How do people who create for a living find their inspiration? How do they keep their creativity flowing? We caught up with some of Ireland’s finest creatives and found out how they tap into their imagination and bring new ideas to life.

Monica Loughman

Monica Loughman is Ireland’s prima ballerina and founder of her own professional ballet school and ballet company.

Not surprisingly, she credits her creativity to her extensive training and work in Russia. She was the first westerner to achieve solo status with the Perm State Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Russia, where she danced for 14 years.

“I like to draw inspiration from all the knowledge I have of different ballets and various styles,” she says. “The piece of music will tell me what it wants. I can then envision the choreography and go in and make it even better. All I need is a beautiful piece of music that inspires me and a dancer, or dancers, who I really want to work with.”

Working with dancers pushes her imagination “as I then have to create a piece of art that compliments and enhances” them

“I also really enjoy putting the costumes together which, for me, is like decorating a cake with icing. Once I can see it all coming together, my imagination really kicks in. I can then create and turn dreams into reality.”

Inspiration comes from the dancers who attend her ballet program. “The young dancers are all so focused, disciplined and ambitious, which inspires me to showcase their talents on the best platforms possible.”

Monica’s dancers have performed at the Convention Centre in Dublin and the National Concert Hall. “This pushes me to be more focused and determined to put Irish ballet dancers onto the world stage,” she says.

“During lockdown, it was so stifling for the arts. So I spent my time honing my craft and my teaching skills. I now feel ready for the return in September 2021, stronger, better and wiser than before.

Visit ballerina.ie

Helen McAlinden

Helen is one of Ireland’s best-known designers, having established her brand in 2001.

She takes inspiration from almost anywhere, she says.

“From people watching on the street to art exhibitions, and of course, from the latest movies, this is generally how trends develop in the fashion industry,” she says.

“Lately, a lot of my research has been online and through magazines. I’m dying to travel again for some fresh inspiration.”

“I try to be innovative and offer something which is needed. Classic and simple silhouettes that last a lifetime. The whole concept or ethos of my brand is to be able to buy well and buy less.”

Creating new lines is an exciting, albeit long, process - especially throughout the pandemic: “It usually starts with the fabrics and visits to fabric fairs abroad. Of course, now this is all online which is so much more difficult”

Concepts are illustrated through mood boards before silhouettes are developed. Helen says: “After refining 100s of sketches and ideas, I start developing prototypes of new styles.” The whole process takes over a year, before the pieces land on the shop floor.

Visit helenmcalinden.com

Laura Buchanan

Donegal native Laura Buchanan uses the packaging and graphic design from the 1950s and 1960s as inspiration for her prints and greeting cards.

“My great-grandparents owned a grocery and hardware shop from 1908 to the 1980s. So, I grew up with lots of items from the shop displayed at home such as cigarette advertisements, sweet tins and loose tea bags. I love the simplicity in design, the choice of fonts and the bold colour combinations of that time,” she says.

While her work is nostalgic, Laura’s approach to the creative process is a lot more high-tech. “I start by making a mood board on Pinterest, gathering lots of inspiration and ideas. Then I create mini drawings of different compositions in my sketchbook,” she says. “After that, I start the design process in Adobe Illustrator using a Wacom drawing tablet. I usually keep my designs to a maximum of two or three colours.”

Once the design is completed, Laura prints it off using her Riso printer.

“It’s fun layering colours on top of each other. It’s very hands-on and it uses eco-friendly ink.”

Visit laurabuchanan.ie

Sandra Pokrant

Sandra Pokrant started Irish jewellery brand Lulu + Belle with only a couple of tools, including a mini-anvil she inherited from her grandfather. After working at her day job, Sandra would fulfil jewellery orders late into the night in her spare bedroom turned workspace. Most of Lulu + Belle’s jewellery collections are personalised and, more often than not, given as special gifts.

“I’m inspired to create pieces that can tell stories for people and that represent the important bonds between people,” she says.
“It could be a piece for a new mum wanting a personalised piece of jewellery to celebrate her firstborn, or a daughter wishing to remember her dad with a lyric from his favourite song.”

“I’m also a magpie and I love how the addition of a birthstone for example can add an extra personal touch and a pop of colour to a piece.”

“I love nature and, when I’m not working, I’m always doing something outdoors. We’ve begun to incorporate some special motifs and designs from nature and the outdoors into our pieces.”

Creating new pieces is not always straightforward with “a lot of trial and error”. “Hand-stamping can be a tricky process to perfect,” she explains, “so we experiment to ensure we have the correct stamp to fit a piece of jewellery.”

While creating new shapes or stamps to get a piece that is just right can be troublesome, the end result is well worth it, she says.

