How to Nurture Creativity in Winter – an interview with Creative Artist and Author, Becki Clark

Nurturing our creativity in winter can deepen our connection to the season and support our well-being. Creative artist and Author Becki Clark is a multidisciplinary creative designer inspired by seasonality and nature with over eight years of experience working in the creative industry. I love to pour over her beautiful Instagram feed which is overflowing with seasonal joy, so I asked Becki if she would tells us a little more about her creative practice and the seasonal workshops she offers during the winter months…

Hello Becki, could you begin by telling us a little about yourself?

Hello! I’m a Creative artist and Author inspired by nature and the magic of the changing seasons. I work across a variety of projects from illustration, craft, writing books and teaching seasonally inspired workshops sharing my passion for slowing down and finding ways to creatively connect to the rhythms of nature.

How do the changing seasons inspire your creativity?

Learning to embrace the changing seasons has been something that I have been leaning into both in my work and my home and life. I take notes and cues from what is going outside to direct me in my creative work, this could be a simple as finding a beautiful colour palette in spring nature that I take forward to design a spring fabric with or hosting a workshop focusing on how to paint nature that can be found outside that month.

And as I take those cues to inspire my work, I also lean into them to help me embrace the seasons in my home, bringing the outside in is one of my favourite ways to feel inspired by the seasonal changes… a branch in winter, flowers in spring, shells in summer and acorns in autumn are things I can think of off the top of my head that have been brought in and displayed to embrace the seasons at home.

A lot of my work and home intertwine as I shoot and style most of my work in my home (for magazine shoots, blogs and books) so for me, it is about creatively embracing the changing seasons in all aspects of my life.

You are based in the beautiful New Forest, how do you connect with the landscape around you and how it feels in winter?

For me, it is all about embracing the magic of midwinter, I used to pine for spring as soon as the twinkly lights of Christmas were taken down but over the years I have been embracing January and February. I tend to go out for a walk every morning, for me, it is non-negotiable as it sets me up for the day by spending time outside in nature, it can be as short as 20 minute’s walk round to the shop and back but ideally, I like to head to the local nature reserve and spend 1-2 hours outside, quietly enjoying the early morning before the hustle and bustle of the day.

It’s enjoyable to notice how that same walk changes through the seasons and by late January I will start to spot camellia buds and snowdrops appearing which are always a joy to see!

What inspired you to design your Winter Creative Kit & Workshop?

I’m passionate about encouraging and teaching people creative ways to embrace and celebrate each of the seasons, so decided back in early 2021 to set up seasonal creative kits and workshops alongside my singular workshop sessions that I have been running for over 5 years. A Winter course was much requested in 2022 and was also my most popular course & kit throughout the seasons, so I’m very much looking forward to running Celebrating Winter 2023.

Throughout 2023 4-week Celebrating Winter course, we are going to be exploring the nature of winter with pencil, pen and ink, creating abstract appliques inspired by the season, experimenting with oil pastels, still life and papercutting as well as exploring folk art and ceramic painting with gouache, all with a seasonal theme running throughout. The course is designed as a completely immersive 4 weeks and I’ll be encouraging people to head outside, forage, find inspiration and find their own magic and light to celebrate the season. You get the kit with everything you need delivered to your door & the course aims to deepen your creative connection with new skills, ideas and inspiration.

The groups are small so that everyone feels comfortable chatting during the live workshops and can share their inspiration and findings from the week in the Facebook group, I’m really looking forward to welcoming new faces as well as familiar faces from past seasons to a magical month of creativity!

How do you like to keep your hands and mind creatively focused over the darker days of the year?

I have been keeping nature journals for the last couple of years which means that even in the Winter, I am looking for journal inspiration, creating, painting and crafting in reflection to what is going on outside. I find Winter a lovely time to cosy up, focus on creativity and embrace the quiet and still that the season can offer.

Lastly – as we are at the threshold of Midwinter, a time of stillness and magic, can you share a few of your thoughts on embracing this time of year?

As I mentioned, I’d recommend getting outside each day, enjoying observing what nature is doing and bringing some of the magic of winter inside, it can be as simple as a beautiful branch found on a walk displayed in a vase, gathering pinecones to pop in a dish on the shelf or foraging some foliage to display in a jug on the dining table. Light candles and lean into the darkness, and as we approach the Winter solstice on the 21st of December remember the days are slowly getting lighter!