Creativity Builders Interview with Lynne Perrella, artist, author, illustrator, and creative coach.

To be honest, I don’t know how I stumbled across Lynne’s website. It may have been as a result of the buzz about Lynne’s new book, “Artists’ Journals & Sketchbooks /Exploring and Creating Personal Pages” that drew me to it. Perhaps it was her recent article in Somerset Studio Magazine on “Imperfect on Purpose” that raised my curiosity to know more. Or maybe it was a creative muse of the universe that push me her direction and lead me to ask her to do an interview on the creative process. 

Whatever the reason, I know you will enjoy her thoughts and artwork in this interview. I did!

Ron:  You have told me that your favorite topic is The Creative Process.   How would you describe this process in your life?

Lynne:  This question was harder to answer than I expected!  It was surprisingly difficult to sift through the thousands of answers – Mainly because I think The Creative Process is really about everything.  As a good friend of mine would say:  “the hamburger too big to bite”.  Over the years, I have evolved into a morning person; so I like to do something each morning that is akin to “playing scales” on a piano.  The activity might be writing, or scribbling, or making notes of ideas that emerged in dreams.  I think the urge to “notate” things prompted me to keep a diary, which eventually led to art journaling.  I like the intimate process of creating a chronicle of my ideas.  Also, I think these activities have allowed me to gain confidence in my own voice, my own approaches.  “Originality” is a huge issue for everyone in the creative arts.  I think it is the pure gold that we are all mining for, all the time.  As I get older, I am more and more aware of the value of capturing passing glimmers of ideas.  For years, I was sure that “big picture / high concept” ideas were the key ingredient to meaningful works of art.  And yet, in my own life, I was drawn to more serendipitous and momentary ideas and objects.   Eventually, I realized that my own quest for originality was going to have to depend on my authentic  love of worn, cast-off, and gnarly things.  I know that my morning “chronicles” gave me that confidence to find my own vocabulary in art. 

Ron:  What advice would you give other people trying to build more creativity into their daily lives?

Lynne:  Recently, I read about a concept called “reciprocal influence”.   When we use our own unique font of personal ideas and experiences, I think we have the best chance of keeping the creative “wheel” turning all the time.  Our life experiences can blend with our various forms of creative expression (writing, drawing, journaling, etc) and become the basis for creativity, every day.   A quotation by Juan Gris comes to mind “You are lost the moment you know the outcome”.  Be willing to be surprised by your own creative process.   And try to avoid premature self-criticism as much as possible.  I also think it is important to find kindred souls, who are also on a quest to find their own unique creative voice.  Artists tend to be very solitary and self-directed; and yet sharing about the creative process is a way of hearing our own voice, advocating for our own right to be expressive.  

Ron:  You have your first book coming out called “Artists’ Journals & Sketchbooks/ Exploring and Creating Personal Pages”.  Tell us about this.

Lynne:  Keeping a visual journal or sketchbook can be one of the most affirming and self-revelatory experiences, ever.  Unlike most other art forms, there are no rules and there is no way to fail.   These personal books can be a continuing laboratory for ideas, emotions, passing impulses, and downloaded inspirations.  They provide visual evidence of the artist’s own voice; in a sense, they are a self-published manifesto…..”The World According to Me!”   My new book provides a rare look into the art journals and sketchbooks of 40 artists, currently working in the art form.  It also includes a lot of my own work, done specifically for this book.  The reader will make a lot of discoveries, and get countless ideas for creating their own unique brand of personal chronicles.  The book also includes a chapter on alternative forms of journals; including collage, assemblage, gallery installations, and wearable art. 

Ron:  You have shared some awesome journal pages with us here. Can you give us some insight into your creative process that comes from visual journaling?

Lynne:  My journal pages are a type of "free zone" for anything I want to experiment with.  Since the pages are really "just for me", I don't have the self-editing process that might take place in doing other (framed) collages for exhibition.  And yet there is a direct connection between my journal collages, and my other work.  It's a kind of “chicken and egg" situation.  I'm not sure whether the experimental work informs the more finished work, or vice versa. Either way, I have always liked working in book form.  I enjoy walking over to a long shelf in my studio, and seeing the spiral bindings of all my art journals, in a row.  I know I can pull down any one of them and find a reminder of some strong experimental thought, and this allows me to constantly push the "Refresh" button on my imagination. 

Ron:  What is next for you?

Lynne:  Someone once told me that New Things always come in Three’s!   For me, my new experiences have included writing my first book, teaching creativity workshops, and exhibiting my collages in fine arts venues.   All of these challenges seem strongly inter-related, and yet they require me to think and dream and react in different (new) ways.   My book project taught me about Organization.  My workshops bring me out of my studio into a larger world of other artists.  And my fine art explorations have taught me about Risk and Trust.   As someone midway between 50 and 60, I often reflect that this is the perfect age.   I have a whole library of life experiences to draw upon, but I still have the urge to experiment and explore and reinvent myself.  

Learn more about Lynne Perrella:

Lynne Perrella is a mixed-media artist, author, illustrator, and creative coach. Her interests include collage, assemblage, one-of-a-kind books, and art journals.  Her work has been published in numerous books and magazines.  She conducts creativity workshops at various venues in the US and abroad, and exhibits collage in galleries throughout the Berkshire Mountains .   Her first book, “Artists’ Journals & Sketchbooks/Exploring and Creating Personal Pages” is published by Rockport/Quarry.   

Website Information for Lynne:  www.LKPerrella.com

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