Nature based creativity training

CREATIVE NATURE BASED WORKSHOPS FOR ORGANISATIONS

So often innovation and creativity is linked to technology and developing the latest digital application. What if your innovative and creativity process used ancient techniques that not only engage with logic and problem solving, but also taps into the creative and imaginative side of the brain.

It’s time to explore creativity that’s all about play, reconnecting with nature and the most ancient of all crafts – basketry.

Basketry has been used since the dawn of humanity and has helped evolve the human race. Figuring out how to weave a basket lead to so many changes that sustained and evolved humanity like gathering food, holding water, catching fish and shelter. Early civilizations also used baskets for bartering, which played a key role in the development of trade-based economies.

These baskets were woven from the natural materials they had around them such as grasses, vines, trees and roots. It’s one of the oldest art forms that dates back to our primal roots and hasn’t changed for thousands of years.

We have seen noticeable resurgence in participating traditional crafts in the past few years. Today, we live in a fast-paced world with technology designed to constantly grab our attention and keep us constantly switched on. Coupled with relentless deadlines and the pressure of modern day living can all lead to mental fatigue, overwhelm and burnout.

It’s the combination of how virtual our lives have become, how busy we all seem to be, which has resulted in people looking for arts and craft that reconnects them with slower, traditional creative experiences. This type of ancient creativity helps us slow down, quieten the mind and solve complex problems.

Nature-based artist and entrepreneur, Catriona Pollard, develops tailored workshops in nature-based experiences including basketry and ephemeral art that can be about play and story telling, tapping into creativity using this ancient art form, problem solving, digital detox, or simply a fun hands on learning experience.

You can learn ancient basketry techniques which have been used since the beginning of humanity and have the opportunity to transform ordinary natural objects into something extraordinary. Using a variety of foraged and harvested natural fibres to weave vessels and sculptural forms to tell you stories in interesting ways, and help you tap into powerful creativity.

These workshops are all about reconnecting to imagination and joy, through nature and art.

TAILORED WORKSHOPS:

Team building through basketry and ephemeral art
Problem solving through play and story telling
Collaboration by tapping into creativity using the ancient art form of basketry
Digital detox through ancient art
Fun hands on learning experience
Soft skills focus

KEY LEARNINGS:

Solving organisational/team issues
Unblocking creativity
Developing story telling approaches
Uncovering shared experiences
Discovering the natural world through creative exercises
Discovering your own artistic practice
Sense of fun and play
Reconnecting with nature
Learning through your hands

ABOUT CATRIONA POLLARD – Nature-based artist and entrepreneur

Catriona Pollard is an international speaker and trainer and is renowned for being an inspiring presenter who shares practical skills and expertise so attendees can immediately implement what they’ve learnt to see real results.

She has presented an inspiration and motivational TEDx talk, and has shared her dynamic and practical expertise with thousands of people both in Australia and around the world for organisations such as TEDx, DELL, CeBIT, TAL, BRITTA, CPA Australia, Health NSW, Women on Boards, CEO Institute, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and University of Sydney, to name just a few.

She straddles business and art. In 2012, near burn out she did some reassessing and realised she needed to incorporate creativity and art into her life. It wasn’t about finding balance; it was deeper than that. She needed to find creativity that wasn’t about perfection, but more about exploration, play and disconnecting from digital. She wanted to think in new ways and use creativity to gain new insights and perspectives that she could also use in her business. (Read more about Catriona’s journey here.)

The result was transformational. She began responding to change in new and unexpected ways. She wrote a book, and launched an online, productised side to her business. She started to work with her team in different ways so the business could leverage the collective strength of their ideas. The business became more stable, but more importantly, she felt more in control of where she wanted to take the business and what its purpose in her life was.

Through nature based art, she was able to change how she saw things. It helped her overcome business challenges and appreciate risk and potential in different ways.

Not only did it have a significant impact on her business, she is now a celebrated artist whose unique sculptural work offers glimpses of shapeshifting natural forms, from unnoticed branches, leaves and seedpods into stunning works that celebrate the abundance of nature.

She uses foraged and discarded plant material with traditional basketry and assemblage techniques to reimagine nature. Her work is emotionally authentic, uniquely contemporary, and visually stunning.

She uses nature as a way to connect with people that goes beyond physical beauty but touches them in a personal and profound way. Transforming discarded organic material into sculptures forces people to view the natural world around them in a different way.

Catriona has had several solo exhibitions and exhibited extensively in selected and group exhibitions. She has been shortlisted as many art awards and her work is profiled across major art and design media and is featured nationally in galleries, high end design spaces and private collections. She runs booked out public basketry and creativity workshops. For more information about her art: www.theartofweaving.com.au

Here are four reasons why you should be engaging in traditional creative exercises:

Your brain health improves

Engaging in slow and creative activities such as arts and crafts has been proven to benefit the brain by working both hemispheres. It’s important for us to strengthen the part of our brains that not only engage with logic and problem solving, but also taps into the creative and imaginative side of our minds. Adults who pursue arts and crafts stay mentally sharper for longer.

Your stress levels go down

Blocking out the constant noise of society can work wonders for your mental health and bring down stress levels. Not having constant deadlines to worry about lowers cortisol, the ‘stress hormone’, and engaging in relaxing, enjoyable activities heightens levels of oxytocin and serotonin in the brain.

You operate better at work

Believe it or not, your professional life also benefits from slowing down. For instance, children who are encouraged to learn a musical instrument, or receive visual arts education during their formative years grow into more well-rounded adults. The same theory applies in a work environment.

Connecting with nature makes us happier

We are so disconnected from nature in this digital world that we’re barely paying attention to what’s around us. Using basketry and nature based arts rekindles that lost connection and there is a growing body of evidence that shows that we need nature for our health and wellbeing. Research has shown that there is a scientifically significant increase in people’s health, happiness when they have a connection to nature and active nature behaviours.