My mates always ask me how do you manage to do it… like EVERYDAY. 👀 It usually goes a bit like this… I could never work with my other half… they would drive me “bonkers” and other similar adjectives explaining how dreadful it would be. Don't get me wrong, they are right! (Hear me out first Josie Anna Pitcher 😅) Working with your partner may seem like a crazy idea, but after 10 years together, 6 of them working as colleagues and almost 4 years running a business together… I've learned that it's all about riding the ups and downs together with compassion and reassurance. 💟 Conflict is GUARANTEED, but resolution is OPTIONAL… So it's important to learn to navigate different perspectives and opinions without taking things personally. The subtle art of having thoughtful disagreements, empathy, patience, and confronting difficult conversations with candour, can smooth out any bumps in the road. Funnily, business can try and force you to toughen up… But, remembering our values and motto “just having fun with it” can help us get back in check if we ever start taking things too seriously. 😝 The reward of growing and learning together is priceless… And I feel fortunate to be on this journey in business with this super-woman everyday! 💪 Could you go into business with your partner? 💭 #IWD2023 #Creativity #WomenFounders #StandUp #Business #ArtSippers

In the late 1950s, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration commissioned a famous study on creativity in children. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠! 🤯 98% of the children scored "creative genius" level, meaning a high degree of originality, fluency, flexibility, and elaboration in their thinking. This suggested that creativity was a NATURAL and abundant trait in most young children. The researchers wanted to see how creativity changed, as the children developed. So, they re-tested the same group of children at ages 10 and 15. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠… Only 30% of the 10-year-olds scored at the same level as they did at age 5, and by age 15, that number had dropped to just 12%. These findings prompted the researchers to test the creativity levels found in adults. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠… Only 2% of the adults scored the original "creative genius" level. 📉 The evidence is clear. As children, we are naturally creative. Our minds are curious, adventurous, and free to explore the world around us in imaginative new ways... Sparking new innovations and creations. But, as we grow older, something strange seems to happen. 😕 Our creativity begins to fade… we start to get cynical and critical of ourselves through the school system and the journey into the business world… leading us to be anything but creative. The skill is to somehow re-discover our inner child… and let them out to play again! 😝 As Picasso once said, "every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." 🎨🖌️ #CreativeGenius #ZeroToPicasso #PlayMoreDoMore #Culture #ArtSippers

It’s common to feel self-conscious and insecure about sharing creative work. 👀 Funny that we are happy to share personal snaps of our holidays, food and even our pets. But when it comes to our own creations… Absolutely Nothing! 😐 When we share our creativity, we open ourselves up to constructive feedback, support, and encouragement. These little interactions can help us grow as artists and inspire us to continue creating. And it gives us the opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments and acknowledge the hard work we've put into our pieces. ART SIPPERS believe in the importance of shipping your art. That's why we've created the #ARTSIPPERSCHALLENGE, a three-step process designed to help you overcome your fear of sharing your artwork. 💥 First, take a picture of your before canvas. 💥 Next, take a picture of your after canvas. 💥 Finally, share your painting with a family member, colleague or a friend… and if you are feeling EXTRA daring, why not pop it up on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and beyond. Are you ready to take on the challenge and overcome THE FEAR of sharing? 👨🏿‍🎨👩🏼‍🎨 #CreativeConfidence#ShareYourWork#Courage#PassArtOn#ArtSippers

A few years ago I met Imran in the loading bay at an events depot in Woking. He told me that he recently quit his job to start a new drinks company called @Espraladrinks 🍹 And that he was looking for an event manager to help promote them for him. We swapped numbers and that was the end of it… When lockdown happened ALL of our events work dried up. 😳 Overnight our little side hustle @ARTSIPPERS quickly turned into our only full time position. 🎨🖌 With everyone sitting at home, we decided to make our own creative gift boxes. Imran was the first person we spoke with to help supply us with the drinks aka the sips! But, with a limited budget to make large wholesale orders... We assumed another rejection was coming our way. But, luckily Imran was looking for an innovative way to get people to sample his new drinks. 💡 Since then a little partnership was born! 🚀 👌 He has given us invaluable advice and support on our journey so far. 👌 He has taught us how to make ‘proper’ coffee. 👌 We have played jenga ‘millions’ of times with his girls Siyanna and Gabriella. 👌 And we have watched his adorable family and drinks business grow. From a simple supplier… to someone that we would consider a companion on the path, a mentor and friend. If you ever buy one of our creative boxes or corporate gift boxes...🎁 Be sure that you can find Imran’s tasty sip @Espraladrinks inside. Not only will you be supporting us... but you will be supporting another small business owner in the process. 🙌 👨🏿‍🎨👩🏼‍🎨 #Relationships #MeetTheSupplier #Creativity #SmallBusinessJourney #Support #Collaboration #Partnerships #ArtSippers