Visit luluandbelle.com

Áine Stapleton

Áine Stapleton is a dancer, filmmaker, and musician. Her passion project, which combines both dance and film-making, features Lucia Joyce, James’ daughter.

“I find Lucia's story endlessly fascinating and very moving,” says Áine. “She was a professional dancer in France during the 1920s. She was later incarcerated by her brother in psychiatric institutions for approximately 47 years. Lucia was known as the troubled child of her genius father rather than a talented artist in her own right.”

Having started dancing at seven years old, Áine studied dance to degree level. “I think that dance is an effective practice because it trains whole-body awareness, inspires fullness of expression, and brings us back to our essence,” she says.

She now works across both dance and film. “Still, I always return to body-based practices as the primary source of creative inspiration. Movement improvisation and mindfulness techniques, in particular, support me to listen to my intuition and stay receptive to new ideas. As a writer and director for film, staying open and going with your gut is an essential part of the process.”

“I always research my subject matter thoroughly for a new project, and can spend years developing my ideas,” she says. “To work as an artist, you have to balance being very organised with being very spontaneous.”

“I need to find ways to stay energized, in the moment, and open to new experiences. I spend quite a bit of time alone, travel a lot, and live in places that offer me a good work-life balance. I go for walks in nature, swim in the sea, visit exhibitions, watch movies, and relax with friends over a few glasses of wine and plenty of cake! I sometimes challenge myself with new activities that scare me (a lot!), like kitesurfing, and regularly take classes and courses to continue developing as an artist.”

Áine is an invited member of the Project Arts Centre and The Arts Council peer panel. In 2019, she was chosen as an Associate Artist with Dance Ireland. Her second feature film on Lucia Joyce, Horrible Creature, premiered at the Irish Film Institute in Dublin in June 2019.

Visit ainestapleton.com

Rodrigo Ternevoy

Rodrigo best known for his role as Cristiano in RTÉ’s Fair City. His main inspiration comes from listening to music. “It helps me to channel all sorts of creativity and emotions when I need them,” he says.

”I also love watching movies; as an actor I get a lot of inspiration from seeing other actor’s work. Theatre can be a huge help too. Life in general I would say can inspire me a lot, I am a very observational type of person and no doubt I take in a lot from my environment every day. It certainly helps me to be and stay creative.

“Colours are also very important to me, sometimes when I am reading or learning lines of a particular scene I catch myself thinking of colours, somehow they help to unleash my creativity and emotions.”

Aside from acting, he loves photography. “My father used to be a photographer. I think I got it from him. I love going for long walks with my husband and being suddenly surprised by some sort of street art, by the architecture of houses and buildings around town, gardens and flowers. These are things that inspire me all the time, and I might end up taking a photo or two. Most of the time, I keep them to myself but, at times, I share them on my Instagram with the hope that, somehow, they could inspire someone else.

“But suppose I need to write a story/scene or start preparing for a new role, for example. In that case, I finish my immediate tasks for the day to start the next day without anything on my mind, free from any interference.

Rodrigo came to Ireland 12 years ago to learn English, but decided to stay and become an Irish citizen. He trained as an actor at the Bow Street Academy in Dublin. Alongside his Fair City work he has appeared in Savita's Story and the short film, The Family Way, directed by Nuno Bernardo.

Instagram @rodrigoternevoy

Caroline Grace Cassidy

Author Caroline has just finished her latest novel The unexpected love story of Lexie Byrne. She draws inspiration from the people around her, “be that, friends, family or just observing people as they go about their days”, she says.

“It’s been really difficult to write during Covid, as normally I not only observe but I also listen to people in restaurants, on buses, on trains, or just out in the playground which hasn’t been possible to do.

“I’m inspired by women in general. I mainly write women’s fiction and I’m just fascinated with our species, from childhood, to teens, to singletons, to mothers, to grandmothers, to the career woman, to the stay at home mothers, to the woman who travels the world. All of us. In all shapes and forms. I like to tackle how disapproving and judgemental society can still be on us all ... how society sees us and the expectations. To challenge this in my characters arc and story is always satisfying as a writer.”

Caroline tends to write in the mornings when her two girls are at school. “I try to still enjoy the process – even though it’s my full-time job. I also read a lot – I think this really helps to nurture and keep my creativity lit.

“If I’m just not feeling it, I’ll shut the lap top and take myself off to the library or a book shop. Nothing inspires me more than seeing books on a shelf – or the smell of a newly opened book. If I’m facing into a deadline that I feel is making me anxious – I’ll just ask for an extension and my publishers are great like that, they are very understanding – they know not to push me too hard because, at the end of the day, I’d be forcing the creative process and nothing that is forced is ever as good as it could have been with more time.”

