I feel so lucky to get to live a creative life – not just in my work space, but also in my day-to-day. I love to approach all things – from getting dressed and making star sandwiches for my kiddo, to picking juust the right cute mug for my morning coffee – with the notion that I am the curator of my life. With this in mind, I strive to make choices that feel the most aligned with my sensibilities and that are going to bring the most joy to my fam and I. 

HOW MY WORKING SPACE INSPIRES CREATIVITY
I create the majority of my work in my home studio. It’s the bottom level of my house (which I am extremely lucky to have) and contrasts the upper level, which is more of a neutral space with pops of colourful artwork. Stepping into my studio is like entering the pages of my visual diary, or perhaps like having a little wander around my brain. I really believe my working space has to be an uninhibited place that reflects the work I want to make. I love looking around and seeing colour, texture and my old artworks looking on! It all feeds my inspiration and it’s just so much easier to create work that fits into my universe when I’m literally standing within it.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR SPACE INTERESTING AND INSPIRING
What I like about my working space is that it isn’t static; I’m always rearranging and adjusting it to reflect my state of mind or a project I’m working on. I spend the majority of my time in my studio, so I need the space to be somewhere I want to spend time in. Here are a couple of tips for making this the case:

1. Keep it clean! I make it a part of my daily ritual to do a 10-minute tidy at the end of each day; empty the bins, clear the cups and do a little sweep. Future you will thank you! There’s nothing worse than coming down to your studio, ready to work, only to discover your dog has strewn a whole rubbish bag across the studio because you left a muffin wrapper dangling out the top (can you tell that’s happened to me?)!

2. If you can, invest half a day in developing some aesthetically pleasing (because you’ll have to look at them non-stop) organisational systems within your space. For example, I love using cute and colourful crates to store materials and files; using hardware containers to house pens and pencils (spray-painted mint green, of course); and creating small zones for different tasks (i.e., a separate trestle table for postage materials or an area you use solely for filming content). Make your space work for you and strive to make it a place you actually love being in.

3. Don’t let your space (or lack thereof) hold you back from creating. I have had many ‘studios’ over the years – from my parent’s garage, to a corner of a tiny room, to the entry way to our house… I have learnt that you can really make any nook your precious creation zone. You just have to claim the space and make it your own.

FIVE KEY LESSONS I’VE LEARNT AS A CREATOR
1. Put some TLC into your online presence. Having a well-designed website that wasn’t difficult to use really mattered to me. I was drawn to Squarespace after realising how simple and functional it was (which is why I’m now a Squarespace Ambassador). It helped that some of my favourite creatives were also using the platform. I love diving deep into the analytics of my site to see where people are spending time on my page. I then use that information to dictate what other offerings or experiences I can create that they might enjoy. I am also loving Squarespace's scheduling tool.

2. Push out of your comfort zone. I am constantly reflecting on the work I have produced and contemplating how I can push things further, develop something new, or refine something to make the concept even better. I’d give this advice to all creators to avoid getting stuck on one aesthetic or practice.

3. Consider your audience’s experience of your work. Make sure you have an easy place for your audience to access your work. Whether it’s social media or in a physical space, build somewhere you’re proud to put your prized pieces.

4. Create to create, rather than to be perfect. Remove the pressure that everything you create and share needs to be perfect or your best work ever. Creativity is a practice, and you can only get better through constant repetition and reflection.

5. Focus on the work, first and foremost. It can be so easy to get distracted by what other people are doing and how other people are developing or succeeding. Try your best to have tunnel vision: listen to your instincts, produce work from your heart and be brave about sharing that work with an audience.

HOW TO APPLY THESE LESSONS TO EVERYDAY LIFE
I absolutely think some of these lessons can be applied to day-to-day life – not just the creative work realm! It’s generally a good idea to step outside of our comfort zones and to mix up the routine where possible. It might be something as simple as trying out a new recipe or leading the charge on a new friendship. Approaching life with a sense of adventure and discovery is always going to lead you to interesting places. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good routine, but it’s good to mix things up.

Another favourite line of thinking to apply to life would be to embrace the splendour of imperfection and try to focus on your own grass instead of the greener stuff over there. I love the quote “comparison is the thief of joy” as I believe it is so true. It’s so important to find joy where you can in your own life, and with the people (and animals) you love, and to find ways to be grateful for those things. It’s easy to get caught up with what other people are doing and what other people have (I’m looking straight at you, social media), and forget about the wonderful things in your own life and what you actually want. Things don’t have to be ‘perfect’ and they certainly don’t have to be the same things that deliver other people their joy… but they should be your special things and there’s magic to be found in that!

To keep up with Rachel, check out her Instagram and online shop.