In his groundbreaking TED Talk, the late Sir Ken Robinson made a bold statement: "schools kill creativity". 🎨 One of the key points that Sir Ken Robinson makes is that mistakes and accidents are essential for learning and innovation. He argued that the current education system is too focused on getting the "right" answers, which discourages creativity and risk-taking. To cultivate a culture of true innovation and creativity, we must embrace the concept of "happy little accidents," famously phrased by Bob Ross, as invaluable opportunities for growth and discovery.💡 Unfortunately we often get educated out of our natural creativity from a young age… we are taught to assimilate and conform to a certain set of rules and expectations, stifling our natural instincts for exploration and experimentation. This is particularly true in art, which has traditionally been relegated to the bottom of the education system hierarchy since the industrial revolution - with STEM subjects again being preferred and praised in higher education. (Rishi Sunak's recent maths pledge follows this same old rhetoric) Yet, the Gen Z generation is beginning to disrupt this tradition and there are several signs there might just be a new creative revolution underway… With the rise of platforms like TikTok and the emergence of AI-generated art and Chat GPT, we are seeing a new era of creativity that is breaking down traditional boundaries and challenging old assumptions. This emerging creative economy is being fuelled by a desire for individualism, self-expression and a passion to connect with others around the world in new and exciting ways. Even with all of these new advances many will continue to overlook and disregard the arts, possibly missing out on this wave of creative opportunity. In the end, if we truly want to unlock the full potential of our schools, businesses and our society as a whole, we must be willing to unlearn our programming of years gone by and re-connect with the natural creativity that is within us all. 🚀 Do you think schools kill creativity? 💭 P.s if you want to see the full TedTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY (Pretty sure, I spotted Jeff Bezos laughing in the audience... Let me know if you see it too). #Creativity #Culture #Innovation #Education #AI #Art

Did you know that all of the musicians who appear in the half-time Super Bowl concert are not actually paid for their performance? 🤯 The recent show has brought attention to the ongoing debate surrounding artists working in exchange for exposure, a practice that has become increasingly prevalent in the music and creative industry. From high-profile performers such as Rihanna to small up-and-coming artists being asked to work for free, the conversation surrounding this issue is more relevant than ever. Exposure has long been touted as a valuable commodity in the music industry, with many emerging artists being promised increased visibility in exchange for performing for free or for a reduced fee. While exposure can certainly help artists build brand awareness, this practice has serious consequences for the industry as a whole. By accepting payment in the form of exposure, artists are effectively devaluing their own work and contributing to a trickle-down economy that is harmful for everyone, especially for small artists and creatives. Rihanna may not necessarily need a few extra quid... but small artists and creatives are particularly affected by this trend. As they are often asked to work for free in the hope that the exposure will help them gain traction and increase future revenues. 📈 Yet, this rarely translates into tangible benefits or reward, and these artists are often left with nothing to show for their work other than the exposure they received. 😐 Sadly, this perpetuates a cycle of underpayment and exploitation that undermines the livelihoods of artists, creatives and many small businesses alike. The reality is, If we honestly value ART as a culture... It’s only right that artists get adequate compensation to forge sustainable creative careers and hopefully get rid of the ‘starving artist’ stereotype. Would you work for FREE for exposure? 💭 #Creatives #SuperBowl #Brand #SmallBusiness #Exposure #Culture #Artists

Running a small business is like a rollercoaster ride… add a partner co-founder into the mix and it gets even more mental!! 😜 Through the tough times we are learning to have patience and compassion for each other. Being able to trust the process is not easy… To keep focused on the mission, we try to not let any success go to our head and not let failures or silly mistakes go to our heart. 💟 Of course there are daily ups and downs, twists and turns that challenge our sanity at times… but, that's what makes it all the more memorable! 💥 Everyday there is something new to learn, ways to develop or improve and grow together as a team. 🙌😍 If you're feeling a bit mehhh and ready to try something new for 2023… we say go for it! 💪🚀 Whether it's starting a business, podcast, fitness journey or painting... push yourself out of the comfort zone and make it a masterpiece. 🖼 Remember, every artwork started with a single brush stroke! 🖌 NorteyPitcher👨🏿‍🎨👩🏼‍🎨

Think of yourself as the next Picasso or Van Gogh, or curious to explore your artistic capabilities with confidence? Start off 2023 by having a blast with Art Sippers. Are you up for the challenge? 🎨🖌️🍸 Read the full blog here https://indiebloom.co.uk/indiebloom-4/2023-art-sippers P.s Check out Indie Bloom website - If you are keen to discover small indie companies!

