David: I believe that everyone is creative. You might not be artistic, but that doesn't mean you're not creative. I think the word creativity is overused and underdefined.
My name is David Speed. I am an artist. For me, creativity is problem-solving. It is taking things that are not linked normally and smashing them together to see what happens; making ideas tangible and real, getting ideas out of your head, and seeing how they work in real life. I think every single person can do that.
There’s something that happens when we look at a bright colour, and pink is one of the most vibrant colours that we have. When I see pink, I see a beautiful colour that I want to utilise, unburdened by the connotations that other people have put onto it. At the end of the day, it's just a colour. You can't tell me what pink has to mean, or what gender specifically should wear it. It's a joyful, beautiful colour that can be enjoyed by everyone if they're brave enough.
Art is a way to process the world around you, to process your thoughts and feelings. It eventually helped me find my purpose. And a lot of my purpose is wrapped up with teaching and helping young people.
‘Retreat to Create’ is the residency that I'm doing at the University of Warwick. This project completely aligns with what I try and do with my art. I think the first thing they said was ‘We're looking to inspire creativity.’ And that's kind of my thing. It’s what I love doing—getting people to make stuff. I think that's why I'm on this planet: to encourage people to go and make something, see where it takes you, and follow that curiosity.
To have the opportunity to transform a blank canvas into something that I've collaborated on with students—that is then not only going to hopefully enrich their lives, but also encourage other people who aren't students to visit and come here and experience the art—what a beautiful opportunity. So it was a ‘Yes’ for me.
I was training to be a primary school teacher at one point, and now I've worked in a primary school as part of this project in a beautiful, full-circle moment of being back with the kids. I always wanted to be in a classroom, and now going back, kind of 15 years later, and being in a primary school with no restrictions—just freely being able to muck around and play and let the kids experiment—that was super fun and really rewarding.
Another highlight was when I visited a secondary school in the area and talked to some of the kids afterwards. They were showing me their art and it was so beautiful. They’re so passionate and engaged, and it was just lovely to see that fire and that passion.
I'm creating a mural here on university campus, and I don't expect everyone to love it. I don't expect it to be universally adored by everyone. But it is my hope that the majority of people enjoy it, and that people look at it and feel something.
The success of this project will be the fact that, firstly, I've collaborated with the students. I've asked them, ‘What do you want to see here?’ And I've taken their ideas and tried to represent them as best I can. It's also exciting to think that the mural may become a landmark that people come to visit.
Most creatives that you speak to—even if on the surface it looks like they're hugely successful—have been through an incredible, difficult journey to get to where they are. I was told by a tutor that art was not a valid career option and that I should be more realistic. I was being told by someone who should be telling me that my dreams matter, that my dreams are impossible.
In those moments when you think, “I want to quit, this is too hard,” please—you have to carry on. Just keep on making. See where it takes you, because it will take you somewhere. If you stop, it won't take you anywhere. But if you keep going, it will take you somewhere.