Her creative process, she says involves pulling out a chair, sitting at a desk and staring at a blank screen. “Then I make up the first line. I never know what it’s going to be. Sometimes I write fifty lines and delete them all – sometimes the first one just works.

This is how I start all my novels. Rarely do I go into a new novel with a clue what I’m going to write about. I most likely know my main character is female and in her forties - as I write what I see around me and this is the generation that I’m in and most interested in.”

“Once I have an opening that I like, a concept usually follows, or a setting. Then I just drop the character into a situation and begin a dialogue with another character to see who she is.

“For example, my new novel The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39 ½) just grew from a seedling idea I had. Why do great nights always happen when you least expect them to? Yet the ones you’ve looked forward to and planned meticulously for ages can somehow be a wash out?

So once Lexie came to me, I dropped her in a situation and from that developed an irresistible love story about soul mates.”

“I trust myself enough at this stage as a writer that I don’t have to push the creative side too hard - I let the dialogue take me there.”

Visit carolinegracecassidy.com

Miranda and Sean Corcoran

Miranda and Sean run an art studio and gallery called The Art Hand, on The Copper Coast in County Waterford. Miranda creates artworks directly onto the surface of glass using translucent and 3D paints. Sean creates massive sand art drawings with a garden rake on beaches around Ireland and the UK. His sand art was recently featured in the Discover Ireland staycation ad campaign.

Miranda’s pieces are vibrant and happy, often featuring flowers, hearts and abstract shapes. But as a busy mum she creates when she can. “My process has evolved to suit our busy lifestyles. We have two children and lots of rescued animals. Having a dedicated space in the studio means that I can jump in and out as time allows,” she says.

“I’m inspired by my daily surroundings. I’m fascinated by the abundance of flowers along the coast here this time of year. I collect love heart rocks. I walk the dogs and swim in the sea most days of the year. My life is my inspiration.

“Colour is also a big part of my world. I love to have pops of colour around me. My favourite shape is a circle, it never ends.

“Having the right studio space and art supplies at hand means I can feed my creativity when it is hungry. I absorb myself in nature, take photos of flowers, put some good music on my headphones and it all flows.”

Sean describes his sand art as a form of environmental art. “I choose the best low tides each month and often have only two or three hours to complete a drawing before the tide returns and washes it all away. The majority of my work is freehand and unplanned. I prefer to respond to each individual location. It’s a very mindful process. I like to share this experience with families, schools and private groups and I take sand art commissions.”

“I’ve been making sand art for over 10 years now. While I’m always inspired my surroundings, emotions and life experiences, I believe that my main inspiration is the process itself. Giving myself the freedom to create art organically is very uplifting. It’s an inspirational state of mind. It’s calm, it’s peaceful, it’s consuming. I do like to experiment though so more recently I’ve been collaborating with electronic music artists on a project called Supersonic Sand.

“If I’m not making art, I’m usually thinking about it. I like to challenge myself with new ideas, things I haven’t done before. I like to develop new techniques and tools. I like to film my work using a drone and time lapse cameras. This means that when I’m not on the sand, I’m usually editing photos and creating short films of my work.”

For more visit thearthand.com

Carol McGowan

For Carol, inspiration for her mosaic headstones was forged in the pain of grief. A graduate of National College of Art and Design in Dublin, the deaths of her mother and father within three months of each other left her bereft. “I wanted to design a final gift for them, something artistic and durable – something they would be truly proud of.”

She decided to design a unique headstone and her research let her to Ravenna in Italy, home of mosaic, to study. When she returned she set up heartstone.ie, which creates beautiful headstones and cremation artwork.

But Lockdown meant that her headstone business was a non-essential service. “This left me with time to dabble in other art forms. I stumbled across needle felting, otherwise known as painting with wool’”.

“Being close to family and friends during lockdown was not an option. Those that lost loved ones, often find solace in a visit from a robin, so that’s where I found inspiration. I started to make wool robins in memory of loved ones. They became very popular and I started getting requests for all sorts of animals.”

“My mind is always keen to investigate. I try and challenge myself with various styles and mediums. For instance, I did a course in willow basket making last month and copper etching the month before. Some ways of creating just click while others may be more challenging. When you find a way of creating that you enjoy, the work just flows and that's a very special feeling.”

Carol describes her mind as restless which she believes helps her create. “I have a tenancy to reverse engineer ideas: In my mind, I see clearly what I want to achieve; the 'how' comes later. It's a process of elimination after that; materials, methods, structure, troubleshooting and finishes. There comes a point when you know when something is or is not working. But thankfully some make the final cut. I always want to do things better. I'm my own worst critic, but it keeps the quality of the work to a good standard.”

Visit heartstone.ie

Creative Minds