It’s a saying that many of us have heard, though we may only tend to think of it when we are hungry and trying to cook spaghetti (at least that’s when it always springs to my mind.)

Be that as it may, this expression is powerful in its universality.  It can be applied to all kinds of scenarios. Often, when you are watching something for a long period of time, constantly awaiting change, it seems to take awhile before anything interesting happens.

Though this concept of the “watched pot” has been around for a long time, recent research supports the idea that our brains actually function according to a similar principal. A 2011 study out of the University of Illinois indicates that, given time and exposure to a particular sensation, external or internal, the brain will actually begin to ignore it.  Alejandro Lleras, the psychology professor who led the study, summed it up this way: “Constant stimulation is registered by our brains as unimportant.”

Lleras’ study indicated that our brains could grow used to internal stimulation as well, meaning that the more we concentrate on a particular thought, the more inclined we are to get distracted!

That’s right: your brain may literally be designed to be distracted from the things you are trying to concentrate on. Nice, right?

Distraction Pitfalls in a Homeschooling Environment

In a way, it seems that homeschooling would be the very least distracting form of education, given that there are less unwelcome distractions and many more opportunities to personalize the educational experience.  While these things are true, homeschooling still has its own pitfalls when it comes to students’  struggle with distraction. Below, you’ll find some situations that can lead to distraction for homeschoolers.

1. When “the watched pot” becomes a pressure cooker.

There is a much smaller student-to-teacher ratio in homeschooling environments, which is, in many ways, great! In fact, according to this study on distraction in education, students were typically less on task in a standard, public-school sized classroom environment than in a private school/homeschooling/smaller classroom environment. This isn’t shocking; it goes along with a great deal of other research that praises smaller student-to-teacher ratios.

However, one of the downsides to the small student-to-teacher ratio of homeschooling is that the environment can begin to feel very intense and pressured (AKA “watched”), especially if a student is already feeling distracted or struggling with a particular subject.

For instance, maybe one of your children struggles in math, and you keep trying the same curriculum/approach in a one-on-one situation. An approach that becomes too pressured, or doesn’t adjust/change, can result in the following distracted/negative patterns:

• a student putting off the particular subject until the end of each day
• unfinished assignments in that subject
• an increasingly frustrated attitude (for both the homeschooling child and parent)
• taken together, these can build some negative associations with learning and create some difficult patterns in homeschooling as whole.

2. When They’re “Independently Learning” (But You Discover They’ve Actually Been Studying the Art of Procrastination)

Homeschooling can incorporate a lot of independent study, particularly for older students. Again, this is by no means a bad thing. Many students work well independently, and being able to do so is an important life skill that often serves homeschoolers well in adulthood.

Unfortunately, independent study also puts students (particularly teens,  who are the ones most often engaging in it) at a high risk for distraction if they don’t have accountability.

For one thing, modern teens (and adults, too) are almost always multi-tasking and never without their phones.  This article in Psychology Today does a good job at explaining how the very act of being “plugged in” (as most adults and teens are), impacts both focus as well as  IQ (even without actively surfing social media or sending texts).

This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t trust capable homeschoolers with independent study, but it does mean that we should first help them learn some effective, distraction-busting strategies and study skills to help them learn how to do it well.

3. When Distraction Was Always the Main Issue

Though this technically isn’t a “pitfall,” one likely reason you are reading this article is because you have a homeschooler (or more than one) who is particularly prone to distraction!

A very common reason that parents choose to homeschool is because they have a child who learns differently.  I shared a little bit about my struggle with ADD and how it was part of my mom’s “why” for homeschooling me in this post. Many homeschool parents choose this form of education for their easily-distracted children because, in many ways, it offers a less distracted environment than public school.

However, that still doesn’t make it easy to keep your ADD/ADHD child on task.

As we’ve discussed, there are pitfalls for distraction everywhere, even in homeschooling!  And if distraction has always been an issue for your child, it will likely continue to be something that he or she will need to learn how to cope with.

As a homeschooling parent, one of the best tools you can give your distraction-prone child is the ability to recognize and combat distracted tendencies. Again this is an opportunity to teach life skills hand-in-hand with academic ones. In addition to personally dealing with ADD, I’ve also tutored many students who also share this struggle. Several of the tips I’m going to share below have helped in those situations, and I hope they help you and your student(s), too.

Creative Strategies to Defeat Distraction

If, for whatever reason, your homeschooler suffers from distraction, there are definitely strategies that you can employ to keep your homeschool experience engaging and focused. The 3 strategies that I want to share today all have something in common: a creative perspective.

Creativity is all about learning to see something old in a new or unique way. As the study on distraction indicated, our minds have a natural tendency to turn “off” when they are forced to process the same sensory input, the same way, over and over again. A creative perspective, one that offers a fresh and original approach to sensory input, is a great natural remedy to distraction.

Therefore, here are 3 simple creative strategies that you can use to defeat distraction in your homeschool!

1. Taking Short “Brain Breaks” for a Fresh Outlook

It’s not as hard to get a fresh and/or creative perspective as it might seem.   The research study on the brain’s tendency towards distraction found a very simple solution to prolong focus: take a short break every once in awhile!

In the study, the control group was given a single task to focus on for 50 minutes, compared to a “switch group”  who were given the same task, over the same amount of time, but with two breaks. The outcomes demonstrated that the “switch group” performed much better in terms of memory and focus. Lleras, the professor in charge of the study, proposed that the act of “deactivating” and “reactivating” your goals is what helps you stay focused.  

Schools with smaller class sizes often use brain breaks to great effect! These breaks involve a short, creative or physical activity that can reset a student’s mindset, emotional state, and perspective.  Here are some great situations to pull out a short brain break in your homeschool:

• Whenever a student has been working steadily/independently in a subject for 30 + minutes.
• When switching between subjects.
• After you’ve introduced new material and it’s been understood/processed.
• After (or in the middle of) working with a difficult-to-understand subject/ topic.
• Whenever there’s been conflict (emotions are high/emotional break is needed.)

You can schedule brain breaks as part of your school-time, or pull them out as needed (like in the “pressure cooker” situation described earlier). Most of the time, a brain break will only take a few minutes, but it can help students come back to the material with a fresh outlook.

This Website provides a free printable with 54 short brain break ideas that you can use for your homeschoolers. The author suggests cutting the ideas into strips that can be randomly pulled out of a jar whenever a brain break is needed.  Some really simple ideas you could use for brain breaks include:

• A short dance party.
• Coloring or drawing for a few minutes.
• “Simon Says,” (for younger kids.)
• Singing a song.
• Exercising (timed push-ups, running in place, etc.)
• Working with hands (playdough, kinetic sand, Legos, etc.)

2. Get in the Learning Zone: Internally and Externally

Brain breaks are a great, short pause to “deactivate and reactivate your goals” (I like that expression). However, sometimes a longer break, or different kind of shift, is needed.  Basically, I’m talking about the mental shift of getting in the productivity/learning zone. This “zone” is going to look different for each person.   There are many things you can do and try with your homeschooled student to help him/her figure out how to create the  ideal learning zone. Here are some suggestions to try:

Establish a Consistent Morning Routine 

Find a morning routine that works for you, your child/ children and your homeschool. Not every homeschool family rises at the crack of dawn. Some sleep in, and that’s ok! However, consider setting a consistent waking pattern that will get brains wired, organized, and ready to roll.

Starting with showers, breakfast and getting dressed for the day is often thought to promote a working mode much more than staying in pajamas all day, for instance.  This list of 14 things that successful people do each morning is more for adults than kids, but it still offers some great ideas to get you started! Some ideas you might consider are:

• Drinking water first thing in the morning.
• Exercising first thing in the morning.
• Starting the day with gratitude (this could be family prayer time together or taking a moment at breakfast for everyone to share something positive.)
• Starting the day with something creative.

Activate the Brain with Art

Starting the day with something creative is beneficial in more ways than one.  The above link about habits of successful people mentions that starting the day with a “personal project” (often something creative like writing or art) can create a positive pattern of productivity that you look forward to, every morning.

However, art (and drawing in particular) may also be a great way to exercise your brain, and get into a “learning zone,” first thing in the morning.  The extremely popular art instruction book, Drawing with the Right Side of the Brain, goes into detail about how the act of drawing can potentially activate both hemispheres of the brain. This is especially true as the artist gains techniques that allow him/her to start thinking differently about shapes, shadows, etc.

The author’s official Website states: “learning to draw means learning how to make a mental shift from L-mode to R-mode…this ability to shift thinking modes at will has important implications for thinking in general and for creative problem solving in particular.”

Starting the day with drawing can help your homeschool student get in the “learning zone” for other academic subjects.  If you are looking for high-quality art instruction that you can use as part of your homeschool on a daily basis, check out our programs at Sparketh.  Sparketh offers over 1000 art video lessons, as well as tracks to help your students document and keep up with his/her progress.

