By Greg Vineyard

In the Star Trek reboot (2009), at one point, young Scotty (the late Anton Yelchin) exclaims: “Imagine that, it never occurred to me to think of space as the thing that was moving.”

It was a revelation that involved evolved thinking, theory development and an offered perspective. Oh, and some time-warping, universe-twisting prodding was in the mix, too.

Or, will be in the mix. Because this happens about 242 years in the future. If it were real. (Oh, please let it be real. Just think: Food Replicators!)

I know, I totally geeked-out there for a second. What’s the point, you (often) ask? I think how we evolve as artists (or in any profession) is an ever-evolving journey, where new information enters the scene and helps us with the next piece of the puzzle. Sometimes we perhaps haven’t been ready to see a piece has been missing, or we don’t realize that it’s simply time for a new sequel, er, sequence.

Scotty’s catalyst was someone from another planet and from a divergent future, pointing out something he really needed to know in order to further the plot, er, I mean, in order to keep humankind moving forward.

However, insights along the way don’t have to come to us in such a sci-fi way, for we can seek our next phases as we draw, paint, sculpt, throw, wedge, weld, write, assemble … and all the other cool creative things we do.

Some things to consider:

Notebook Mining

I go back through my idea and reference files fairly regularly, as my old sketchbooks and quasi-sorted piles are treasure-troves of brilliant doodle-moments and tear sheets, where a character or icon or color combination are just waiting to be rediscovered and incorporated into things I’m working on now.

Don’t have idea files yet? All one needs are some cardboard magazine boxes, a spare shelf, and some suggested categories. Like architecture or dinosaurs, or Scandinavian mid-century kitchen ceramics. Research. What’s going on out in your particular field? What’s going on in the world? I find bookstores, galleries and the good ol’ interwebs to be very handy for seeking inspiration, as well as, staying current. And certain periodicals often have annual issues that are chock-full of longer-lasting trends than regular monthlies; like what designers have been thinking about regarding color and pattern. It’s inspiring. All these creators, creating cool things. It spurs me on and makes me want to keep working.

Ask For Feedback

Joining a critique group can provide invaluable analysis that helps one understand more about the world’s artistic trends, and about technical issues to work on. Gallery groups are good for this, but so is social media. I follow more than one Facebook group where people post work and ask questions.

Take Classes. Or workshops

Whether interacting in-person in a class, or participating in on-line learning, the number of options and offerings has increased dramatically over the years.

In a way, taking action and then giving ourselves some pointers and advice is like time tripping in our own lives. Our more informed selves are then saying to our evolving selves things like, “Hey, while you’re darkening the background in order to provide needed contrast, perhaps make the bunny’s nose neon green to create a focal point?” And then we say to ourselves: “Wow, a neon nose! That is SO brilliant! Thanks, Me!” And a regular bunny has now shifted gears into the next generation, taking a hare-raising stand against being merely adequate.

With regular delving-in – and trusting ourselves and our instincts – we affect the movement of what we’re doing, from Point A to Point B, and onward and upward over time. That Thing we were doing becomes an Enhanced, Improved Thing. And the path ahead opens up, and we open up, feeling ever more like we can do this.