Stop Scrolling and Start Creating

This is the start of an eight-part series designed to reconnect you with your creative spirit — especially through the lens of Fine Art Photography and Art Photography. Whether you're new to the creative path or returning after time away, each discussion will invite you to pause, reflect, and create from a place of intention.

It's incredible how much time we spend consuming content and how often we reach for our phones instead of doing an activity that could enrich our day. The idea is simple but impactful: stop scrolling and start creating. This is the heart of Art Photography and Fine Art Photography — engaging with the world, not just absorbing it.

Let me ask you something: When was the last time you truly made something with your hands?

I am not referring to using your phone, tablet or computer, but something physically creative — a moment where your hands and mind worked together to create something new. A photo. A brushstroke. A sketch. A scribbled idea. A moment of expression, no matter how small.

For most of us, those moments have become rare. The world we live in today encourages consumption over creation. We're scrolling more than ever — and without even realising it. For many of us, it's become a habit. We scroll on our phones in queues, in bed, while waiting for a kettle to boil, at the dinner table, watching television and even on the toilet. It fills every gap in our day with visual stimulation and noise. I've watched it in others. I've felt it in myself. It's like the moment there's stillness or quiet, our instinct is to reach for our phone. Scroll. Tap. Consume.

But here's the uncomfortable truth: most of what we scroll through has nothing to do with our real lives. It doesn't add value. It generally doesn't lift our spirits. Most of what we consume is "bad news." It certainly doesn't add joy to our lives and keeps us busy but not necessarily fulfilled.

As an artist and photographer, I've spent a lifetime observing. It's part of my creative DNA — noticing light, mood, behaviour, and expression. My wife often nudges me and says, "Stop staring!" But I'm not staring — I'm studying. I find people's behaviour fascinating. Lately, I've noticed more and more that society is slipping into what I call a digital bubble. A kind of auto-pilot mode, where we scroll through endless reams of information that doesn't necessarily concern us, isn't relevant to us, and often has no lasting impact on us. Yet, we seem to carry on unabated.

And the cost? A growing restlessness. Anxiety. Even depression. A numbness that creeps in quietly. A subtle disconnection not just from others but more importantly from ourselves.

I'm not here to throw stones at the internet or technology. Far from it. There's so much good that comes from being connected. There's inspiration, education, and communication. But like anything powerful, it requires moderation & discipline. And right now, for many people, it's not moderate at all — it's automatic. It's addictive. And it's available in obscene doses. I feel we've become headline scanners and mass consumers of garbled, disjointed information, and we are losing the ability to engage and, more importantly, create.

But I believe there's another way.

When I put my phone down and pick up a camera... or when I start working on an artwork and let the paint and creativity flow... something shifts. Time slows down. The world grows quieter. My thoughts settle. My heart feels lighter. Energy returns, and I start to feel human again. That's the power of creating. That's the magic of using your hands to create — not just your thumbs to scroll — to make something meaningful. It's grounding. It's healing. It brings us back to ourselves.

This is the start of a conversation I want to have with you. Not a lecture, not a set of rules — but an invitation. Over the next series of blog posts, I want to explore how we can reclaim our creativity, how we can slow down and start to find meaning in life again, and how art can be a lifeline in an ever-growing world of false news, consumer overload and digital chaos. And no, you don't need to be an "artist" to do this. You just need to be willing.

Most people who join my art and photography programs don't have grand plans of being the next Banksy. They're not chasing fame. They're searching for something simpler — joy, peace, inspiration. Moments of reconnection, meaningful value, and happy times.

Because here's what I know to be true: there is an artist in everyone. It doesn't matter what you do for a living, how old you are, or what tools you have. Creativity is a part of you. It always has been and it always will be no matter on what level. You just have to make time for it.

One of the simplest and most powerful ways to do that is by choosing to pause. Just a few minutes of creative time a day — painting, drawing, photographing, collaging — even just playing with light or colour or texture — can lift you out of the mental fog. You'll be surprised how the world feels different afterward. Brighter. Calmer. Slower, in the best way.

During this blog series, I'll introduce an Abstract Image Fragmentation technique — a hands-on, creative activity accessible to you as my guest, whether you're using a professional camera or just your phone. It's a way of seeing differently, creating with intention, and creating something different. But more than that, it's about how it makes you feel while you're doing it. The shift. The clarity. The joy of creating. You will then also discover that it becomes even more powerful when you share what you've created with others in a like-minded community — people also returning to their creativity. A tiny flame becomes a fire. A lone spark becomes a shared light. That's what we're building in our Inspire Community and Creative Vision Network — spaces where people don't just create but connect and grow together.

So, before I go, let me offer a simple challenge: the next time your hand reaches for your phone and your thumb gets ready to scroll... pause. Take a deep breath. Ask yourself, could I use this time that I will likely waste more creatively? Can I make the next fifteen minutes, the next half an hour, or the next hour or more count? No, not for Instagram. Not for Facebook. Rather, just for you.

You might be amazed at how quickly the clouds lift and the light and colour return to your day.

In our next conversation, I'd love to talk to you about something I refer to as "The Creative Pause" — a beautiful moment where the world quietens, and art takes over and becomes a therapeutic session. A moment that reminds us we're not born for consumption. We'll talk about how a small window of creative time can shift our entire mood, our day, or even our outlook on life.

Until then — just become aware of the scrolling habit. And remember, there's a far better way to use your hands.

Cheers for Now - Regards Martin