Creative Flow Open Studio: An Experiment in Everyday Creativity
Why is it so hard to sustain something we know is good for us, and what might happen if we designed the conditions differently? How might rhythm, shared practice, and accessibility reshape the way we engage in everyday creativity?
We know that regular creative engagement is linked with improved wellbeing, yet many people struggle to maintain a creative practice amidst the demands of everyday life. This presentation shares the story of Creative Flow Open Studio, a simple experiment that began with one question: What happens if we make just thirty minutes of creative practice part of each weekday? After beginning as a personal experiment, Creative Flow has grown into a shared online practice where people create alongside one another from homes, studios and outdoor spaces across Australia. Participants will be invited to experience a brief demonstration of the practice while exploring how shared intention, creativity, body doubling, outdoor practice, digital connection and collective rhythm might contribute to a new way of thinking about creativity as an accessible and sustainable, everyday health behaviour.
About the Presenter
Dr Carla van Laar is an artist, Creative and Experiential Therapist, clinical counsellor, supervisor, educator and researcher based on Boon Wurrung Country in regional Victoria. For more than three decades, she has worked across community, education, health and independent practice, exploring the relationships between creativity, wellbeing, social connection and healing. Her work brings together creative practice, counselling, research and public engagement, with a particular interest in Creative Health and the role of everyday creativity in supporting human flourishing. She is Convenor of the College of Creative and Experiential Therapies within PACFA and the founder of Creative Flow Open Studio, an online weekday creative practice exploring what happens when creativity weaves into the rhythm of everyday life.