Create a Productive Workspace

Students can also better combat distraction when they’ve created a productive workspace that works for them.  A major pro of homeschooling is that it allows homeschoolers to have a lot of flexibility in terms of when and where and how they work. We all have work environments that work best for us as individuals. Allow your student to try learning in some different spaces and circumstances to see what helps him/her focus best.

Here are some different places you might try:

• A homeschool room or their bedroom
• Different rooms/places in your home
• At the park
• Coffee shop
• The Library
• The backyard

Other considerations:

• If your student has a phone/is on social media, consider “unplugging” during school time.
• Some people find that classical/calming music helps them focus
• Others need as little noise as possible to concentrate.
• You may want to use a clock/timer to keep timed breaks in mind.

3. Embrace Creative Learning Techniques

A third strategy to fight distraction is to integrate some creative learning assignments into your daily homeschool life.  Reading, summarizing and regurgitation (while necessary) all offer temptation for distraction to creep in. In contrast, engaging your homeschooler in creative assignments  requires him/her to synthesize learning in a different and original way.

This is an especially great thing to do once your homeschooled student has a fairly good grasp on a topic. It will give him/her a chance to show what they know about a subject in a fun and personal way.

Learning Styles

One thing that’s really good to keep in mind when coming up with creative assignments is your homeschooler’s learning style.  This link explains the seven most common learning styles (excerpt from link is posted below):

• Visual (spatial):You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
• Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music.
• Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
• Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
• Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
• Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
• Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

While people may present a blend of learning styles, most tend to have a dominant style.  You can definitely consider your homeschooler’s learning style as you come up with creative learning assignments!

Assignment Ideas and Examples

• For a visual learner:

  • Science/ literature or history: create a comic strip or movie poster that represents the concept or book you’ve been studying.
  • History:  draw a portrait of a historical figure, done in an art style that was popular at the time.  Sparketh has designed a course that you could use for this!

• For the verbal/linguistic learner: 

  • History: write a week’s worth of journal entries as a famous historical person, incorporating events from his/her life.
  • Literature:  write a creative re-telling of a popular work of literature.
  • Science or mathmatics:  craft a poem or song about a concept being studied.

I hope that using these creative strategies help you and your children cope with distraction in your homeschool environment!

Before we’re totally done here, let’s go back to that ” a watched pot is slow to boil,” proverb. This expression actually comes from The Poor Richard Almanac, written by Benjamin Franklin under his pseudonym of “Poor Richard.” Benjamin Franklin was one of the great thinkers and inventors of early America.  He was also homeschooled!

Franklin is a great example of how homeschoolers can embrace chances to learn independently and creatively. (This is the guy who discovered how to conduct electricity–talk about thinking outside of the box for the time!) May you find as many ways as possible to be creative in your homeschool journey. Creativity isn’t just a great way to counteract distraction,  it’s also a wonderful approach to learning in general!

Written by Kathryn Gustafson 

The post 3 Creative Strategies for Distracted Homeschoolers appeared first on Sparketh.

To me, creativity is the trait that allows us to look at familiar things in new ways. Often, creativity also involves the ability to present the world in a way that inspires others to see it differently, too!

While many people only think of artists and poets as being creative, that’s not the case. Many dynamic CEOs and excellent public speakers are creative thinkers, with the ability to engage and inspire others in unique ways. The best teachers, doctors, and lawyers are often creative, too: flexible, adaptable, and able to perceive things that others might not.

The truth is that creativity is a valuable asset to anyone: no matter their occupation or stage of life.

Creativity and Homeschooling 

While creativity is an important trait for anyone to try to develop, it has a unique role for homeschoolers and homeschooling families. For one thing, some families’ top reason for homeschooling is to better support their children in actively pursuing their creative interests. More generally speaking, many parents choose to homeschool so that they can teach their children how to think for themselves…which often means original or creative thinking! 

 Also,  because homeschooling invites personalized and flexible learning education, finding creative solutions is the ever-present element of the homeschool life. For all these reasons (and more),  it makes a lot of sense to cultivate a creative homeschool environment and find ways to inspire creativity on a daily basis. 

(Psst: Don’t homeschool, but still looking for ways to spark creativity? That’s okay, you can still use these strategies–they’re really relevant for anyone. Just adapt them into practical applications that work for you!) 

Whether you want to foster creativity in your own life, your child’s life, your homeschool (or all of the above), here are 3 simple strategies to spark creativity, every day! 

1. Practice Mindfulness

You know how a lot of people say that they get their best ideas in the middle of the night, or in the shower? I think that this is because these kinds of moments give us a bit of solitude to be more mindful of our thoughts.

Our lives can be so noisy–full of multi-tasking, a constant stream of background sounds and pressing to-do lists.  Yet, despite the fact that we may feel increasingly tempted to turn the television on for background noise, or juggle numerous tasks at once, the fact remains that creativity blooms when we are deliberately mindful of the task at hand. Perhaps this is why the art of mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular.

What is mindfulness, anyway?

At its core, to be mindful simply means to be aware and in touch with what you’re doing and thinking at that moment. It’s essentially being thoughtful and aware of what’s going on inside that brain of yours.  

Mindfulness is also thought to help with anxiety, depression and…you guessed it… creativity. It makes a lot of sense that being in touch with your emotions and thoughts would spark creativity. After all, being creative is all about unique perspectives –which we can’t gain without checking into our own thoughts and feelings every once in a while!

How to Help Your Kids Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness may seem to you like a very “adult” attribute to hone. I’ll be honest, to me, the word conjures up the image of a bunch of twenty-somethings in a quiet yoga studio rather than a bunch of kids. 

However, there are definitely some really easy – and yes – kid-friendly ways, you can increase mindfulness and spark creativity in your home (or your homeschool) on a daily basis! Two of the simplest ways to cultivate mindfulness for kids are to:

1. Embrace boredom
2. Encourage journaling. 

Let Them Be “Bored”

Something about the younger generations (and as a millennial, I include myself in this) is that we can be really resistant to quiet, to things not going on all around us. We’re basically over-stimulated noise and activity addicts.

For example, I have a hard time not turning on music in my car. I’m tempted to put a show or audiobook on while I’m doing chores at home. I feel guilty if I’m just doing one thing. The issue here isn’t that music, audiobooks or shows are bad, but rather that sitting in silence is a real challenge.  I crave entertainment. However, when I do finally force myself to listen to nothing but my own thoughts? That’s when I really feel like I’m getting to spend some quality time within my own headspace and generally start feeling more creative. 

It’s true for kids, too. You know you’ve seen it. Your little one binges on Disney + and then cannot self-entertain the whole rest of the day (tell me I’m not the only one?)  When my daughter gets too much TV, she quickly picks up a bad attitude with a heavy side of “entertain me.”  Then, when I try to turn OFF the TV? The push-back is HARD. 

However, the days when the noise stays down from the very beginning turn out much differently. She might push back initially, but then she settles. She does her work. She draws. She plays. She entertains herself.

 She uses her imagination.

Do you feel like the constant need for entertainment is hindering your child (or you) from being more mindful and/or creative? If so, this tip is (deceptively) easy: stop entertaining! Turn the sound off, put the devices away. You might deal with a little push back (and by “might” I mean you definitely will), but then you can watch the magic happen. 

(On a related note, check out this eye-opening article to read more about why letting your kids be bored sometimes can be a really good thing.)

Practice Journaling with Your Kids

The practice of journaling can be one of the best ways to let your thoughts flow, unfiltered.

 The habitual practice of actually stopping to observe, and write down, your thoughts taps into the essence of what it means to be mindful and creative–to know your own inner voice and embrace the things that make you unique. 

Journaling can be particularly awesome for children and teens. For one thing, it’s extra writing practice! Even better than that, it’s writing practice that instills in a child a sense of ownership over language. Obviously, it also fosters self-expression, which is an important part of childhood development. 

Journaling is definitely an activity that you can introduce to your children to foster mindfulness. If you homeschool, you could even make journaling a daily part of academics–it might just stick and turn into a healthy lifelong habit! 

2. Pay Attention: Observe, Describe and Ask

When it comes to being creative, we’ve established that it’s important to know what you think. However,  how can you really know what you think when you haven’t paid attention to some of the great works, ideas, or achievements of others?  Your creative decisions will be much better informed if…well… YOU are well-informed. And to be well-informed, you have to pay attention! 

How to Practice the Art of Paying Attention

 Whereas mindfulness is all about learning to stop and listen to your own thoughts (your inner voice), learning to pay attention to the things outside of yourself is another, more analytical strategy that can spark creativity. 

Specifically, in terms of artistic/creative endeavors, this could mean studying a great work in the medium in which you are honing your skills in (such as a painter studying the works of great painters throughout the ages, or a writer studying techniques used in classic novels.) 

