Finding Creative Flow in the Driftless | Jennifer Williams | TEDxUW La Crosse

Artist Jennifer Williams talks about finding creative flow in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin. She describes how drawing, painting and close observation of trees, stones and the natural world can help people slow down and stay present in a world full of screens and constant demands on attention. Her talk draws on stories from her own creative process, in which making art outdoors becomes a way of recording a moment without relying on a photograph. The talk was given at TEDxUW La Crosse, an independently organized event that follows the TED conference format.

• Creative flow as a focused, immersive state that quiets distraction
• Outdoor drawing and painting in Wisconsin's Driftless Region
• Close observation as a way to cultivate mindful presence
• Stories from the artist's creative process

In a world of smartphones, social media and constant demands on our attention, many are searching for ways to slow down and be present. Creative flow is a deeply immersive state in which focused attention quiets distraction and suspends the sense of time. Through her artistic practice in the landscapes of Wisconsin's Driftless Region, Williams demonstrates how drawing, painting and close observation of trees, stones and the natural world can cultivate this same mindful presence. Creating art outdoors becomes more than making an image — it's a way of recording the sights, sounds and sensations of a moment without relying on a photograph. Through stories from her creative process, Williams invites audiences to rediscover curiosity, slow their pace and see the world with renewed attention. As she describes it, the experience is "part performance, part memory, all intuition." Jennifer Williams is an artist whose work involves expressive painting and works on paper in a range of media, process and subject matter. Her current work is inspired by travel within and beyond the Driftless Region. Conceptually her art is grounded in climate- and place-specific aspects of landscape and human experiences. Jennifer has been a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse since 1997. She is also an artist-mentor with the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her work is included in public and private collections throughout the United States. Educated at the Rhode Island School of Design (MFA in Painting & Printmaking) and Indiana University-Bloomington (BFA in Painting), she has exhibited her artwork since 1989, and has served as an arts advocate at the state and local level for over 20 years. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx