Comments for Alexia Petrakos

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:11:14 +0000

Alexia, thanks for posting this. This came at the perfect time for me, as someone who is looking to get her creative juices flowing again.

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by Dan Goodwin

Dan Goodwin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:52:25 +0000

Very sound advice. I love this line especially: “Lots of small actions add up to really big stuff.”

So important to just get going, even if it’s a tiny little step, it’s a step, it’s motion, it becomes momentum.

A little bit each day, like you say, can add up to a huge amount of creating, and more than that it helps you rediscover that regular flow, physically, and of ideas in your mind.

Thanks for the great reminder.

Comment on And we have a winner! by Lauren

Lauren — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:31:29 +0000

Thanks, Alexia!

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by G. Michael Reynolds

G. Michael Reynolds — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:15:12 +0000

:Waving: Yep. That’s me.

I didn’t know that’s what Bagger Vance was about. Now I have to watch it.

Carrie: My moment like that was sitting at a mixing desk in the Pro Audio section of my local Guitar Center, playing around with a piece of gear that I’m interested in. I could hear someone playing bass one room over and not doing a terrible job at it. I was sitting there surrounded by thousands of dollars of really interesting gear and I thought to myself, “how on earth did I ever convince myself that I didn’t like and enjoy music and making music? I feel absolutely comfortable and at home here.” I could probably write a small book on the reasons behind the mental lockdown, but I think that was a pretty valuable moment.

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by Carrie

Carrie — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:55:19 +0000

Alexia,
This was right on time.
I’m feeling inspired to create a drawing…and it’s been YEARS since I’ve really created anything–a drawing, a poem, a greeting card–anything.
As soon as I tried to start the drawing, I felt like a kid trying to learn how to ride a bike. Where do I START???
Your suggestion to go to the places that once inspired you got me thinking. It’s been awhile–ages–since I sat in a coffee house and wrote poetry or drew. So that’s where I need to go.
Anyway, just wanted to say thanks.

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by Alexia

Alexia — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:10:45 +0000

Everyone: let me introduce the inspiration behind this post: G. Michael Reynolds. Wave to the people Mike. You’re famous! And art is never frivolous. It feeds the soul.

@Stacey: exactly the first step is the hardest.

@organicseyes: absolutely. I’m a big fan of the small step thing!

@misty: yes!! It’s always a good thing to surround yourself with what you love. I have art all over my office and studio – not only mine, but others as well.

@susanj: my husband just watched that movie earlier this week – because he’s just getting into golf. I’ll have to check it out.

@yolanda: thanks and I didn’t know that about you! and go do it! I want to see what you come up with

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by Yolanda Facio

Yolanda Facio — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:49:19 +0000

Good post, Alexia. Waaaaayyyyyy back when, I won’t disclose the number of years! I was a film student and was accepted to CalArts in the film program. Only 5 new director students were accepted and I ended up as one of them but my parents couldn’t afford to send me. It was a sad and tragic thing. Now, recently, all these years later I was watching an interview with a female director and thinking…”wow, I don’t even think I could be that creative anymore”.

After so much time passes it seems so far away. I ended up in business school… but your post has inspired me to find something creative to do again. Something that doesn’t involve guns or cars! HA.

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by SusanJ

SusanJ — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:30:27 +0000

There’s a truly awesome movie about exactly this and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s called The Legend of Bagger Vance, and it’s all about a rising star golfer who loses his swing after returning from WWI and needs to find it again. It’s actually a modern day re-telling of the Bhagavad Gita (hence the name Bagger Vance).

At one point Bagger, the caddy, says to Junah, the golfer, “you think you gonna jus’ sashay out onto that field and pick up where you lef’ off. Don’ work dat way, is all.”

The rest of the story is about a new kind of deep presence with “the field” that helps him get it back and the healing inside that happens along the way.

Tell him to rent it. Soon.

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by Misty

Misty — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:06:04 +0000

I’m definitely a big believer in surrounding yourself with what inspires you before, during and after your creative work. It’s so nice to be able to see/hear something awesome and dream up something new in response.

Comment on How to Get Your Creative Mojo Back by G. Michael Reynolds

G. Michael Reynolds — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:28:45 +0000

+1 to that. Gradually getting my swerve back. It really does remind me of what it’s like when you’ve played a sport and are away for a long time then start up again. Gotta rebuild muscle memory, gotta get the muscles up to capacity, gotta get mental reflexes re-calibrated, etc. So far so good though. Music may be, well, kind of frivolous in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a quality of life issue for me. If I don’t do it, I’m a bitter bitter soul. If I do, life is better.