However, you don’t have to limit this strategy simply to the pursuit of traditionally creative (artistic) endeavors; it’s also useful in fostering creative thinking! 

With your kids (or in your own daily life), you can break the practice of  “paying attention” down into three parts: 

• Observe— look and listen to what’s going on around you. Take in the information. Note the details. You can do this any context–from socially relevant conversations to great works of art or literature. 

• Describe–Talk or write about what you see. Be detailed as you do so, and note a few things, in particular, such as: What stood out to me about this? What did I like? What didn’t I like? 

• Question— Now that you’ve observed and taken time to describe, stop to think about what stands out to you and ask–why? In any creative study (and in creative thinking) it’s important to understand not just what you think, but why you think it. Once you know that, then you can begin to create your own creative works or formulate your own, unique ideas! 

Even  Picasso Learned the Rules Before He Broke Them

In writing about these stages of “paying attention,” I can’t help but think about Pablo Picasso.

 Picasso, the famous Spanish artist, is most well-known for his abstract, Cubist paintings. (Picasso was, in fact, the father of Cubism.)  Unlike the emphasis on realism which had come before it, Cubism focused on conveying geometric (rather than life-like) forms. It was an entirely original, and insanely influential, art style.

Because he is so famous for his Cubist paintings, some may not realize that Picasso was an amazingly gifted artist in realism, as well. 

He studied formally from a young age under his father (a skilled painter), and then at a fine arts academy, where he took in great works of art and mastered classic techniques. He was extremely talented. In fact, at the age of 14, he painted the stunning, quite realistic, oil portrait of his Aunt Pepa (below). According to the official Website of Pablo Picasso, this frequently is referred to as “one of the best portraits of Spanish history.” 

“The Portrait of Aunt Pepa,” 1896, Pablo Picasso. Image Taken from PabloPicasso.org

So what can we take away from this example about Pablo? Though he is remembered for his unique, Cubist style (for listening to his inner-voice, if you will), his education and observation of classical technique ultimately gave him the strong foundation upon which he built his own contribution to his field. The ability to “pay attention,” (observe, describe and question) is of fundamental importance to the creative process.

Integrating this Process into Your Homeschool

Luckily for parents and homeschooling families, this process (observe, describe, question) pretty much describes a large portion of the way that we teach/learn, already. Whether from books, playtime, nature hikes or trips to the art museum, we generally learn by doing, observing, and asking lots of questions.

So, if you’re trying to cultivate more creativity in your homeschool, simply try to be more aware (ahem…mindful) of this process!

Here are some examples of great situations in which you (or your homeschooler) can practice those “pay attention” skills:

1. 1. When reading great works of literature. 
   2. When watching the daily news. 
   3. In studying historical events. 
   4. While visiting the art museum. 
   5. (This one is especially great for aspiring artists): take some of Sparketh’s step-by-step drawing courses to study/observe classic techniques! 

3. Get in the Habit of Creating

This third strategy for sparking creativity is the simplest, but can also be the most difficult to follow through on!

Being mindful of your own unique voice + an increased awareness of how others do things = the perfect environment for creativity to thrive.

All that’s left is to make a daily habit of creating.

If you are looking for ways to increase creativity in your own life, your kids’ lives, or your homeschool, consider making time each day  to create something. It could be a work of art, a poem, a journal entry…it could even be time spent knitting a scarf or coming up with an original recipe.

I know, I know. It can be hard to create when you don’t feel like it. 

Creative blocks (like writer’s block, or holding a paint brush in your hand with your imagination seemingly running on “empty”) are very intimidating and can seem impossible-to-overcome. The only way to overcome the intimidation? (Nike quote incoming): “Just Do It.” 

Practice makes possible.

As someone who has several creative interests, here are some things that I’ve found really help me overcome the intimidation of creating so that I can make it a daily part of my life. 

• Follow instructions or participate in a challenge. You don’t have to come up with inspiration all by yourself in order to be creative everyday! There are a lot of great resources that can guide you as you make a habit of creating! Here are some great ones to consider for your homeschooler (or yourself). 
  • • Join Sparketh where you can access dozens of online art courses that offer learning tracks, courses, and guidance that you can do on your own time and schedule.
    • Got a poet or aspiring novelist in the house? Consider encouraging them to participate in a daily writing challenge like the month-long novel writing challenge, National Write Your Novel Month. You can totally work something like this into your homeschool for the month as part of language arts! 

• Set small goals. One thing that makes any creative endeavor less overwhelming is to break seemingly large tasks into small, achievable daily goals. This is true for adults, but even more so for kids who tend to get overwhelmed. If you are trying to get your homeschooler into the habit of creating, remember that small, daily goals keep things fun and motivational, too!  Setting a 15-minute timer or challenging your student to write a daily haiku or journal entry are examples of ways you can keep the assignment small and attainable.

• Allow messiness. The creative process is all about discovery. Just as we take inspiration from great ideas that have come before us, we are always taking inspiration from our own creative progress, too! There will (and should) be things about our own creations that we don’t really like—this is what guides us in the progression of creating the next thing and making it even better! In your homeschool, and in your own life, try to give yourself permission to be a little bit messy as you create. This will not only give you things to learn from, but it will also make the habit of creating consistently way less intimidating!

As you can see, there are many different ways you can apply and practice the strategies of practicing mindfulness, paying attention, and making a habit of creating (in your homeschool and beyond!) How will you plan to utilize these strategies?

Written by Kathryn Gustafson

The post 3 Simple Strategies to Spark Creativity Everyday (In Your Homeschool and Beyond) appeared first on Sparketh.

“Creativity is always an extension of you. You can only create as far as you know, which is why it’s always important to keep learning.”

 -Dwayne Walker, Sparketh CEO

 A professional artist and the CEO/co-founder of Sparketh, Dwayne is passionate about Sparketh’s mission to foster and nurture creativity and provide valuable artistic instruction on a virtual platform.  In this interview, we chatted about how Dwayne’s own artistic and educational background shaped Sparketh’s development, his views on the power of art and learning, and his hopes for Sparketh’s future.

On His Role at Sparketh

“Yes, technically I’m the CEO,” Dwayne says when I ask him about his role at Sparketh. “But that’s just a name to me.  In reality, Tim (Sparketh’s vice president/ co-founder Tim Samuel) and I work together as a team.”

“Within that team,” Dwayne continues, “I’m more of the ‘visionary.’ I have the dreams-the overall vision-for what Sparketh can and should be. A lot of times those dreams are very imaginative and intuitive–which is why I love it when Tim is on board with one of my visions for Sparketh. If I dream it, and Tim approves it, it means it might actually be something we can do!”

He continues, “Sometimes, I have ideas that are too big or that aren’t something we should be focusing on right now, but if Tim is also passionate about a vision that I have for Sparketh, it means that he’s already making a plan for how it can happen. He’s a genius with knack for reverse-engineering. Because things with Sparketh change all the time, we are always working together to figure out how those constant changes affect Sparketh’s ongoing development.”

Dwayne, a professional artist, teaches many of the art courses on Sparketh’s Website, something he’s been doing since the company’s beginning. Now that Sparketh has grown, additional art instructors have joined Sparketh’s team to teach students an even more diverse range of artistic skills and styles.

 In terms of his day-to-day activities with Sparketh, Dwayne also works on the branding and marketing, as well as conducting a lot of meetings and in-person communications. Though Sparketh began on a much smaller scale – with Dwayne teaching art courses and Tim filming, editing and uploading videos online – it has since grown into a larger company with a growing team of helpers. However, even as Dwayne and Tim delegate some of their former activities, they continue to maintain their primary roles, using the opposite skillsets that made the idea for Sparketh possible in the first place.

Creativity Fueled by Sacrifice, Learning, and Courage

When I ask Dwayne to tell me something unique about his background, the answer isn’t what I expect. I expect him to immediately tell me about his art, or about his artistic inspirations. While we talk about those things later, that’s not where he begins.

 He starts by telling me about something his mother taught him.

 “I was born and raised in Atlanta, but my parents moved here from Jamaica. They both worked hard to support me and my five siblings, but then my dad was injured on the job. After that, my mom worked extra hard to not only raise us, but also to support us financially. She gave so much of herself to make sure we had what we needed.”

“My mom really taught me what sacrificial love looks like,” Dwayne emphasizes, “and in the end I think that’s really one of the most important lessons anyone can learn.” 

His mother’s example of sacrificial love and giving impacted the artist and entrepreneur deeply. Dwayne brings it up a few more times throughout our interview, noting that – though his mother was not an artist herself – she repeatedly encouraged him in his own creative journey, “She supported me, creatively, in whatever way she could,” he says.

