Creative Inspo with Yasmin Shima

Working as a corporate writer for longer than I’d like to admit (my calculations had my bestselling novel made into a Hollywood blockbuster by now), I know only too well the pain of creative procrastination. I’ve used every excuse in my (unfinished) book:

‘I write all week so I need a break.’

*Memorises Beyonce’s Coachella choreography* ‘I’ve just got no time.’

‘But… Netflix.’

With such a compelling argument in my arsenal, I decided it was impossible to pen my best work in my natural habitat. So, logically, I treated myself to a five-star Fijian holiday (on my credit card) to finally write my self-proclaimed best-selling novel. Only problem is… that was five years ago and uh, still no booky wook :(

Start now

Lesson learned? There’s never a ‘perfect’ time or place to indulge, or rather honour your creative dreams. If it’s in your heart to paint, dance, compose, write, clown, sing, cook, sculpt, trapeze – start now!

While I present a convincing argument, unfortunately, I still find myself putting my Ph.D. in procrastination to good use. In a bid to escape my self-imposed literary rut, I sat down with local artist Yasmin Shima, to gleam a few pearls of creative inspo.

A line of Austrian artists

Yasmin’s artesian roots can be traced back to her Austrian grandfather, as she fondly recounts a regular childhood memory of her dad asking him to draw a horse. At this he would close his eyes and start sketching to produce a perfect horse head, ‘I remember going to Pre School with pictures my grandfather painted feeling very proud.’

Unsurprisingly, Yasmin’s father is also an avid artist, producing many works spanning from his psychedelic flower power days, to more refined oil paintings later in life. ‘Growing up, dad always had an oil painting on the go.’

A piece by Yasmin's grandfather: Werner Georg Alfred Steingruber

It’s never too late to create

With such an inspired upbringing, it’s yet again no surprise that as a child, Yasmin loved to create, ‘I was that girl in primary school who could draw. I had a pile of exercise books on my desk from kids asking me to draw their title pages!’

However, it wasn’t until recently, February 2017 to be exact, that Miss Shima picked up her paintbrushes again. Amid a successful producing career, Yasmin took a breath to unearth her create prowess.

It’s worth noting this definitely isn’t the first time someone has scratched their creative itch as a mature age artist: Paulo Coelho wrote his first book at 38 (shortly followed by international bestseller The Alchemist), Vera Wang segued into fashion designing at age 40, and let’s not forget the acclaimed artist lovingly known as Mama Moses, who bloomed with her paint brush in her 80s!

The moral of the story? It’s never too late to create! (I know what you’re thinking and the answer is yes, I’ve also procrastinated my way out of a promising rap career.) Mixed tapes aside, here are a few of Yamin’s tried and tested tips to help propel you into full creative swing.

Yasmin’s Top 10

Tip 1: Just start

I find the best way to overcome creative blocks is to just start! I get frustrated if I spend too much time away from painting. Remember, there are never any mistakes when creating – you can always paint over it, edit your writing, play the song again – the most important step is to just start!

Tip 2: Spend time with do-ers

My artist reawakened one evening painting with my friend Nina Nova (another super-talented artist), in her studio. She taught me a few techniques and we spent all night feeling inspired, listening to music and painting. The next morning I had finished my first work. I was so motivated to paint that I spent the next six months painting in her studio every weekend, and collaborating with her as part of a live art performance we called ArtJam.

Tip 3: You don’t need a Ph.D. to be creative

Everyone is creative: it’s just a matter of unlocking it. By following one creative outlet, another may flow. That is the process of creation.

Self-taught: I’ve never had any formal art training. The first six months in the studio allowed me to be free and expressive with my new passion.

YouTube: to refine my technical ability, I watched many videos to understand how to articulate my craft on canvas.

Tip 4: Let yourself completely go

Feel like a kid again. Get messy. Take a class or create with a friend. Make it a fun activity and don’t get too caught up the ‘what’ or the ‘how’. If you’re painting, use a picture to interpret however you like. Want to write? Put pen to paper and see where it leads. When self-judgment disappears, magic happens.

Tip 5: Find your inspiration

Be open to inspiration striking at unsuspecting times and places. When I first started painting my inspiration came from women’s faces, simply because of their beauty. Now my inspiration comes from various sources. It might be an image that catches my eye, a request for a commission, music, a feeling or a new project I create.

Tip 6: Don’t get attached to the process

There may be moments in your work that you love, and there may be ugly stages. They key is to not get attached, instead, accept that it’s all a part of the process. Like life, creativity can be both beautiful and disturbing. That’s ok.

Tip 7: Explore different creative expressions

Don’t limit yourself to just one – think of all your gifts as creative. It may be your love of cooking, gardening, arranging furniture or flowers – it’s all creative!

Tip 8: Use other artists as inspiration to empower your creativity, rather than feel inferior

I’m someone who’s constantly inspired by other artists, so I encourage people to find peers you can look up to and vibe from. I follow artists on Instagram and reach out, enquiring about their journey.

Sam Malpass: I love her personal style, the images with her art, and the way she paints everything from people to plants in her effortless style.

Ana Kuni: I adore the way Ana creates beautiful, wild, fearless women.

Dimitri Milan: I fell in love with Dimitri’s work on Instagram, then discovered she comes from artist parents and is only 16! She has a rare gift and even says she is ‘touched by God.’ I feel that in her work.

Jose Parla: I met Jose on a trip to Miami in a Cuban restaurant. His work is rich and layered with meaning, with an elegant calligraphy style and expressive brush strokes.

Tip 9: Circulate darling

1. Instagram is an excellent tool for exposing your art. Social media reaches friends first, and then the word spreads. I use it to post work, and every time I do I am asked for a commission.

2. Pay attention to your audience, and curate your social pages so that you are feeding what people like to see. Return visits are key.

3. Enter art competitions.

4. Enter group exhibitions.

5. Network with other artists in and out of your field. Enquire about projects, collaborations and art related subjects – the more exposure you can gleam for your art the better.

Tip 10: Know the rules so you can break them

Just do you boo!

On her own work

The process is what’s interesting. My paintings will continue to shift and evolve. It’s part of the journey of being an artist. I now know not to get too attached to my work, but simply keep creating and the inspiration will continue to return forever.

Kaleisha was inspired by a live music performance of Cuban and Jamaican artists, collaborating for the first time in musical history. An Australian producer, Mista Savona, combined musicians from the Buena Vista Social Club, and a talented Jamaican artist Randy Valentine, to record their album ‘Havanna Meets Kingston’ in Cuban studios.

Awaken is a rather substantial milestone in my art. I was following an artist whose work I adore, but couldn’t recreate. I made the original work so ugly I actually hid it in my bedroom! Revisiting this work opened new pathways in my mind and Awaken was born. She is the moment dream becoms reality, and the two intertwine.

Sax Lady came out to dance during the perfect evening of music and art. I met a guy named Sax (no joke) who loved to play the saxophone overlooking Bondi Beach. It was at a dinner soiree where he played his sax that she danced her way onto my canvas.

Exhibitions

What: RAW Sydney

When: 9 August 2018

What: WITH Collective @ Chalkhorse

When: November 2018

Competitions

What: The Waverly Art Competition

When: June 2018

Connect

Stay in the loop of Yasmin’s art and creative workshops: @gypset_society and yasminshimaart.com