Faigie Kobre, Deb Timmerman

Deb Timmerman  00:00

You're listening to the Less Stress in Life podcast. Your hosts, Deb Timmerman and Barb Fletcher are on a mission to help individuals and organizations manage stress and change. Together they bring you real conversations, inspirational stories, and strategies to help move you from being stressed to feeling your best. Good morning, everyone. Deb Timmerman here. Welcome to our series of 52 practical tools for Less Stress in Life. This is episode 36. Our goal is to give you tools and strategies that help you move from feeling stressed to feeling your best. My co host, Barb Fletcher is a bit underneath the weather today. So she won't be joining us. But please join me in sending thoughts and prayers to her for a speedy recovery. Barb, we miss you and I wish you were here. Today, our guest is Faigie Kobre. Faigie is a former Childhood Educator and high end portrait photographer. She switched careers in her 50s to become an elementary school art teacher. While most people are exiting that career not entering that career. Also got very into art herself, particularly a medium called alcohol inks and teaches women how to reignite their creativity through this magical medium. She's passionate about helping women who don't feel artistic tap into the healing nature of art. Welcome, my friend. So glad to have this conversation with you today.

Faigie Kobre  01:33

Yes, thank you for having me.

Deb Timmerman  01:35

So tell us a little bit about what led you to start your group or your movement called Creativity reignited.

Faigie Kobre  01:44

Okay, so, um, like you said, I had spent many years doing other stuff. I have a master's in early childhood education. I was a preschool teacher, I was a director, I was a high-end photographer, then I was raising my kids and I was doing that it was at a home based business. And then I, I had started I had gotten interested in internet marketing and I started that does, you know, they have, they always say when you write, write what you know. So they say when you start a business start what you know. So I decided to start a business based around something I knew, which was something in the early childhood area, which was alright, I always loved art, I always love giving kids like very creative art and seeing gain confidence through their art. So I started a website for parents and teachers on how to give kids art, like developmentally appropriate art, like not this, like copycat cookie cutter, kind of art. And then ended up taking a course on how to market his website. And I was talking to one of my coaches there about how detrimental all of this cookie cutter art is and how it really represses kids creativity and how it really makes them think that they're not artistic because they have to just follow what the teacher is telling them to do when they're not allowed to do things at their own level. And she said to me, she kind of challenged me, she said, Would you consider starting a site for adults on creativity and kind of helping them understand why they have such blocks with creativity that it was because of their early experiences. So I thought it was really an interesting idea. And I started doing research and creativity. And I'm researching and I kept coming across this term mixed media art. And I was like very fascinated. And I was like, literally like, like it hit me. And I started buying get taking books out of the library and then buying books and then started buying supplies, which is a rabbit hole. Anybody that has done any kind of crafting knows what that in itself is it in its own hobby, buying craft supplies. Okay, I'm sure a lot of people can understand that. And so I got in, I really got into that and I started running little classes in my home and I started and I started this website, this creativity we ignited for adults. And then one day I was scrolling through my library site, you could just see what books there are in them, ordered them to your library. And I came across a book that said pigments of your imagination all about alcoholics which I didn't know anything about and I was like stopped in my tracks and I was like riveted. What is this? And I ordered it from the library and I opened the book and I was just I it was love at first sight and then I bought the book. And then I started buying the materials. And I kind of guys still do mixed media stuff also, but I just developed this love of alcohol links and what it could do for you. And I, you know, started, you know, developing some courses and started doing offline things. And it just has such a capacity for healing and mental health. And just distressing, I was just thinking, before, I was just feeling very stressed about something I said, I must go down. I'm so busy with like internet stuff, I must go downstairs and just do some alcoholics. Because there's something very, very healing about it. They're like these there are there. They're these little bottles of ink that are suspended in an alcohol base. And they work on non porous surfaces. And they're not very controllable. You can learn how to control them. But it's, it's just like you kind of drip and you watch it spread. And then you drip some more. And there's all kinds of tools. And if you use the right colors, you can't go wrong. If you just like learn what are the right color schemes to use. It's like I have a student that told me she had a one of her children had a medical Saga's she was going through and she said this alcohol thing saved her, because she was just go able to go down and work on it. And it was just so healing, and just so help reduce her stress, because you don't have to worry about it being perfect.