Perhaps this is one reason that Dwayne lists, “giving more than you receive,” as one of his top values. He explains. “If you can leave two good things behind for every good thing that you receive, you’re leaving the world a better place than you found it.”

He says that his other top values are learning and courage.

The Link Between Creativity and Learning

It’s apparent from talking to Dwayne that an indiscriminate thirst for learning is a very vital part of his work and life.

“I make time to read every day,” he says, early on in the conversation.  “Sharing and gaining information is one of the best things I do for myself. I like to consider myself in a state of … ‘ultra-learning.’” Dwayne continues, “I have this big fear that I won’t be able to learn all that I need to learn by the time I die, so I’m always trying to learn as much as I can, about all kinds of different things. If you were to go look at my bookshelf right now, you wouldn’t be able to tell what in the world I’m into. There are books about every topic imaginable.”

For Dwayne, there is also a clear connection between learning and creativity. “Creativity is always an extension of you,” he says. “You can only create as far as you know, which is why it’s always important to keep learning.”

The Importance of Taking Risks

“Courage is another one of my greatest values,” says Dwayne. “It’s only when you step out of your comfort zone that you can really begin to see big changes and great things happen in your life.”

Courage is certainly something that has played a role in Dwayne Walker’s own life so far. A self-taught artist, Dwayne reached out of his comfort zone as a teen to compete in numerous art competitions and pursue a professional art career at a very young age. Dwayne, as well as his business partner Tim, both took several risks in order to bring Sparketh  to life.

As college students perusing degrees in business, they both dropped out when they became passionate about making a plan for Sparketh, deciding to put their efforts into the project fulltime.

His Journey as a Self-Taught Artist

A large part of Dwayne’s story as an artist, and a large part of the inspiration for Sparketh, comes from his experience as a self-taught artist.

“Growing up, I loved art from an early age. I loved anything creative–but my parents weren’t artists,” says Dwayne.  “They couldn’t teach me how to draw, but they did encourage my creativity in any way they could. Any type of resources I could find, I stuck to, and I taught myself.”

When asked if there was a certain point he knew he wanted to be an artist, Dwayne laughs and recalls his first official art sale:

 “I’m not sure how old I was – very young- but I remember tracing a dolphin from a coloring book and my aunt buying it for five dollars.  Five dollars is a lot of money for a kid — all the candy in the world. So that was my initial motivation.” He continues, “Honestly, I was also motivated to do art early on because I was competing with my older brother. He’s three years older than me and is an amazing artist, but when we were kids he took a break for a year and switched over to music. I continued doing art, and I think part of me was driven by the desire to ‘beat him’.”

Later on, Dwayne says, the motivation to pursue art became more internal.

“As I got older, I began to create art for more emotional reasons. A lot of times when I was growing up, I would feel things that I didn’t know how to put to words. Creating was the way I was able to express myself. I lived to create. At some point, I realized that I should strive to create for a living. I owe art my life in a way, because it’s become such an extension of myself.”

When he was a teenager, he began entering art competitions, winning over 50 of them. Out of these, one competition stands out among the rest in terms of the way it shaped his artistic journey.

“I almost didn’t even make it into that particular competition,” he tells me. “It was a two-part contest, and the first part involved a submission in the mail. I heard about the deadline on the radio and knew I’d have to get something in the mail that same day in order to meet the deadline. It was just a couple of hours before the post office closed, too, but I got it in in time and was selected as a finalist with 19 other people.”

“Bicycle Graveyard,” (above) was the sketch that made Dwayne one of the finalists in the competition.

He ended up winning the live competition, a drawing contest that took place at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. This yielded a television interview and, more notably, an influential trip to Italy.

Finding Inspiration in Italy

“It (that trip) changed everything,” says Dwayne. “In Italy, I saw ‘art beyond the pencil’ for the first time. Everything in Italy is art: the food, the buildings, the museums, people painting on the street. It’s all art. There were a few competition winners on that trip, and the tour guide we were with  made a point of expanding our idea of the arts. We did art related activities the whole time: everything from culinary tours to studying architecture.”

It was also in Italy that Dwayne discovered a love of painting and saw the in-person work of his longtime personal inspiration, Leornardo Di Vinci.

“I think I first saw myself in his fascination with wings,” says Dwayne, who states that he’s also always gravitated towards drawing/painting imagery of hummingbirds, wings, and (also like Di Vinci) portraits.

“I also connect with his passion for curiosity, and his love for freedom and art.”  Echoing his own love of learning, Dwayne says that he also is in awe of Di Vinci’s passion mastery of a variety of interests.

“He also didn’t conform,” Dwayne adds. “He was fully focused on creating. He could by hired by one person and then later be hired by their mortal enemy. None of those politics mattered because it was all about creativity and learning for him.”

On Art Education and Homeschooling 

“In many ways, Sparketh was inspired by my homeschool experience,” says Dwayne.

He explains that, while he wasn’t homeschooled for his entire education, he “bounced around a bit between different public schools and homeschooling.”

“My mom wanted to homeschool me,” explains Dwayne, “but there were years that she’d put me into public school, specifically so that I would have access to publicly funded art programs because we didn’t have the resources for classes.”

Despite this, however, Dwayne says that homeschooling was really where he got to tap into his own creativity. “Even though my mom wasn’t an artist, she’d find ways to integrate art into history or math because she knew how important it was to me. Homeschooling was really when art got to be the center of my education.”  

Even though homeschooling gave Dwayne more opportunities to independently pursue art, he admits that a resource like Sparketh would have made a big difference for him.

 “I know that things would have been a lot different if I’d had a resource like this (Sparketh). I always used to dream about some ultimate resource for learning art. If I’d had it, growing up, I’d be a much better artist than I am now, and it would have taken a lot of stress off of my mom. Having Sparketh-finding something anything close to it-would have been the missing key to my artistic education at home.”

Dwayne tells me that getting to connect with students, particularly those who have been looking for the missing piece in their study of art at home, has been the most rewarding part of the Sparketh experience for him so far. In particular, he recalls the very first family they signed up as clients.

 “They signed up, but they also stuck with us. We got to know them, got to see the impact that Sparketh was having on their family. A lot of people sell a product and may get a good review, but they don’t really see the impact. We were able to see the impact our product had on this family for years, and that definitely helped shape our mission and gave us insight and clarity into what we were offering.”

Sparketh’s Mission and Hopes for the Future

“I would say there are probably three parts to my “unofficial” mission for Sparketh. The first is to ‘spark,’ or inspire, creativity in kids. That was idea that started Sparketh, really: we want for kids who don’t see themselves as ‘creative’ to find and tap into that part of themselves.”

“Secondly,” Dwayne continues, “we don’t just want to inspire creativity, we want to be there to nurture it, to provide continual resources to help our students foster and improve their skills.” Dwayne adds that he also feels that if a resource like Sparketh several years ago, it would have helped some of his other friends who were artistically inclined. “I had a lot of friends who were interested in art that gave up, and I feel like a resource like Sparketh would have nurtured their creativity and encouraged them to keep going.”

 He continues, “Picasso said that ‘every child is an artist, but the challenge is keeping them an artist when they grow up.’ So in addition to helping ignite that initial spark, we also want to help the artists stay creative.”

“Thirdly,” Dwayne says, “I want to help empower creative individuals and to also empower the idea that ‘creativity is important.’”

“A lot of people who are creative don’t really see how it can be beneficial. I think that creativity will continue to be incredibly important in our future culture. In fact, if you look at ‘most valuable skills that employers look for’ creativity has consistently been one of the top soft skills that employers look for over the last several years.”

Future Hopes for Sparketh and the Importance of Creativity

“My wildest hope is very future-focused,” says Dwayne. “I hope that Sparketh will play an important role for kids who are learning all things creative in the years ahead. We want to be there as a hub to support all kinds of creative learning, and also to go beyond just learning. I want for us to be there to nurture creativity and to empower creative learning as creativity becomes an increasingly important part of our future. My wildest dream is that Sparketh will be a hub for anyone to come to for all things creative.”

Beyond his own enthusiasm for creativity, art, and art education for kids, Dwayne has other reasons for believing that cultivating creativity in the upcoming generation is important.

“I think that cultivating creativity in a culture of conformity is the key to the future,” says Dwayne. “We’re at this point, as a society, where everyone has plenty of skills. We’re not short on skills. But what we will continue to need are innovation and initiative–which are both impossible without creativity. In that sense, creativity is important – is key- to how the world will continue to advance.”

Interview by Kathryn Gustafson

The post An Interview with Sparketh’s Artistic Visionary: Dwayne Walker appeared first on Sparketh.

