Creative Quarantine? Yes.

By Felix Castro, Creative Director

“If you decide to continue this creative path, keep in mind, it will be a lonely one.” That was the wisdom my graphic design professor shared with me in my last year of college. I will never forget those words. But why is isolation a part of the creative journey? Well, it turns out that throughout my career, there have been many reasons why and on many levels. So, is today’s quarantine a bump in the road to our normal creative process?

Consider how many times we’ve heard people say: “I need to go downstairs for a second to think about this,” or “let me put on my headphones to concentrate” or even “I’ll think about it tonight with a glass of wine.” The need to quarantine is already there. It is not only natural but necessary. Even when your idea becomes part of a bigger picture, or you’re bouncing ideas off your peers in a brainstorm, there is an isolation phase for an idea to develop itself before the wonderful: “I got it!”

So is today’s situation disrupting the creative process? It certainly is not. What has changed are the circumstances. Where we are working from, how we collaborate with our co-workers, and maybe for who we work. But we are still here, and we are smart, creative people on a mission. No excuses. 

When you feel that “creative block,” don’t sweat it. You have experienced this before, and you will experience it again. So take a break, walk around, read a book, build a model airplane, listen to some music, get that glass of wine. But, be smart about it. Make this part of the creative process, rather than letting it distract you from it. Because, remember, who we are and what we bring to the table has always come from quiet moments of self-quarantine and isolation.


Recent News