Deb Timmerman  06:30

Yeah, we've put all kinds of constraints around the art that we do, and alcohol inks, take those constraints away, because as you said, there's not a lot of control  with that. It's about learning to allow and go, let go. So you mentioned that we get our creativity blocks early in childhood, can you talk more about how they form and why we become adults with this, thinking that we can't be creative?

Faigie Kobre  07:03

Right. So I have a like a unique perspective on this also, because I happen to be an elementary school art teacher and I really do give the kids very free, very creative, a lot of choice. So one of the things is this was something I concentrated on so for so many years is that when teachers are giving kids very young crafts, they're giving them crafts that oh, we're making a butterfly, we're making a snake, whatever with egg cartons, whatever. And the kids really are not allowed to create the way they create. And the problem is that young kids make messes. And our perfectionistic society, we don't like messes, we want them to look perfect. So we cannot allow our three year old’s and a four year old and our five year old’s to create an order the way they're supposed to create, to allow them to go through those stages, the way they're supposed to, we don't expect kids to walk before they crawl, right. But we're expecting them to make representational pictures before they can make a mess, and that they're making a mess can take a very long time. So that is one way that kids kind of, they just say, Oh, I'm not trusted, I can't do it. It's only the people that know how to make representational pictures that really are the artists, you know, the class artists. So that's one thing, but it's what's interesting, I knew about giving workshops about this, I used to give workshops to early childhood groups and daycare centers, trying to teach them how to give kids art that's truly their as their developmental stage. But what I have noticed, in my work in as an elementary school, when the kids get to about fifth or sixth grade, there are still a lot of kids that kind of lose interest. And I started realizing that no matter how much creativity unless you've really concentrated on it in a certain way, they still feel it has still become that art is if I know how to draw. And if I do not know how to draw, I am not an artist and I do not like art, which is very first of all, you can learn it anybody can learn to draw if you want, but it is hard work. There's a program called drawing on the right side of the brain by Betty Edwards. I don't know if you've heard of her, but she has a program. She can teach anybody how to draw, but it's hard work and not everyone wants to work hard. But there are so many ways to use art, just to have fun and to relax, and to make beautiful things with color and shape and design. And it's such a crazy easiness that art has become the, the, you know, the, the under the ownership of the people who just naturally know how to draw, it's not fair. I say give it back to the, to us to the to the, you know, to the, you know, what do you call the peasant thing, you know, just we need it. It is such a healing amazing thing. And it's, it's just crazy how so many people the classic line is me, I can't I can't draw a straight line, you don't

Deb Timmerman  10:34

I can relate to that because my mother said that about my artistic abilities. and if I remember correctly, I got a C. So, I was average at drawing and that's exactly what it was. The nuns would put the picture up, and we'd have to copy it or they'd make their interpretation of whatever the art project was. And I really didn't like art. I was afraid of art and then I ended up taking ceramics and ended up being a teacher for a large part of my early adult years and even today, I love creativity. But I have a friend who is amazing at all different kinds of crafts, and she is usually with me when we do art days. And I love watercolor, but she will coach me and she tells me I'm good at that. Or look how cool this is. So it's like I have this self help person along with me to do that. And it's taken a lot of those craft days to help get my confidence back that I do have creativity and I have that is a part of who I am.