Creativity is one of the most important qualities to nourish in kids for a huge list of reasons, but here are just a few:

• Creative activities foster essential parts of child development, such as: critical thinking skills, fine motor skills, and self-expression.
• Creativity helps children find their unique point-of-view, which helps them gain confidence and communication skills.
• Given today’s quickly evolving digital era, the ability to be creative and innovate are predicted to be some of the most sought after skills in future careers (65% of which do not even exist yet!)

I could probably come up with 100 reasons that being creative is important, especially for growing minds! But if you’re here looking for some simple ways to help boost your child’s creativity, there is a simple daily activity you can encourage your kids to do to help make that happen: drawing.

Helping your child get regular drawing practice is an easy and fun way to make sure your child is growing creatively. Here are 5 simple drawing activities to grow your child’s creativity!

1.  Schedule Time for Drawing

Like anything else, creativity can grow with practice, and the best way to make sure that practice happens is to make it a habit!

A really easy way to help foster your child’s creativity is simply to schedule some time each day to be creative. Drawing is a portable and minimalist form of art that is easy to do, everyday, so it’s the perfect form of art to work into your “daily creativity routine.” Simply pick a time of day (and an amount of time) that works for your family’s schedule, and make that time a time for drawing!

And sure, you can’t always predict when “creativity will strike,” but the truth is that creative moments will happen more often when creativity becomes a regular practice.  Sparketh offers drawing classes for kids that can be filtered by level and length-of-time, which can also become a part of your child’s regularly scheduled drawing time!

2.  Free-Drawing

Part of fostering creativity is letting go of control. Sometimes it’s good to simply give your child  a blank piece of paper and just let them draw whatever they want! They could use colored pencils and play around with shapes, doodles, designs—whatever wants to come out!

If they are stuck, sometimes an open ended-drawing prompt can be a good idea. For example, you could ask them to design an original character, or draw something they’d like to do, or come up with an imaginary creature! However, try not to guide them too in what they are doing, and definitely avoid critique!

For kids, free-drawing is an opportunity to let their imaginations run wild, and seeing their own creations come to life on the page is very rewarding! In addition, free drawing is a way that kids often discover what types of subjects capture their interest the most, and what they like to draw the most. From there, they can hone the skills that relate to drawing that subject by using our drawing classes for kids.

3.  Drawing Games

Drawing games are another fun way to incorporate drawing as a daily habit and boost your child’s creativity. Getting stuck on “what to draw” can be an obstacle for anyone getting started with art. Using games and drawing prompts can help break the ice and help your child feel at ease when drawing.

There are many ways you can make a game out of drawing. Here are a few ideas to get you started!

• Play a drawing version of “charades,” where your child has a limited amount of time to draw a picture and you get to guess what it is (the less time given to draw, the more fun the game will probably be!) For example, you could have a bowl full of bits of paper with simple prompts and a bowl with pieces of paper with different amounts of time written on them. Then challenge your child to pull out a simple drawing idea (say he or she gets something like “a baseball player”) out of one bowl, and an amount of time (such as “30 seconds”) out of another! This is a fun way to practice drawing different things and spending more (or less) time with various drawings. It’s a fun one for multiple kids to play together, too!

• A simpler version of this game on-the-fly would be to do “drawing Simon says,” where your child has to draw whatever “Simon says,” within a certain amount of time.

• You could also play a game (let’s call it “Mix-up,”) where you challenge your child to combine two objects or animals into a new creation through drawing! For example, your child could combine a zebra and a mermaid, or an elephant and a computer. (Get creative!)

• One of my favorite drawing games is something that I like to call the “squiggle game,” where one person starts a drawing, and another person adds to it, until a work of art emerges and both artists decide it is “done!” For this game, you can also pick a certain amount of turns to take.

Drawing games are a great way to inspire creativity and get motivated to do art more regularly!

4. Use Drawing Classes For Kids

Especially if you homeschool, integrating daily drawing classes is a helpful way to give your child regular drawing practice (and grow his or her art skills) everyday!

Sparketh offers drawing classes for kids that can be organized by level of difficulty, so that your child can start with beginner drawing classes and move on to intermediate or advanced classes as they progress.  Students can also browse through Sparketh’s art classes for kids and  learn to draw subjects that most appeal to them!

Another  reason that many kids and parents choose Sparketh‘s online art classes is that our course library is designed to be self-paced. This means that you and your kids get to decide when art classes fit into your schedule (instead of the other way around.) Sparketh’s online art course library is always available to kids and teens: anytime and anywhere. This makes it that much easier to make drawing classes a regular part of your kids’ routine, everyday!

5.  Inspire Kids To Draw (Even When They Aren’t Drawing)

Even when your kids aren’t drawing, they can be thinking about drawing! In any creative endeavor, part of how you grow is by shaping how you think and see the world around you. This is something that we parents can help our kids do in the small, everyday moments! If you’re interested in making creativity more of a priority in your home (or homeschool) we have a whole article that focuses just on that, here.

But in terms of simple ways to inspire your kids to draw, here are some ideas:

• Schedule periodic field trips to your local art museum, or a nearby gallery. Take time to look at, and discuss, the works on display.

• Take regular walks and point out the colors and shapes that are found in nature.

• Pay attention to ordinary things in nature like clouds and trees, noting how the real thing is different from the way we often automatically draw it it (For example, I remember the first time I learned to not draw a sky with just blue and white, and it was because my mom pointed out to me that skies are never just blue and white).

• Challenge your kids to keep a collection of pictures or drawings that they like, either physically or on a social media platform like Pinterest. Similarly, you could also encourage your child to keep a notebook of ideas. When he or she sees something interesting, jot it down in the notebook as a drawing idea for later.

• Occasionally prompt your child to notice details that he or she might take for granted while doing everyday activities, such as  the way the light changes certain shadows, or the way that a familiar building is designed, ect.

We hope that some of these tips and ideas will help you make drawing a more regular part of your child’s everyday life. Drawing is an accessible art medium that kids are naturally interested in, and encouraging drawing is a great way to grow your child’s creativity! If you are interested in signing your child up for online art classes, you can find out more here. Stay creative, and happy drawing!

The post Boost Your Kid’s Creativity Today with Drawing appeared first on Sparketh.

That mission is why we created our online art classes for kids. It’s also why we provide a lot of free online support for young artists through our social media channels and in the free Sparketh Community! This month, the Sparketh Community is hosting an art challenge that we are really excited about because it’s about helping kids find their own inner strength to be creative through developing a growth mindset!

What’s a growth mindset?

A growth mindset is simply a mindset that facilitates growth: something that can help keep all creative people motivated when inspiration seems to be missing.

Often, developing a growth mindset involves learning to think about things in a positive way that promotes learning and progress. This is such a vital life lesson for kids, especially for young artists who have to stay creative and self-motivated as they develop their skills and unique style! In today’s post, our team of creatives is sharing some of our top tips for staying motivated, growing creatively, and thinking positive. Whether you are a young artist, or the parent of one, we hope that you’ll share these thoughts about creativity in your family and talk about how they can help the creative process. Below our tips, you’ll also find some practical ideas for simple habits to facilitate a healthy growth mindset!

Tips for Young Artists from Sparketh’s Creative Team:

As a team of artists and creatives, we often have to motivate ourselves to keep learning and growing! Here are some of our personal tips for developing a growth mindset that will help you become your most creative self!

“Many of us practice and create privately, but redirecting yourself to a more public space (even if it’s just a neighborhood park) can really help your mental space and flow! Plus, you’ll probably get interesting bystanders who want to see what you’re doing, and make some new friends along the way.”

–Amy, Artist/Sparketh Art Instructor and Content Creator

“Never worry about creating art that other people don’t like. If you enjoy painting flowers, paint flowers, if you like to draw dogs, draw dogs, it really doesn’t matter unless you are happy with what you’re creating. Art is about having fun and creative expression, so always remember that.”

–Maria, Artist/ Sparketh Content Creator

“Modern language will never be 100% effective. There will always be some amount of ideas, thoughts, feelings that we just can’t convey with basic words or conversations.  The more creative you become and the more you master any set of creative skills, you open up a whole new set of tools to communicate with. And there’s something truly satisfying when you use creativity to successfully convey a message, thought, or experience that was virtually impossible to understand before.”

-Tim, Creative Entrepreneur/Sparketh Co-Founder and Vice President 

“Don’t fear failure. When you try and fail, ask questions. Learn. Try again. Growth isn’t about becoming ‘the best.’ It’s not even always about reaching a specific goal. Growth is about being brave enough to keep repeating this process.” 

-Katie, Creative/ Sparketh Blogger and Content Creator 

“While yes, the goal in creating is to end up with a piece we are proud of, sometimes that goal isn’t always reached. So rather than seeing it as a failure, I remind myself, ‘process over product.’ Did I learn something in the process- good or bad? Can I use that knowledge in the future? Does learning from the process actually end up being more helpful than having a successful end product? Making art is an adventure, the journey to get there is every bit as important as arriving at the destination!”

