A few years ago my idea of an artist was someone who'd gone to art school and streamed artsy ideas continuously. I wasn't an artist because I wasn't either of those. Then, one night while browsing YouTube (I really don't hang out there all the time), I found a video about making art journals by a quirky girl named Suzi Blu. She made me laugh. She told me not to worry about being perfect; anyone could make art. And the way she lavished paint all over the page with no regard for what it'd become, intrigued me. I thought, what would it hurt if I just painted in an old notebook?
I slathered paint. It was FUN. It wasn't perfect or pretty but it was colorful--I was hooked. I painted several notebooks that summer and the more I painted, the more I loved it. I added girls. Not realistic girls but playful ones. They began telling stories--my stories. Ones I couldn't put words to.
Something shifted in my thoughts about being creative after that. I'd once believed only gifted people could paint or draw, or play instruments. And now, I saw with determination, anyone could. Yes, talent and passion help; but they aren't defining factors if your heart is willing.
I have a list of "Things to Learn" like descriptive writing, embroidery, sewing, crochet, gardening...on it goes. And what I've begun to see is how all of these things can be pursued in time. I may not be proficient at them. I may not teach or sell anything with them; but the growth in my soul is raised with each new skill I learn. I can appreciate all types of creativity and know each of them bring me understanding and beauty. I can admire the cake decorating skills of my daughter, drink in the beautiful words of a good book and soak up the colors of Anna Marie Horner's fabric; each of these help me see the world in a larger and yet magnified way.
Mom recently gave me an old chalk drawing I made when I was thirteen. I hung it in my hallway to remind me that creativity doesn't stop at the end of childhood. It weaves its way from the mind of a child into the depths of adulthood. May we recognize it and continue to create beauty around us.
What's your creative endeavor or something you love to do?
Inspirational. Wonderful. This fits with the Insecure writers (artists) Group that Alex Cavannaugh started. My favorite line, and I intend to tweet your post, is "Creativity doesn't stop at the end of childhood."
ReplyDeleteI was just reading one of Debbie Ohi's blogs http://inkygirl.com/ yesterday, and thinking, how I would LOVE to Write Like That, Illustrate Like That! Such amazing talent!
ReplyDeleteAnd then, that little Creativity Sucker, a monster in every sense of the word really, reared its ugly head telling me I wasn't good enough.
I remind myself constantly that Life is all about priorities and choices. It is within my power to draw, paint, sew, write, all of those things inside of me. All I need do is make the time and fear not that I might disappoint.
Thank you for the reminder and the hand up this morning!
You make a valid point. Often more than education and talent in an art, it's the heart the artist puts into their work that makes all the difference, that their audience connects to ...
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this post. It is when we give ourselves the freedom to truly explore our own creativity that the magic happens.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your playful girls!
Shelley
I LOVE this post. It's beautiful and heartfelt and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this, Catherine! SO inspiring--I'd love to see your notebooks someday. Art journalling in a notebook--something ONLY for me, is something I really want to do but haven't started yet.
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