A free presentation will help students put an end to the artist’s version of writer’s block by proposing a new idea as part of the “Let’s Talk Art” series. This idea is being presented in the series for the first time. 

Photography instructor Leah Floyd will give the lecture entitled “Establishing a Parallel Practice” Wednesday, March 25 at 5 p.m. in the Contemporary Art Gallery. This series is made possible by a few sponsors, including the Hammond Regional Arts Center, the Department of Fine and Performing Arts and the Friends of Sims Library.

Floyd is well-versed in many art mediums, and in addition to photography, she has worked with sculpture, video, textiles and other artistic forms. She has found a new approach to dealing with creative lapses.

“In this lecture, I look at the nature of creativity and suggest that creative practices, rituals and alternative activities performed outside the studio can influence your art practice,” said Floyd. “I will look at how leaning on your parallel practice during times of creative droughts can keep the creativity moving forward.”

She believes that utilizing everyday tasks performed outside of producing art can increase creative flow. 

“For me, it’s through letter-writing,” said Floyd. “Automatic writing helps me access things I’m thinking about that I didn’t realize were in my mind. Also, quilting is my other parallel practice. I get in the zone in the studio or at home. I’m doing it for myself as opposed to wondering what other people will think about the artwork.”

She explained how leaving everything behind and focusing on something else can help refresh artistic vibes by delving deeper through the teachings of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. He was responsible for the addition of many ideas to the field of psychology. 

“These activities we enjoy can be meditative and tap into the unconscious,” said Floyd. “After Carl Jung split with Freud in 1913, he wanted to find ways to access the unconscious by different avenues and interpreting dreams.”

Outlets can include drawing and dancing with no holding back. An artist can be free from restraints and get past hindrances. These extra-disciplinary activities are what Floyd calls the “parallel practice.”

In addition to the unconscious, Floyd will make it a point to honor the theme of the month. 

“It is International Women’s History Month and the artist I wanted to highlight is a female artist [named] Janine Antoni,” said Floyd. “It’s nice to think about women artists [and] she is a contemporary artist who is a multi-disciplinary artist.”

For more information about upcoming lectures and other forthcoming art-related events, visit hammondarts.org/lectures.