-Becca, Artist/ Sparketh Art Instructor/ Sparketh Community Host 

5 Simple Habits for Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Want to put these creativity tips from our team into action? Young artists can try a few of these tips to create helpful creativity habits! 

1. Come up with a personal creativity slogan or mantra! Now you’ve read our creativity tips, but what what would yours be? Think about what helps you stay motivated. What inspires you, creatively? Turn this into a motivational sentence or two for yourself! Write your encouraging statement on a piece of paper – or even turn it into a piece of art- and put it somewhere you will see it often.

2. Try something adventurous or new with your art. Do this just for the sake of trying it: for fun—not mastery! Go into it with the mindset that the goal is not winning, the goal – itself – is trying something new! Sparketh has online art classes that cover a huge range of courses, so go head over to the course library and pick something that’s totally new and different!

3. Tell people you’re an artist. As Amy said in her tip, it’s important to put yourself out there with your art! Creating in community will help grow confidence and it can also be a great way to connect with other artists! The simple act of telling people you’re an artist can be a very powerful creative motivator! You can also find a virtual community of artists via resources like the Sparketh Community and on social media platforms!

4. Collect inspiration. Whether it’s through discovering new art styles in online art classes, creating a board of favorite art on Pinterest, or making a physical collage of images that motivate you to create, it’s important to keep finding new sources of inspiration. Collecting them somewhere that you can access anytime will motivate you to create whenever you’re feeling stumped!

5. Practice every day! Very few people feel inspired every day, but the more you create, the more likely you are to find inspiration quickly! Maya Angelou: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”  Probably the most important thing you can do to foster a creative growth mindset is to simply make time each day to be creative, this may involve doing a quick drawing or art class each day, or checking in with a community of creatives who can help keep you accountable. Whatever it is for you, make sure to keep your daily goals realistic so that you set yourself up for success!

We hope these tips and habits  inspire you – or your young artist- to keep growing creatively! What is something that helps you cultivate a growth mindset?

The post Creativity Tips to Help Young Artists Cultivate a Growth Mindset! appeared first on Sparketh.

Of course, most people know her as the spunky, no-nonsense Shark from the popular ABC show, Shark Tank.  This last role is the reason I had the privilege of interviewing Barbara Corcoran and learning more about her “secret sauce for success,” and how creativity has played a vital role in her journey!

As you may know, Sparketh debuted on current season of Shark Tank (Season 13, Episode 3)! During their presentation, Sparketh Co-founders Tim Samuel and Dwayne Walker impressed the judges with their passion and vision. However, there was some debate about whether or not the company could become profitable enough for the Sharks to invest in.

Barbara Corcoran – alongside guest Shark, Daniel Lubetzky (of the KIND empire) – offered Sparketh’s dynamic duo a rare contingency deal. They agreed to mentor the Sparketh co-founders and make an investment $100, 000 in exchange for 20% of Sparketh if the business can prove profitability within a 6 month window.

Whether or not Sparketh proves to be profitable within this time frame, Tim and Dwayne have each expressed gratitude for the experience of being on Shark Tank, and – even more so – for Barbara and Daniel’s mentorship and belief in their vision.

In a recent interview, VP Tim Samuel said, “Once we saw that these successful people were willing to invest in it (Sparketh), it really made it click for us and made us realize that this is a valuable business.”

CEO Dwayne Walker added, “As an entrepreneur, you sacrifice so much hoping that people will see your vision. It does bring validation to have someone like that believe in you.”

Why Barbara Believes in Sparketh

Corcoran was the first Shark to jump in and offer Tim and Dwayne support for Sparketh (after several others had already pronounced themselves, “Out”), so I asked what prompted her to make the first offer.

Barbara responded:  “I was hooked on Tim and Dwayne from the get go! I was looking for any reason to invest in these two entrepreneurs. Tim & Dwayne were likable and hard workers, having overcome all sorts of obstacles – health and business related – to build Sparketh.”

Perhaps due to her own personal experiences building a business empire from almost nothing, Corcoran has a history of  investing in entrepreneurs who have built their businesses up by their bootstraps and found creative solutions when faced with hardship. She famously told a pair of brothers on a previous season of  Shark Tank that she “doesn’t invest in rich kids,” later indicating that she believes an entrepreneur is more likely to strive – and succeed – without a safety net.

When talking about Tim and Dwayne, Barbara stated that she admired their willingness to take on challenges. “They were game to take on the contingency of reaching profitability to earn our investment,” she said.  “Any entrepreneur willing to face that challenge head-on is destined for success.”

Barbara Corcoran on the Power of Creativity

At Sparketh, we believe that creativity means something slightly different to each person who recognizes its power in his or her life.  As many entrepreneurs will tell you, creativity is also vital in the world of business. I asked Barbara about what creativity means to her and what role it has played in her life. She responded:

“I was labeled the dumb kid in school because I couldn’t read or write. But from a young age, my mom made sure I knew my biggest strength was my imagination. My imagination took me further than book smarts ever could. I learned to use my creativity in business and it was the secret sauce to my success.”

Corcoran elaborated on creativity’s role in business, talking about how creativity can shape a person’s ability to make necessary changes. She stated, “Building a business means solving problem after problem until you find something that sticks. And the best way to work through an obstacle is to get creative. The best businesses are run by entrepreneurs who think outside the box and find new ways of doing things.”

This is a philosophy that she passes along to the many entrepreneurs she invests in and mentors. Corcoran told me, “When Covid hit, I called each of my entrepreneurs and told them to make a list of everywhere their business had come from in the past. Then I told them to rip it up. In every business change is inevitable, but only businesses who know how to innovate fast and creatively survive.”

How Barbara Stays Creative and Keeps Things Fun

Barbara shared some insights on how she personally stays creative in her work (and life).  She admitted, “I never had a creative idea sitting at my desk!” Instead, Corcoran advised, “The best way to get creative is to go play in the traffic. The best ideas are found on the outside when you’re out on the field having fun.”

Corcoran is well-known for keeping things fun in the workplace. “Fun is good for business!” Barabara said, adding that: “Fun builds loyalty, and teams are most creative when they’re having fun.”

One of the ways that Barbara keeps things fun at work? Social media! Barbara’s  TikTok channel is full of examples of how this business icon connects with her audience via the playful social media platform.

In our interview, she shared some other ways that she brings fun into the workplace environment. Corcoran said, “At work I make time for company parties and retreats that make for fun Monday morning conversations. And I always plan my vacations far in advance because I’ve learned that half the fun is looking forward to it!”

It seems that Barbara finds creativity and fun in even the little moments of the day.  For example, Barbara told me, “I love to listen to Queen or Bob Marley to get my head on straight!”

Barbara’s Tips for Succeeding as an Entrepreneur

Of course, we’d probably all like to know what Barbara’s secrets to success are when it comes to business. We often place so much emphasis on becoming successful. I wanted to know Barbara’s tips for staying successful as an entrepreneur. How do you keep a solid momentum going?

She responded, “You’ve got to get comfortable taking risks and keep your ambition running every step of the way. But the most important quality is the ability to bounce back from failure.” Barbara said, “Think of yourself as a Jack In The Box. When you take a hit, bounce right back up shouting, ‘Hit me again!'”

I also asked if Barbara had any specific tips for kids who use our online arts education platform at Sparketh. What advice would she share with the kid or teen who wants to do something different with their life — such as becoming a professional artist and/or entrepreneur?

“Figure out who you want to be and picture it in living color,” Barbara responded. “When I started my business, I knew I wanted to be the Queen of New York Real Estate. I dreamt about it every day, picturing every little detail, until it became my reality.”

Interview by Kathryn Gustafson

The post An Interview with Barbara Corcoran: The Power of Creativity appeared first on Sparketh.

When Sparketh co-founders, Tim and Dwayne started Sparketh in 2015, they wanted Sparketh to be a haven for “all things creative.”  Dwayne, a self-taught professional artist, always wished he’d had a resource like Sparketh when he was growing up: a virtual space that would offer creative support, community, and art education.

This vision is behind everything we do at Sparketh. We are always looking for new ways to nurture our digital community of creative kids and teens…and many of them don’t cost you a cent!

Online Art Class Memberships

The primary way that Sparketh is a creativity resource is by offering online art classes for kids and teens. Sparketh is unique in its Netflix-like offering of self-paced art classes, each of them created by working artists and art instructors. With a monthly or yearly membership, kids in your home can access their online art classes anywhere, anytime. The online art classes are the core of our business, so membership is not free. However, we do offer 30 days of membership for free. You can snag that here.

In addition to our online art classes for kids and teens, we also offer art education, tutorials, and art tips on our social media channels, along with access to a free online creative community. Below, check out all of the places around the Web where you can find us sharing free creativity resources– made just for you!

