top of page
Where Art, Education & Imagination Intersect
This blog explores the role of art in education, creative intelligence, and cultural storytelling. Blending research with reflection, each post offers an inspiring pause; a connection to art, memory, and meaning across time and place.
Here, you'll find reflective essays on art in education, on what inspires us, creative living and on being an artist.
Let each entry be a spark for your thinking, educational journey and art.


The Art of Teaching, Designing, and Thinking: A Cross-Disciplinary Lens on Creative Intelligence
In a world that increasingly demands innovation, adaptability, and clarity, we often forget that the most powerful solutions come from the ability to think across disciplines. Over the years, I’ve come to realise that my most meaningful work doesn’t live in a single domain. It lives in the spaces between where psychology meets art, where teaching becomes design, and where coaching becomes a shared language of empowered learning. This is what I call creative intelligence in mo

Louise Sommer
Aug 184 min read


Communication Is Curriculum: Why How You Teach Is What You Teach
In a time where technology is reshaping education, leadership, and even identity, I believe we need a deeper conversation about the emotional, relational, and creative layers of learning. Whether you’re an educator, researcher, leader, or creative thinker, my aim is to offer ideas that support your voice, your presence, and your impact. Many of the ideas in this article are rooted in my real-world experience from working with researchers and thought leaders.

Louise Sommer
Aug 63 min read


Why I no longer call it a blog - and what YOU should do instead!
Once upon a time, blogging conjured images of travel diaries, food journals, or the early internet’s version of an open letter. But today? The landscape has changed. Blogging has evolved into something far more layered, strategic, and powerful. Yet strangely, the word stayed stuck in the past. What we used to call a “blog” is now a very specific form of professional communication; one that builds credibility, sharpens your voice, and attracts the right clients, collaborations

Louise Sommer
Jul 143 min read


Creative Visibility & Thought Leadership: Why Art Belongs at the Heart of Education
Discover how creative intelligence and emotional learning shape impactful thought leadership in education. Louise Sommer explores the value of art in education, symbolic communication, and cross-cultural clarity—featuring insights from Isabel Allende and academic research. For educators, creatives, and changemakers building meaningful digital presence and leadership.

Louise Sommer
Jul 73 min read


The Words That Shaped Me: How a Teacher Can Open a Life, or Shut It Down
Everyone carries a story behind their eyes. A moment that closed something down. Or moment that made something possible. A memory of feeling stupid, or a memory of feeling seen. These stories are not always visible. But they’re present; in how we speak, how we learn, how we show up. And that means teaching is never just about content. It’s about creating the conditions where someone can unfold again.

Louise Sommer
Jun 303 min read


The Day I Realised Teaching Is About Trust, Not Just Content
I remember the moment clearly. I was standing in front of my very first class in Australia. In front of me sat a group of adults from six different countries and vastly different cultural backgrounds. There were 20-year-old backpackers from France and South America, published authors and artists from all over Australia, emerging entrepreneurs, and even two senior scholars who wanted to learn how to communicate their field to 'outsiders.' No pressure, right?

Louise Sommer
Jun 233 min read


Thought Leadership in the Digital Age of Education
Education as leadership: In the 21st century, education is no longer defined by the four walls of a classroom, or even by static curricula. It is shaped by visionaries who can navigate complexity, inspire innovation, and re-imagine what learning can be. At the heart of this transformation lies a powerful concept: thought leadership in digital education.

Louise Sommer
Jun 93 min read


When New York Created Icons: Cultural Innovation and the Creative Explosion of the 1980s
Creative Innovation & Cultural Identity: 1980s NYC. A professional exploration of how 1980s New York shaped global identity, media, and creative leadership through icons like Madonna, MTV, and subcultural movements.

Louise Sommer
May 193 min read


Creative Intelligence; Unlocking Your Power of Creativity
Creativity is the lifeblood of innovation, the spark that ignites new ideas and the driving force behind every great endeavor.

Louise Sommer
Sep 20, 20243 min read


Creative Storytelling that Weaves the Fabric of Connectivity & Life
Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of our identities. They shape our understanding of the world, our place within it, and ...

Louise Sommer
Sep 13, 20245 min read


Gertrude Bell: Explorer, Diplomat, Visionary. A Legacy Beyond the Desert
Gertrude Bell’s story goes far beyond exploration. Discover the real diplomat, visionary, and cultural bridge-builder who shaped the modern Middle East. Learn how her creative intelligence and cross-cultural empathy offer timeless lessons for today. Written by artist and storyteller Louise Sommer. Explore creativity, history, and cultural myths at louisesommer.co. #GertrudeBell #CreativeIntelligence

Louise Sommer
May 31, 20212 min read


Gertrude Bell Was More Than a Queen of the Desert: Why Cultural Intelligence Still Matters
Discover the real Gertrude Bell; scholar, adventurer, and cultural diplomat. Explore how Hollywood misrepresented her legacy in Queen of the Desert and learn why her true story of cultural intelligence, empathy, and leadership still matters today. Dive into a richer narrative of history, creativity, and women’s empowerment with Louise Sommer at louisesommer.co. #GertrudeBell #CreativeLiving

Louise Sommer
Oct 19, 20194 min read
bottom of page