The words we use to speak to ourselves can either open up possibilities or prevent us from experiencing a world of opportunity. 📈 It’s funny, by just adding the word 'yet' to any negative statement about our ability to do something, we are telling our brain a very different story, one that is based on potential rather than fear. 😳 Many people believe that creativity is a talent that you're either born with or not, but that's not entirely true. 🚫 Creativity can be developed and nurtured like any other skill, just like learning how to drive a car. (I passed my test on my 2nd attempt 😅) A key factor in developing this valuable asset is by having a growth mindset. 💪 What is a growth mindset? In simple terms as defined by psychologist Carolyn Dweck, it's the belief that abilities can improve with effort, while a fixed mindset is the belief they cannot change. This finding should give us ALL a bit of hope, especially those who consider themselves “not creative the creative type.” Of course, this cognitive strategy does not mean that you will now go on to become the next Picasso, or Basquiat 🎨 ...but with this handy bit of knowledge under your belt, you might be more likely to take on risks and try new creative projects, without the dreaded fear of failure. Are you a person who says "I can't?" 👀 Maybe the next time you face a difficult task or challenge... You will consider saying “I can’t, yet?” 🚀 #GrowthMindset #Creativity #Confidence #Challenges #ArtSippers

And what better way to start the year than by creating beautiful artwork together. Our first live event of the year brought our community of SIPPERS together to paint our way out of the January blues with a Picasso-inspired Blue Period artwork. 💙 It was a sipping success and we couldn't have done it without all of our amazing members who joined us. This year, our mantra is "Consume less. Create more." We want to challenge ourselves and our community to push out of our comfort zones and set new goals. 🚀 Whether it's learning a new skill, starting a new project or just being more creative in our daily lives, let's make this the year of taking action and making things happen. Creative-confidence is key to achieving our goals. It's about being authentic and true to ourselves and our ideas, even if they are not popular or conventional. It's about taking risks and being vulnerable. And it's about having the courage to put ourselves out there and make a difference. So, let's make 2023 the year of being creative and confident. 💪 ...We can't wait to see what you create! 🎨 NorteyPitcher 👨🏿‍🎨👩🏼‍🎨 #Creativity #CreativeConfidence #CreativeCoach #Goals #Wellbeing #MindfulActivity #Community #Art #2023

In my early 20's, I used to suffer from a lack of confidence... I lost my mojo and fell into a bit of a funk 😑, which I managed to hide really well from friends and family. But, it manifested in my daily life with feelings of imposter syndrome, lack of direction and the inability to be assertive with my decision making. ⚖️ After LOTS of reflection, I realised that having low confidence and limiting beliefs was beginning to reduce my personal drive and ambition. 🚀 To try and shake it off... I threw myself out of my comfort zone, by pursuing standup Comedy and in work by taking on managerial positions. 🙌 I never saw myself as a “creative”, but after a trip to Japan visiting @Teamlab_borderless in TOKYO... I picked up a paper and crayon for the first time in MANY years for the ‘sketch aquarium’, this is where the picture you draw is digitised and brought to life in a huge life-sized sized aquarium in front of your eyes... swimming together with the other sea creatures drawn by other people. 🐡🦑 I quietly sat down and coloured in my little Seahorse and to my surprise I found myself melting into what I can only describe, as some sort of zen ‘flow state’. 🧘‍♂️ There was a profound moment of BLISS 😌 where all of my internal noise reduced, my mind calmed and I began to feel immense pride and genuine joy with my creation aka 'little Eric'. 🙃 This was a feeling that had been alien to me for so long... hence my confused grin in the picture 🥴😅 After witnessing its effects on my emotional state, I thought that maybe ART is the perfect low risk medium, to allow me and perhaps others to step outside of their comfort zone... 💭 By looking at a blank canvas, I was able to face underlying anxiety, explore self-doubt and internal judgements. 👀 Learning a new skill at any age can lead to feelings of discomfort, uncertainty, vulnerability, and the fear of failure. By taking on a fun creative challenge 🎨🖌 in a controlled encouraging environment, you can slowly build up your own creative-confidence muscle and mental fortitude.💪 Have you ever lacked confidence? 💟 Nortey 👨🏿‍🎨

Many of the team at Ishka: Aviation Finance had not picked up a paintbrush in years... or EVER before! 🖌️🎄 At the beginning of this creative experience you could feel the tension in the air, with several colleagues offering nervous glances at each other and wry smiles filled with anxiety. 😳 There was even one colleague who decided not show up in the morning, due to the fear of failure. 👀 ✅ Change is a challenge ✅ Learning is a challenge ✅ Painting is a challenge ✅ Art Sippers is a challenge Stepping out of your comfort zone is NOT easy, but through the process of creating art you can cultivate a growth mindset culture. In 120 mins, we took these uncertain amateur artists on a transformational journey from Zero to Picasso. 🙌 The Result: Take a look at the unique 'Snow Good' Christmas artworks created by the team... perfect for any wall or festive decoration! 🖼️☃️ Are your employees ready for the #ARTSIPPERSCHALLENGE ? 🎨 #CreativeConfidence #CorporateCulture #TeamBonding #Creativity #OfficeParty #GrowthMindset #ArtSippers