Sparketh’s Free Resources for Creatives

Why We Share Free Resources

Let’s go ahead and address this one really quickly with a little transparency, because I can hear you wondering over there: Why free stuff?

1.) We are a business,  2.) and our product is professional online art classes. 3.) However, we’re also a small company of real people who share a collective passion for creativity. It’s part of who we are as a brand–and as individuals, too.

By adding creativity resources to every facet of what we do (including the free stuff) we’re working towards our goal of growing Sparketh’s creative community  and making it a “resource for all things creative.”

Our free resources go along with our online art classes for kids and support your creative journey (whether or not you are a Sparketh member!)

Art Educators First & Content Creators Second

Social media is the primary way we share free creativity resources with you, and there’s something you should know about our social media team. We are all creatives and educators in real life. In the content that we create for Sparketh’s social media, therefore, our aim is primarily to inspire and teach! We use Sparketh’s social media accounts to share art content that’s inspiring, fun, educational…and free!

Sparketh’s TikTok Channel: Art Hacks, Short Tutorials and Inspiration

On Sparketh’s TikTok account, you’ll get helpful art tips several times per week to inspire you on your creative journey (whether you are a kid, teen, or adult!) Our TikTok content creator, Amy, is a professional artist as well as one of our online art instructors! She is always sharing new art hacks on TikTok for a variety of mediums, from painting to digital art. She also shares quick technique tutorials, art-related humor, and encouraging thoughts for young artists to give them greater confidence in their journeys!

Below, you’ll find examples of some content from our TikTok account. Give this account a “Follow,” to get regular art tips and tricks from Amy!

• 4 Important Colored Pencil Techniques 
• 3 Point Perspective 
• Rembrandt Lighting 
• 5 Painting Mistakes 

Sparketh’s Youtube Channel: Longer Art Demos and Art Ideas to Try at Home

On our Youtube channel, you’ll find detailed art demonstrations, tutorials, and inspiration for DIY art (and craft) projects. Sparketh’s Youtube content creator, Maria, is a talented artist. She has an eye for details and loves to create. Maria’s videos are very kid-friendly and can be a great resource for coming up with bigger art projects for your kids to try, or for you to try together as a family!

This resource is especially good for artsy and/or homeschooling families who do a lot of art projects together at home. Check out the below Youtube videos to get inspired!

• How to Make Bubble Art (Great for Young Kids) 
• Tips for Painting a Rose 
• 2 Simple Valentine’s Day Cards
• Easy Gift Idea: Stained Glass Jar

Maria uploads a new video every week, so be sure to subscribe so you’ll always have new inspiration!

The Sparketh Community: Connection, Challenges and Art Prizes for Kids and Teens

We also have a free community for young artists! The Sparketh Community is fully sponsored by Sparketh.com, but you don’t have to have a Sparketh membership to join and enjoy it! The Sparketh Community is monitored and hosted by Becca: an artist, art educator, and Sparketh art instructor! Becca works full-time as an art teacher. She talented and upbeat, and she loves encouraging young artists!

What you’ll find in the Sparketh Community:

• A positive atmosphere and a safe place for young artists to share their work. 
• A companion to Sparketh.com, where kids can personally connect with one of our course instructors.
• Personalized, professional feedback on art when requested. 
• Connection and community with other creatives in the same age group.
• The chance to enter monthly art contests (for those 18 and under). Every contest has art-related prizes! 

There are no fees or memberships required to join the Sparketh Community. We simply as that you answer a couple of questions about your age group and your artistic interests when you ask to join! You can get started here.

Sparketh’s Blog: Art Education and Creativity Resources for Families

“Hi!” The blog posts (and newsletters) are written by me–Katie. I’m the mom on our social media team and, as such, I write mostly for parents and families. I always picture parents as the ones reading this blog, so just know that’s how I am picturing you now–parent-ish.  I’m also the only non-professional artist on the team, but I am a creative of a different kind (mainly creative writing though I am a dabbler in various art forms.)  I also have a background in psychology and education, which plays a role here on the blog because I believe that creativity is one of the most important qualities anyone can possess!

On the blog, I share art tips and ideas (brainstormed from our whole team) that you can use to learn art at home. I also share interviews,  research about art and creativity, interesting art history finds, and current news from Sparketh! Check out some of the below blogs to get a feel for what to expect here!

• How Art Supports Good Mental Health for Kids and Teens 
• An Interview with Barbara Corcoran: The Power of Creativity 
• Students Need Art: Here are 10 Reasons Why 
• 5 Easy Ways to Connect Art and Poetry 
• A Sparketh Q & A with Co-Founders Dwayne Walker and Tim Samuel 

Instagram and Facebook

We know most of you have an Instagram and Facebook account, and we’re there too! On our Facebook and Instagram, you’ll find of a mix of things of that we share other places online, from  reminders about new contests in the Sparketh Community to new Youtube videos! These accounts are good ways to keep in touch and stay up to date, so you don’t miss out on art content that may be just right for you! We also love content suggestions, and Facebook/Instagram can be a great place to send requests for art tips or content you’d like to see!

• Follow us on Instagram (@sparkethdotcom). 
• Follow us on Facebook (@sparketh).

We hope that you’ve found some new, free art resources to love in this blog post. We love to connect with other creatives and encourage young artists as they develop new skills! Thanks for being part of our story here at Sparketh; we are excited to be part of yours! 

The post Your Guide to Our Free Art Resources! appeared first on Sparketh.

Whether your creative passion is painting, writing, music, digital content creation (or one of the numerous other creative endeavors), the internal pressure to only create your best can grow until it becomes the thing all creatives fear the most: the dreaded creative block.

And because we creatives take so much pride in our work, a creative block is beyond frustrating. It can be personally devastating. Even worse, a creative block can become a tricky cycle, messing up for your creative flow for days, weeks, months, or even years….IF you let it.

So don’t let it!

If you are a creative person, you will inevitably face a creative block at some point. It’s simply the nature of the beast. The trick is to not let it stop you from creating– and to get back into a creative flow as soon as you can.

At Sparketh, we’re all about nourishing creativity for kids, teens (and adults too). Every member on our team is a creative, and we get how frustrating it can be to find yourself creatively stumped. We also know how important it is to not let those moments get you down for long.  If you’ve recently had a creative block interrupt your flow, here are 10 tips to help you get it back!

1. Practice Everyday

This tip is #1 because it is literally the #1 most important thing you can do to get back into a creative flow. Because guess what? When you’re not feeling creative, it’s even more important to keep creating! And here’s a little secret: once you start creating everyday, inspiration will begin to make more regular appearances, too. Practice is fertile ground for creativity.

Artists and writers often refer to the creative Muses of Greek mythology, sometimes even giving procrastination an excuse by saying things like: “I’m just waiting for the Muse to strike.” The truth is that we give “the Muse” a pretty poor environment when we’re not working our creative muscles regularly. When you make a habit of practicing everyday, you’re pretty much telling your personal (theoretical) “creative Muse” that your door is open to inspiration.

The other important aspect of this tip is to be realistic in your daily goals. Don’t say, “I’m going to paint/write/practice the violin for 3 hours a day,” if you know that’s not something you can realistically work into your life. Start smaller. Keep it doable. Give yourself no excuses for not following through. Practice everyday.

2. Get inspired by others’ work.

In an interview for our Website, Sparketh‘s co-founder and CEO, Dwayne Walker said: “Creativity is always an extension of you. You can only create as far as you know, which is why it’s always important to keep learning.”

One of the best ways to be more creative (and get your creative flow back) is to dive deeply into learning and studyng the work of other creatives! If you’re a writer, read as much great writing as possible. If you’re a visual artist, go spend some time at your local museum, check out some of your favorite artists’ work in a book or online,  or take an online art class to learn something new in a hands-on way. You’ll almost always find that it’s natural to get inspired when you’re learning and studying others’ work.

3. Limit Yourself

“Limiting” or “narrowing in” on specific subjects, techniques, or work spaces can prompt creativity and increase your creative focus. Sparketh art instructor (and TikTok content creator) Amy contributed this clever tip. Speaking especially to visual artists, she demonstrated how (for example) limiting the subject that you are drawing or painting can allow you to try approaching the same subject in a variety of styles and techniques. If you find a subject/technique combination that speaks to you, you can “limit” yourself even further by trying some variations within those confines. You can apply this principal to whatever your creative interests are!

You can also limit your surroundings by going somewhere specifically for the purpose of creating, or limit your time by utilizing timers and setting deadlines. Setting these kinds of limits with your daily creative time can help you get into a creative flow more easily, no matter what your creative passive is. For more on this tip, you can watch Amy’s video, here.

