Dani Ramsby

Web Designer at MurMur Creative

Culinary Exploration

Interview by:

Whitney Mokler

April 24, 2020

W: Historically have you found yourself feeling the most creatively fulfilled by the work you do professionally or outside of that?

D: I find fulfillment in both my work and my hobbies, though I’d say the two are creatively fulfilling in very different ways. My creativity at work is probably more in line with most people’s traditional definition, where I'm outwardly expressing myself through a visual medium. This feels a lot different from the way I express myself outside of work. For hobbies, I enjoy cooking, journaling, spending time outdoors, and playing my ukulele. To me, these activities provide the same joy and escape from day-to-day stressors as doing something artistic, but they are more personal, more for myself, rather than outlets to be shared.

W: What types of design or art do you partake in to fuel your need for creative outlet?

D: Mostly the activities listed above, but I do also dabble in some fine arts from time-to-time. I probably enjoy drawing the most, but have also played around with woodblock printing, painting, and photography as well.

daniramsby.com

murmurcreative.com

W: How do you find your creative drive impacted by times of high stress? Including right now we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic?

D: I actually don’t find the pandemic to be personally stressful. I’m fortunate in that I have a stable job, I thrive as an introvert, and I’m able to compartmentalize from the outside world when I need to destress. I’ve found that the slower pace has allowed me more mental bandwidth to set aside large spans of time to seek out creative outlets. During times of high stress, I tend to get too overwhelmed to seek out creative outlets, which is a real bummer. If the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that the space to create doesn’t usually make itself available; it’s important to carve out that time for yourself.

W: What are 3 tips you have for finding creative inspiration/outlet when in isolation or a high stress environment?

Make the time and space for creativity, even if it means scheduling it into your day. If the tools you need to be creative are set aside for you, it’s much easier to just dive right in and get immersed in your activity.

Look for creative outlets in a variety of ways. Creativity doesn’t necessarily come from just visual arts; it comes from any activity that allows you to use your imagination.

Be really bad at stuff. A lot of people are trying out new hobbies right now and it can be very discouraging when you’re just starting out and you really suck. But you don’t have to be proud of everything you make. Just start doing stuff!

"I've found that the slower pace has

allowed me more

mental bandwidth to

set aside large spans

of time to seek out creative outlets."

W: If you could create any project right now with unlimited time, energy, and resources, what would it be?

D: I used to do ceramic arts when I had access to a studio. I would 100% get back into making ceramics if I had the resources, but it requires access to a lot of space and equipment that I don’t have at the moment. I’m actually house hunting right now and one of the main criteria for the house is it has to have space to have a throwing wheel, so hopefully more ceramic arts are in my future!

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