MELODY VAUGHAN
the why behind the work
‘The why behind the work’ is a phrase I found myself using a lot when I first started supporting makers with their practices. It nicely encapsulates my interest in uncovering and understanding more about the motivations within people’s work, the threads that run through it, the things that make it unique.
If you are looking for ways to go deeper exploring your work, but are uncertain how to begin, or perhaps you have had a break from creating and are looking for ways back, these resources may offer helpful suggestions or be the guide you need.
Click on the images to download the pdfs or scroll down to read more about each resource.
[For full transparency I feel the need to share that most of my resources were created years ago and may no longer represent the approach I take in my mentoring work. You might notice that tonally they feel different from other things here on the website or in the things I share elsewhere. However I still believe they may be valuable to people so I will continue to make them available for now.]
what’s in the resources?
the why behind the work
Understanding why you do what you do – the things that motivate you, who you do it for and how it serves a bigger purpose – unlocks a completely new way of communicating about your work. It allows you to tap into your unique, authentic voice.
In this resource I take you through the key ingredients of the why behind the work – values, audience & big picture – and how understanding why you do what you do can guide all aspects of your practice/business and make communicating about what you do easier and more meaningful.
As a naturally curious person I love finding out about people’s creative practices. As a maker, I love hearing how other people work with materials, processes and tools. As someone with a background in archaeology and museums, I love learning about how these objects are used and interacted with by other people, how the artists envisage their work being engaged with. All this is wonderful.
However, by far my favourite aspect of anyone’s practice is WHY. I want to understand this impulse to create, how it manifests in you, how it expresses the complexity of you and your experience as a human. I would happily chat for days about why makers make. And yet… it’s one of the things many makers struggle to articulate.
I have some theories about why we might feel more comfortable, or have been conditioned to focus on the what and the how of our work. I don’t disagree with craft’s prioritising the tangible aspect of making work, but I also think valuable things are lost when we don’t engage with the intangible.
This resource is designed to facilitate thinking about the importance of why to your practice and how to explore it.
Explore your why
30 questions to prompt reflection about the motivation behind your work.
Build up a collection of valuable insights into your practice – perfect for when you need something new to add to your artist’s statement, for applications, or even for generating content for social media!
So much of the way I approach working with makers, artists and designers is rooted in exploring and discovering the motivations behind someone’s creative practice, to draw out their values, purpose and unique narratives.
Working in this way, in a supported 1:1 setting, can be exciting and eye-opening and I love being a witness to this uncovering in other people.
However, the process of being an archaeologist of your own creative practice, by yourself, can be challenging. We’re often too close to it, we dismiss certain things as irrelevant or it can make us feel vulnerable as if we’re being asked to share too much. Knowing which parts of the ‘why’ to reveal isn’t intuitive.
I’ve worked with clients who have never shared certain aspects of why they make the work the do, because they felt it was unimportant, but this vital piece of information feels like the missing piece of the jigsaw both for them (why it has been so hard to talk about their work or write about it) or for their audiences (helping to make sense of what they’re seeing). Often this ‘revelation’ is the thing that is most unusual or intriging about their practice, and it would be a shame not to share that with the world.
This resource focuses on a practical approach to investigating the why behind the work, using questions as a starting point.
the creative return
There are so many ways we can get derailed in our creative practice, when life has other intentions for us and we can feel distracted or low on motivation. At these moments it can be helpful to do a little check-in, a Creative Return – where we can harness a feeling of beginning again, to look forward and prepare, to be ready to meet whatever opportunities or challenges we may come to.
To do this, the Creative Return focuses on 4 elements:
- values
- the big picture
- reflection
- looking forwards
with the aim of helping you remind yourself of your why, to feel inspired about your work, to reflect on past successes and to set a course ahead.
I created this resource while after a period of prolonged ill health, when I was looking for a way to return to my practice that felt grounded in what I need and what I value.
The Creative Return does just that – offers a chance for a fresh start, no matter when or where you are in your practice. I wholeheartedly believe it’s never too late to start, or start again, and I hope this guide to finding a way back to your creative practice helps on that journey.
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All the text, long form writing, art work and photography were created by me (unless credited).
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copyright 2025 MELODY VAUGHAN