Faigie Kobre  11:42

Right. But there's so many people like you who just there's been so many teachers and parents who have made negative comments to kids, you know, and that like that stops them that stops them in their tracks. People are scared of rejection. They're scared. I have I've been running a class in a small little class. I like mixed media in my home for years, have one of my women she's in her 60s, she will if we have do it in books, she will not show her stuff to her kids. They're all grown kids. She's scared what they're going to say. And she just feels this like fear of rejection of you know, and, um, you know, and then trying to get what's why alcohol links, actually. So what happened is alcohol links that I teach a lot is like these with these little bottles. But I start people off with markers because it's very easy like I have on my site on my creativity reignited site, I have like a beginning video, like six ways to use markers and alcohol to kind of get you started, just to you know, to jumpstart you because that's like an easy way and Sharpies which everybody knows what sharpies might say alcoholic markers. People don't really know what that is. And there's a lot of different types that I say Sharpies, sharpies are alcoholic markers. I remember googling years ago, one of my kids had written with Sharpie all over the wall like white clean that with alcohol. Because to the same way watercolor works with water, alcohol, ink, and alkaline markers works with alcohol. That's what moves it. So that's like a great way to get started. And then when somebody is like even more interested, then you know, they stopped buying the bottles and do you start thinking but it's it doesn't have to be this, you know, this huge endeavor where I'm going to now you know, create a whole studio, you start on your kitchen table, you start with some markers, you get a little alcohol, and then you get into it more than you stop buying more. But it's just, it's such a healing. And I just find that the alcoholics I've, you know, tried a lot of different of these crafts and art. I just find that because of the nature of the alcohol wings because there's so fluid and forgiving. I just did a series I did a six week series not far from where I live with a group of women. And one of them said, Wow, I'm so not artistic look how beautiful is we use stencils with its stencils, you know, make anybody look like an artist. But this is they're like very forgiving the alcoholics. So if you make a mistake, you could take some alcohol and wipe it away. And there's ways to make everything look beautiful. And it's just a great way to relieve stress. Right that's your thing, relieving stress. It's a great way to relieve stress. It's a great way and that was one of the things I had seen about it people writing it makes me feel like an artist it's I go into someone was one woman told me it's like my like my vacation without leaving anywhere. I go in there and I just get into the flow and the colors and the alcohol and there's so many things you can do with it all without knowing how to draw.

Deb Timmerman  14:57

So we did a workshop here Your a couple years ago with my friend and I did. And she did use alcohol links, and we paired it with breath skills to help tone down those judgments and the things that come up when you don't want to be creative. And one woman stands out, in my mind out of the maybe five people that took it. One person was all about making that or trying to control the flow of those alcohol inks. And in the beginning, her art piece was absolutely stunning. But the rework and everything that she did, because she couldn't accept that, that it was pretty the way it was, it turned into a huge muddy mess. So I'm sure that as you're working with folks, they learned similar lessons. 

Faigie Kobre  15:48

Right.

Deb Timmerman  15:48

When they tried to overwork those tools

Faigie Kobre  15:51

Right. And is it and I've seen that in classes that I've given, you know, people say, you know, it just like it's either they overdo it, or else they say I'm going to stop now. But with algo links, you can always go back, it's like very, you wipe it down, you do it again, you add another color, it's very different than then other mediums. You have to work on nonporous background. So let's say I use that, well, when you start there was something called Yupo paper, which is a plasticized paper that that was like that was the alcoholic paper. But then I discovered through various groups that is, Costco has a paper, a Kirkland photo paper that if you work on the mat side, that's much cheaper, and it works really well. And only Kirkland folks, because I know someone just told me she bought another type and it didn't work. I said, okay, because it's only Kirkland. People do all kinds of experiments, you can work on tiles. It works on aluminum foil, it works on Dural law, like transparencies, it has to be non porous. Now, you can use it on regular water, paper, watercolor paper, but it just absorbs and it doesn't have the same magic of the flow and the spread. It's very mesmerizing.

Deb Timmerman  17:13

What are some ways that people can unleash and embrace creativity? Other than alcoholics? I know you've done a lot of research and I've read tons of books on this whole topic of creativity. What are the experts saying?