4. Create gifts for the people in your life.

Another strategy that can motivate you to create is to find a simple, low-pressure creative project that you can do quickly, repeat often, and give away. This can work well alongside the “narrowing in/limiting yourself” technique, while also giving you external motivation to create.

For example, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, I got into the habit of making literary-themed watercolor bookmarks for my friends and sending them off in the mail. Each one only took me about 20 minutes. Every time I set out to make one, I automatically had a specific prompt: “What is that person’s favorite book?” I also had the fulfilling satisfaction that comes from making something for a friend. A lot of people found ways to get creative making things for people they cared about during this time of isolation. Some people baked for others, or made friendship bracelets, participated in TikTok dance challenges with friends, or played songs for people on Zoom.

I’m not saying we need to be in a pandemic/isolation to do this. However, I think that this time forced people to get creative about connecting, which resulted in a creative surge for many. There’s something very motivating and satisfying about using your creative interests to show someone you care.

5. Try a different setting.

Are you a morning person or a night person? Do background noises help you focus, or are they a distraction? Do you need privacy to be creative, or do you work best surrounded by other people?

We are all so different when it comes to finding the optimum creative environment. When you are trying to get into the habit of practicing creativity everyday, experiment with some different background settings. You may want to try getting up early, when everything is quiet. Or maybe working in a busy living room with the TV on makes you feel less pressured and more comfortable. Maybe it helps you out to go somewhere different- like a park or bookstore- to be creative (like in tip #3).

Sometimes, I’ve even found that sitting somewhere random in my house can help me be more productive (like on the floor of a room I’m not in very often). Play around with some different times and spaces and see what works for you to get you in a creative mindset.

7. Keep a journal or a sketch diary.

A great way to get in touch with your creative mind is to let it talk to you! Keeping a daily journal or sketch diary is an awesome, low-pressure way to get in touch with thoughts that you might not even be aware of.  This is also a daily practice (*cough* tip #1) that is totally doable.

You’ll find that once you get in the habit of observing and documenting via a written or sketch journal, inspiration seems to come from everywhere. Your brain will naturally begin to start looking at things from a creative perspective. A documentation of things that stick out to you can also reveal your hidden interests and prompt new ideas!

8. Make a plan and tell others.

We all do better with deadlines and accountability.  Being creative can often be a solo activity, so you end up being responsible for motivating yourself. This is one of the reasons that it can be so hard to get back into a creative flow after experiencing creative roadblocks.

When you don’t feel very creative, you may tell yourself “you’ll do it tomorrow.” Those “tomorrows” can add up. If this is something you’ve experienced, then this tip is for you: make a specific plan for your creative goals, and tell others about it.

Technology can help, too! Some people create digital calendars that will send them bossy e-mails everyday to remind them of their goals. Many creatives share their general and specific creative goals with friends on social media, alongside daily updates. Some people even livestream their worktime to stay focused and accountable.

However you approach it, making a plan and asking for accountability can help you stick to your daily practices and ultimately get into a better creative flow.

9. Give yourself permission to create something bad.

When you feel creatively empty, remind yourself that, “something is better than nothing.”  So often, the creative roadblocks that we face comes directly from the pressure that we create for ourselves. If you’re lacking inspiration, you may feel terrified of creating something bad, or of being faced with the feeling that you’ve lost your skills.

However, the truth is that something – anything -you create is going to be better than nothing! Remind yourself of some of the other tips we’ve already covered, and how creative practice can be a creative prompt in and of itself (even if what you create isn’t that good!)

The poet Maya Angelou, once said: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Use whatever little creativity you have inside of you (even when it doesn’t feel like much.) It will never be wasted. The best creatives have to create a lot of mediocre stuff before they come up with masterpieces, so give yourself permission to create something bad! You’re in good company.

10. Surround yourself with fellow creatives.

I mentioned that creativity can often feel like a solo activity. Many times -in practice- it is. However, creativity is also something brings people together.  We’re always creating with the intention of sharing with, and communicating with others. Connection, therefore, is really at the heart of creativity.

Surrounding yourself with other creatives (in your same area of interest, or otherwise) can be an important source of inspiration, accountability, and community. A great way to start connecting with other creatives is simply to tell others that you are one. Talk about your art, or your writing, or music (whatever it is!) And ask other people if they like to create, too! I bet you’ll find, pretty quickly, that you’re not alone. Not only is that a  good feeling, but it’s also a constant source of creative inspiration and encouragement.

If you’ve been struggling with any creative roadblocks lately, we hope that these 10 tips helped you out! At Sparketh, our desire is to nourish creativity and create an online space where kids and teens can be their most creative selves. We think that being creative is one of the most important things you can be, and we’re here to help you in your creative journey. 

The post Get Your Creative Flow Back with These 10 Tips! appeared first on Sparketh.

This week, we’re exploring current art topics that all touch on a similar question: “Why do artists create?”

We’ll check out one artist whose dream in live is to live in a home made of his own art, and another who views art as a way to mediate experiences. In celebration of World Mental Health Day, we’ll explore why creating art is good for your mental health. You’ll get some viral tips to help you in your art method! 

Art News: Life in House of Doodles

At some point in our childhoods, we’ve all probably doodled on the walls. Most of us got in pretty big trouble for it, too. However, Sam Cox (known professionally as “Mr. Doodle”) was always encouraged to draw on the walls of his room. Today, as an adult, he’s taken it to a whole new level.

Mr. Doodle, a professional artist whose work has sold for up to almost $1 million per piece, has now officially completed what he calls his “best piece of work.” The work? His house!

Over two years of effort, the artist has covered his entire $1.5 million home in doodles. Not just the walls, either.  Mr. Doodle has also covered bedding, appliances, and even the toilet in his signature, black-and-white doodles. He also painted his stove, which he admits may have rendered it un-useable. (I guess he and Mrs. Doodle will be eating out a lot.)

When talking to the host of BBC Breakfast, the artist describes being able to live in a home made of his art as “a sort of paradise for me.”

Why He Creates/Doodles: 

Cox told BBC News that doodling is “almost like an out-of-body experience. You’re just indulging yourself in this free-flowing state of creation.”

Mr. Doodle gives us some interesting insight on reasons we create. Perhaps it comes partially from a desire to meditate, to flow with a particular state of mind, or to create a world of our own imagining (literally, in his case.)

Check out the video below to see this artist’s completed home!

Inspirational: Creating for Your Mental Health

Monday, October 10 is World Mental Health Day. Did you know that regularly practicing creativity is a vital part of maintaining good mental health? Research shows that art, in particular, supports mental health by:

Viral Art: Game-Changing Art Hacks

As you create art this week, check out today’s featured viral art video from TikTok! This short video has some mind-blowing art hacks that will save you time, help you try new techniques, and stretch the life of some your favorite art supplies.

@sparketh

Legitimately learned about the watercolor hack yesterday… 25 years old #artistsoftiktok #arthacks #arttips #arttricks #didyouknow #myart #arttok

♬ Okinawa Pier – FloFilz

Have you tried any of these tips at home? Which is your favorite? 

You Can Also Watch it Here!

Art News: “Art on Video” Series Dives Deep.

“What is art to the artist?” As we’re touching on today, there can be a variety of answers to that question.

This is a topic that is also currently being explored as part of a new documentary series, entitled “Art on Video.” This series is a collaboration between ArtNetNews and Art 21.  It’s fascinating because it dives deep into the thought processes of current, headlining artists.

In the series, each artist gets the chance to describe their inspirations in their own words. The most recent episode follows photographer  Diane Severin Nguyen. 

Nguyen’s art is more than photography, though. Her creations also involve a unique type of performance art. In her work, Nguyen mixes the natural and unnatural, transforms substances into unrecognizable objects, and creates photos that capture fleeting, transfigurative moments (like lighting something on fire).

Art 21 writes: “Another kind of creative alchemy happens in her studio where the artist choreographs ephemeral processes like burning and everyday substances like Styrofoam to make her enigmatic photographs. Intentionally obscuring the identity of her subject materials is core to the artist’s larger project. ”

Why She Creates: As an artist, Nguyen says she feels it is her responsibility to take in the “psychic garbage of the world.”  She also takes concepts that have social value and reduces them back into physical materials that can be composed and photographed. Primarily, this artist seems to view the creative process as an important type of mediation between the physical world and our experience of it.

I am looking forward to keeping up with this new series and discovering what makes different types of artists tick. Will you watch? 

Check it out, here!

Inspirational: You Create Your Art Because Only YOU Can.

“Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.”- Albert Einstein

I love these words from Albert Einstein, who definitely knew the value of creativity! Whatever reason you create art, it’s likely to be just as unique as the special perspective you bring to the world. I hope you remember that as you go about your week, and pinpoint your own unique reason for being creative.

See you back here next week for next Friday’s edition of Art Club!

The post Reasons We Create- Sparketh Art Club appeared first on Sparketh.