Gaffney Taylor on Creativity as Gentle Self‑Discovery

Through projects like The Creative Detectives Tea Club and her playful, grounding brand YummYums, Gaffney Taylor is building spaces where creativity becomes a form of care. Rooted in literature, intuition, and slow, intentional practices, her work invites people to approach their inner lives with curiosity rather than pressure—using writing, art, and even “pocket pals” as tools for connection, healing, and finding meaning in a fast, digital world.

Your new Substack, The Creative Detectives Tea Club, sounds so unique — combining literature, self-discovery, and writing prompts. What inspired you to create it, and what do you hope readers take away from joining the “club”?
My personal and professional journey of self-discovery through literature, life coaching, tarot, and art is such a powerful experience that it inspired me to form a unique space for digging into the many aspects of one’s self: past, present, future, and the mind, heart, soul, body, and energetic field. People gain fun and relevant discoveries on how to better their lives through writing prompts that encourage them to look at their lives like detective work— solving cases and celebrating the milestones we make together. This newsletter is a positive version of what a detective does. It is all about finding the fun in education that can open your worldview to new perspectives. Future events include “tea-time,” where we meet for a live, virtual event to discuss our findings on each month’s case and build community.

You’ve mentioned that intuition plays a big role in your creative process. How do you tap into that intuitive side when you’re writing or creating, and what advice would you give others who want to strengthen their creative instincts?
Thank you for this great question. I meditate through simple breathing patterns and allow my mind to wander until new content comes forth. I do this when I wake up in the morning to clear my head, calm lingering stress in my system, and raise my vibration. Genuine ideas come to me this way, and I attribute the help of source, universe, spirit, God, etc. for these gems that surface. I also set intentions with my breath. Sometimes it is a feeling, thought pattern, or external issue I release with each exhale while meditating. If you asked me in my 20s if I would crave silence over constant background noise, my younger self would be shocked. Meditation frequencies and the ukulele and guitar, however, can get me into a state of flow. Something about starting off the day harmonizing to these instruments really helps me feel more centered. I do this after meditating. It is a distinct way of using my voice—singing while strumming, instead of using my voice through writing.

Sometimes even just stepping away from my desk to get fresh air outside makes a difference. It is amazing that sometimes the simplest actions bring about the most divine ideas. A little bit of sunshine out the window in the morning and a cup of tea really energizes me. The older I get, the more I look for gentle practices to incorporate into my day. This advice is what I would give to others who want to strengthen their creative instincts. When you release stress, fear, worry— whatever it is— creativity can flow so much easier. Really get in tune with the ways you want to feel: Happy? Free? Peaceful? And try to channel that state of being while releasing what does not serve you.

With AI rapidly changing how we create and communicate, how do you see the balance between technology and human creativity evolving? What does it mean to you to “use AI as an aid, not a crutch”?
I do not think AI is going anywhere and as it advances, I think we should work with it, not against it. I believe the genuine issues surrounding AI include replacing human connection and loss of patience with seeing long term results. It is interesting because I have experimented with AI for my business and through the process of getting immediate content I may have missed on my own, I quickly realized the benefit of slowing down to research my own ideas and develop them with care for what feels aligned to me. I think AI can help you get your feet off the ground when you feel stuck by having a system that anticipates your needs, but ultimately AI is not the cure, it is a bandaid when it comes to creativity.

Your new brand YummYums sounds both playful and purposeful — especially the idea of “comfort fashion” and your pocket pals. How did this concept come to life, and what do you hope people feel when they wear or carry your creations?
YummYums started with the mission to help people ground their mind, body, and spirit by connecting with natural materials of the earth in a highly digital world in the form of a little friend that can fit in your pocket or be a necklace or keychain. YummYum pocket pals consist of natural clay, paint, and have a handpicked crystal embedded into them, all infused with reiki to raise your vibration. I even am looking into making my own paints from my immediate environment to really make everything sustainable and encapsulate the energy of the earth. When people carry them, I hope they feel less alone and know they have a friend in me through my products.

I’m also up-cycling secondhand fashion with natural color dye techniques, painting, and sewing one of a kind clothing.

Across your projects — from your writing to your art — there’s a strong theme of comfort, healing, and connection. How do you see creativity helping people heal or feel more connected in such a fast-paced, digital world?
The act of creating is so liberating and I hope through my experiences in so many different artistic and spiritual backgrounds; I can help people reconnect to enjoying their own company and have a community to turn to—when they need it. When used properly, the digital world is not a huge issue when it comes to creativity. By this, I mean, it is about allowing social media to serve as an aid in the creative process, not a form of addiction. What holds creativity back is the pressure and perfectionism around how fast paced the digital world is. I encourage people to slow down in literally everything you consume. Instead of jumping from post to post, you could try rewatching one reel a couple times and journaling about what stood out to you and why you were drawn to the video? This gives you insight into your own creative preferences in a simple method.