The article is written by www.umea.se
There is a lot that stopped during the Corona pandemic. Not so for designer and entrepreneur Anna Parry, who has instead stepped up her efforts to stimulate creativity, entrepreneurship and preparation for the time to come, when the world opens up again.
Anna Parry is the designer and entrepreneur who runs several creative projects in parallel, all with the aim of empowering people and organisations through design and creativity. Despite the situation and crisis we are in, she is trying to continue doing just that, but on different platforms.
- I want to give hope and inspiration to how we as individuals can get through this with our mental health intact. I also want to show how we as a society can use art and design to to chart a new, better way forward once the crisis is over," says Anna Parry.
Many creators hit hard by the pandemic as clients hit the pause button, galleries and art galleries hold and residents are being urged to cut back on socialising. Even Anna has been affected as all her physical workshops this spring have been cancelled, something that has made her think about how to meet in other ways and how she can inspire and activate people despite many being isolated in their homes.
Seeing opportunities in the crisis
- I choose to see the crisis as an opportunity in itself. My best branch is working with people and right now many of them are at home with a sudden abundance of time, something that is usually in short supply. Many want to fill that time, with both meaning and entertainment, they want to forget their worries for a while and take back some control over their lives. For me, creating fills all those functions; working creatively is the key to feeling good. I think that's true for most people, and that's where I feel it's great if I can help to cheer and inspire.
Do you have a message you want to send to the entrepreneurs in Umeå?
- Perhaps even a small dose of creative activity or creation every day can be good for the soul. It doesn't have to be fancy; it could be taking ten minutes over your morning coffee and writing a poem, or doing a little dance in front of the mirror, or making a new kind of lunch each day. It's important to be kind to yourself and not be too ambitious in the beginning; we don't need any more musts right now.
- I like being out in the woods myself and I've started looking for cool branches to take home and do weird styling jobs with just because it's fun. Now is the perfect time to learn something new; there are tons of inspiration and courses online.
Forced transition offers new perspectives
The transition we have had to make because of of the Corona pandemic, Anna hopes that it will lead to reflection and what you really want to spend your time on. We have been proven that we can change our behaviour very quickly if we need to, and that power is something she thinks we should use in the future.
- The art and design sector (not least service design) is super important in leading the way and creating new ruts when the wheels start turning again. But I believe in a broader perspective on creativity too - it is the very essence of the innovation that needs to permeate all organisations as we move very quickly towards a sustainable society. And an innovative society is built by creative individuals, of course. So it's win-win-win for the individual, society and the climate if we create more.
PHOTO: KRISTOFFER PETTERSSON
Article written by www.umea.se
https://umea.se/5.39fd5628171b932a5922aa6.html?fbclid=IwAR1Dt5Shsyto4Wmx_G_3KyngY4Yke97SZI-Px3e0KEGCv2PHlitTQBpkRlc
