Can Scorpions Smoke | Playful with not knowing

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April 17, 2018

Flat-pack development. The tyranny of lists.

Lists are compelling. Especially those associated with our own personal development. And even though I think that, deep down, we know most of the lists..

March 29, 2018

The smell of analogue – Dialling back digital

This blog was written on an old typewriter. It was a lovely experience but, if for any reason, you cannot read the image above, there..

March 12, 2018

What is inexpressible is inexhaustible

In the film adaptation of Dr Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who!, a doubting kangaroo called Jane teaches the children that “If you can’t see, hear..

February 22, 2018

Resetting ‘normal’: celebrating the power of inexpertise

In 1970 a group of students at the Portsmouth School of Art formed The Portsmouth Sinfonia. Led by composer Gavin Bryars, the Sinfonia was an..

February 12, 2018

Seeking or settling? The shadow of self improvement.

Fritz Perls, one of the founders of gestalt psychology once said something like “Those that lives their lives totally focussed on the future never catch..

January 29, 2018

Stale logic. Fresh intuition.

The moment bread is taken out of the oven it starts to lose its freshness. It begins the process of going stale. It strikes me..

The man who loved dragons. When rhetoric meets reality.

Once upon a time there was a man who loved dragons. He had pictures of dragons on every wall of his house. He had dragon..

August 14, 2017

The Imperfect Portrait Experiment

I’m all too familiar with Imposter Syndrome. The feeling that I am doing something that I really am not qualified to do and that it..

July 25, 2017

Dancing with my inner critic – TEDx RTW

In February 2016 I wrote a blog about an MI5 style investigation I had began into my inner critic. I was surprised to receive many e-mails..

November 5, 2016

So you want more creativity in the workplace? Are you serious?

As human beings interact with each other they participate in a process of civilising. An ongoing social process of negotiating the norms and cult values*..

February 19, 2016

“D- This blog is not up to standard. Must try harder” – Investigating our Inner Critic

“I don’t know why you’re bothering to write this blog Steven. You might get one or two positive comments from loyal friends but overall people..

April 1, 2014

Busking Book Launch: Absolutely terrible or a little awkward?

Whilst I find it much easier nowadays to come up with creative ideas I feel I’ve still a lot of work to do on getting better..

BLOG ARCHIVE

January 22, 2018

Throwing talent into the void. The improvised Concept album

As the audience hush in anticipation I realise that I am witnessing something very special. Something historic. I am at a very intimate gig by..

January 15, 2018

Bad drawings, telegraph poles and paradoxical learning

In his beautiful book, “The Five Invitations” Frank Ostaseki tells the story of a workshop he was running in the rural North West USA. Whilst..

January 8, 2018

Risk and perspective

I no longer make new years resolutions as I’ve nearly always got a new idea that challenges and scares me a little. Something exciting that..

December 20, 2017

When brains study brains

Surrealist comedian Emo Philips once said “ I used to think the brain was the smartest organ in the body, until I realised who was..

December 11, 2017

The no one between two someones

“So, what do you do?” A question that stimulates a rich mix of emotions in me, none of them positive. In my head I can..

December 5, 2017

Captain Beefheart and his Magic Blog

In 1969 the late Don van Vliet, otherwise known as Captain Beefheart, set out to create an album that was the opposite of music. Intentionally..

November 20, 2017

If you can’t fix it, feature it

Ned Crowley had a problem. Having taken a sabbatical from the world of advertising to make his first feature film he found himself running out..

November 13, 2017

#FREEART – An experiment in passionate non-attachment

I first came across the concept of “Free Art” in 2011 when my friend Gary Hirsch started giving away Bots – small, unique robots that..

November 8, 2017

Tools versus Practices – lessons from DIY

I recently organised my DIY tools at home. For far too long they had been stuffed in a cupboard under the stairs which not only..

June 21, 2017

Certainty sells, but what’s the exchange rate?

I recently co-facilitated a session at Sadler Heath with Rowan Gray that focussed on our shared interest in not knowing. The morning consisted of a..

February 11, 2017

Medusa in Reverse – Rehabilitating spontaneity

Head of vile serpents, Avoid her furious gaze, Lest ye turn to stone. Greek legend tells the story of Medusa the Gorgon, a monstrous creature with hair..

December 14, 2016

Why am I so surprised? The practice of Bearing Witness

I was shocked and surprised when I read the headlines on my phone on the morning of 24th June 2016. The people of Britain had..