The document summarizes an art workshop facilitated by Doug Shaw to foster creativity in the workplace using artistic practice. The workshop encouraged participants to draw without fear of judgment by having drawings thrown away after. Participants explored doodling, mark making and using a variety of art materials to generate ideas. They challenged themselves by drawing on a large roll of paper and made postcards to recall ideas later. The workshop provided an abundance of ideas to make work better and helped participants realize their ability to draw through exploring new creative outlets.

1. Art For
Work’s
Sake
Fostering Creativity in
the Workplace Using
Artistic Practice
-----A Workshop
Facilitated by Doug
Shaw

2. Creativity is Hard
In preparing this workshop, and exploring why
companies want creativity and innovation but most
don’t get it, I’ve drawn on research from:
Brene Brown
Sir Ken Robinson
Gordon MacKenzie
And more

3. Drawing For The Bin
A simple way to help people gain
the confidence to draw and paint is
to encourage them to draw for the
bin.
Once the workshop is finished, all
the drawings and paintings get
thrown away, unless you really
want to keep them of course.
This helps people get over their
learned fear of drawing and get on
with making useful stuff happen.

4. Starting With Doodling
Hand sketching is an aid to many
essential skills including:
Concentration
Idea Regeneration
Problem Solving
Memory Enhancement
Sketching and doodling often takes
a different path than words on a
page, opening up more
possibilities.

5. Spontaneity
As we discussed doodling in the
workshop – the subject of trees
randomly came up.
I drew the tree on the left then
pressed it against the paper to get
an impression from which to draw
another tree. Using one image to
inform another.
Other drawings and threads in the
conversation emerged around roots
and branches supporting successful
businesses and teams.

6. Overcoming Fear
The conversation continued and
the offer was made to draw at a
large scale, on a huge roll of paper.
We decided to overcome our ‘Fear
of the Long Roll’ and give it a go.
We also decided to contrast big
with small and make some
postcards too. These smaller
images would help us recall some
of our ideas from the day, at future
dates.
This fear painting was
destroyed, no more fear today!

7. The Big Picture
Collaborating and sharing
Using a wide range of materials,
some familiar, some less so.
Use the best tools for the job.

8. Postcards
Portable and personal images from the workshop
designed to trigger memories and actions.

9. Mark Making
As we worked, we briefly explored
mark making, a simple way to help
visualise ideas.
Using symbols and shapes to help
represent your business is an
interesting way of helping get
clarity around your brand and
strategy.

10. Abundance
In three hours, we generated an
abundance of ideas to help
make work better.
We experimented with materials
we had not used for years, and in
some cases never used before.
We created a safe, supportive
space to explore ideas.
We challenged each other.
We had fun.

11. Feedback
The opportunity to try out new
things I hadn't used before made it
exciting.
I had such a great day, got me
thinking about how I would use art
in a work situation - team
meetings, 1:1 coaching, vision /
strategy sessions.
It seems I can draw. Despite 20+
years thinking I couldn’t, it only
took 60 seconds to realise I can!
Thanks for a very enjoyable
workshop.

12. Art For
Work’s
Sake
Fostering Creativity in
the Workplace Using
Artistic Practice
-----Contact Doug Shaw
for your workshop
What Goes Around - doug.shaw@wgalimited.com