Faigie Kobre  17:29

Okay, so the experts say there's actually a book that I read called, there's a lot of books I read, but there's one called the creativity cure and just talking about how unbelievable creativity is for you for depression, for stress for anxiety, and, and how, how much better sometimes it works, then therapy, but in general, what the consensus seems to be is that it's the handwork it's the working with your hands. That is so amazing, and what it does for your brain. So I know people have reported from many different media, I crocheting and knitting and embroidery and mixed media, because I'm also into mixed media, any kind of handwork is very, very beneficial. So it depends. This handwork, not all of it is so creative, right? But the handwork is very important for your mental health. And something I mean, I've also done mixed media, which is also very good in terms of letting go of perfection. But I have one of my students who's done both with me, she's done the mixed media, and she's done the alcohol link, and she says that there's nothing that does it for her like the alcohol links. It's just the flow. Like maybe a lot of the other crafts are great for using your hands. But this mix this alcohol links is not just using your hands, it's using your hands and going with the flow with the inks. And you know, just watching the magic, and working with different things that can make you have something beautiful, like if you take a stencil and rub it off, and you have this beautiful thing and it doesn't matter that you didn't draw it, it just looks so beautiful. But I mean, if you don't want to do alcohol, like there are people like there are people that have asthma, let's say so people who are allergic to alcohol, even though I don't know how nurses manage because they use alcohol all the time actually, during the pandemic it was you could not get alcohol, you could not get help, because you really have to use like at least 91% For it to work but it was all over the groups people talking about what they were doing and Amazon was selling it for which was crazy what was going on because I was flying off the shelves now. Now of course you can get it again. But people there are different methods and one of the methods uses a lot I'd have alcohol. And if I use do that I actually use a respirator because it's too much alcohol. When I work just with the inks, I don't find it. So I don't I'm not so affected by it. I did have a woman recently, like a month ago, I did a little place in my basement studio and one woman ended up having to leave. She said it was just too much for her. I don't find but all over you'll see in groups people talking about you must use a respirator you must use a respirator so you have people that do it all the time. And they wear respirators, some people, right, I've been doing it for years, I never, never wear a respirator. So there's a lot of back and forth. And you know, arguments, like there has been everything else.

Deb Timmerman  20:43

So it's interesting, I read an article recently that was published by the World Economic Forum and they said that creativity is one of the top three skills that is needed in the workplace, creativity, complex, problem-solving ability, and critical thinking are the top three job skills that they're looking for in people. And as adults, if we've had that block as a child, doing something like a hobby, or working with alcohol inks, might be a great way for you to bridge that gap. If you need to unleash that critical thinking, non judgmental, creative aspect of your abilities.

Faigie Kobre  21:28

Right and how to think because I used to teach teachers and like I used to say, the point of giving your kids, the kids, little kids are is not necessarily just to get a product. It's to teach them thinking skills. I have this piece of paper, I have these collage pieces, what am I going to do with them? How am I going to arrange them, I remember reading a book years ago by a guy named Daniel Pink, he has written a lot about creativity. And he had a book called The whole new A Whole New Mind. And he was talking about how important creativity is like nowadays, you can outsource jobs that people were able to make 75 grand now you can outsource them to India for 15. And if you don't know how to think for yourself and be creative, that you can't outsource, and how important it is to learn how to think and to think out of the box. And not and this is one of the reasons I was always so against these cookie cutter kind of graphs. This is what you have to do. There's no way to think the good news is that you're not doomed. You really, you really can reignite your creativity. And you know, you have to get over, you know, peak, there's another book I read the creative confidence this this two guys that wrote about how everyone has creativity scars in sight, unless the real people, the real artists, they were the ones who have natural skills. But most people have creativity scars that we either told they're, you know, they can draw where they were made fun of. And it just makes people afraid because it puts you up on you know, on display and gives people the power over you to save your good or not.

Deb Timmerman  23:17

Well, what a great call to action. I love that term creativity scars. So this week, the call to action is to do a little bit of reflection, and see where you may be blocked or maybe have creativity scars that you're ready to let go of. There are lots of ways just as Faigie said, to unleash that creativity. Being in one of her alcohol inks class is one way there are many. 

Faigie Kobre  23:46

Just even start you can go to my creativity reignited website. I have you can you opt in you put in your name, you'll get a 20 minute video with six different ways to use markers and alcohol to start off with alcohol. It's very easy, very, very easy entry.

Deb Timmerman  24:03

So what a fun project to do with your kids. The holidays coming up this weekend. So we encourage you to do something fun and creative. So until next time, thanks for tuning in today and we'll see you again next week. Have a great week, everybody and thank you Faigie. Less stress in life is possible. If you're new to this kind of thinking and we'd like to explore what's possible for you. We'd love to connect. You can reach us through our website at less stress in life.com. That's less stress in life.com