Using the Sketchbook Circle to Stay Creative
As an art teacher and business owner, it's easy to get caught up in the demands of teaching online, lesson planning, marketing, and the day-to-day responsibilities of running a business. In the process, maintaining my own artistic practice can sometimes take a back seat. That’s why joining the Sketchbook Circle has been such a transformative experience for me – both as an artist and as a teacher.
For those who may not be familiar, Sketchbook Circle is a collaborative project where artists and educators create and exchange sketchbooks over the course of a year. Each participant begins a sketchbook, then sends it to their partner after filling in a section. Over time, the sketchbook becomes a shared, evolving creative journey between two people, full of inspiration, experimentation, and new ideas. At the moment, I am collaborating with two other teacher/artists in Spain and Berlin. My sketchbook goes to Spain and back and my colleague's journal comes from Germany to me! Both books are completely unique and different and this amazes me as I'm having two completely different dialoges. Both sketchbooks have completely different personalities!
Keeping Up with My Own Practice
Being part of the Sketchbook Circle keeps me actively engaged in my own creative process. As teachers, we often encourage our students to explore, experiment, and take risks, but it's essential for us to practice what we preach. Having a regular commitment to add to a sketchbook pushes me to set aside time for my own work, even during busy times. The best part is, it doesn't have to be exam quality! It's about being creative...starting something and perhaps losing your way, but then having your partner transform it into something else, or taking your idea and flipping it on its head! and vice versa!
The collaborative nature of the project fuels my creativity. Receiving someone else's ideas, sketches, and concepts allows me to approach my own practice in fresh, unexpected ways. It forces me to step outside of my comfort zone and respond to their work, which can spark new ways of thinking and creating. This continuous exchange of inspiration keeps my own artistic journey alive and dynamic.
Using the Sketchbook Circle as a Teaching Tool
What makes the Sketchbook Circle even more powerful is how it informs my teaching. The experience of regularly engaging in collaborative artwork reminds me of the importance of process over product. It’s not always about creating a final "perfect" piece but about experimenting, trying new techniques, and developing ideas. I can take this mindset into the classroom, encouraging my students to embrace the process and not be afraid of mistakes.
Additionally, the exchange of sketchbooks with another artist mirrors the kind of creative dialogue I want to foster among my students. By sharing and responding to one another’s work, students learn how to view art as a conversation, how to build on ideas, and how to grow through collaboration. This is a practice that I hope to establish in my online community; encouraging students to collaborate, responding to each other’s work, just as I do in the Sketchbook Circle.
Another valuable reminder frrom this experience is the importance of reflection. Through the ongoing exchange, I reflect on my own artistic choices. As I teacher I was taught to become a reflective learner. In turn, I encourage students to spend time reflecting on their work and to consider how their ideas evolve over time, just as I do when I revisit pages in my sketchbook. Someday's I feel really creative and other days I've no idea what to put in the sketchbooks! and this is the reality of art. However, by taking inspiration from what my colleagues have already added, always gives me ideas. Sometimes it's a matter of just doing something, anything and seeing where it leads!
A Creative Journey for Both Teacher and Students
Ultimately, being part of the Sketchbook Circle is not just a way to stay active in my own artistic practice; it's a tool that directly enhances my teaching. It keeps my creativity flowing, helps me model the behaviors I want to see in my students, and reminds me of the joy that comes from creating for the sake of exploration.
If you're an art educator or artist looking for a way to stay engaged with your own practice while enriching your teaching, I highly recommend joining the Sketchbook Circle. It’s more than just an exercise in making art – it’s a shared journey of growth, creativity, and inspiration.
Written By: Jo Fellowes
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