Living A More Creative Life, Part 4

We've talked about the need to live a more creative life.  We've talked about ways to bring creativity into our daily lives.  And we've talked about how we might bring creativity into the lives of others.  Today, in this final Living a More Creative Life post, I'd like to talk about how the artist might find more creativity even when it seems to allude them.

Sharon Bell is the East Texas artist that mentored me many years ago when I was discovering myself to be an artist. Once in a casual moment she made what seemed at the time to be simple comment.  Yet that comment, that she probably doesn't even remember saying, has helped me many times.  Sharon told me that every artist has times when they question themselves, when they doubt whether they can still "do" it, or if possibly they never really could.  When I am discouraged or worry that I've been off that horse for too long, I remember her statement.  In doing so, I know that I am not alone in my self doubts and that if I will just begin again, I will realize my gifts once more.  I will discover that my gifts were not fleeting fancies like a luna moth living but for a day.  Rather the gifts inside of me have been hibernating like a bear, simply sleeping for a season waiting for the warmth of Spring to reemerge.

As an artist, as an art teacher, I have made some observations of actions that can be helpful when our creative spirit seems to have slipped away into hibernation.  I hope some of you find these to be helpful.

First I would remind you that art, that is creativity, happens on the right side of our brains.  Also living on the right side of our brains are our feelings.  It is my opinion that when our creativity alludes us, there is a feeling connection present somewhere.  So my suggestions work in the direction of feeding and nurturing your soul and your feelings thereby restoring creativity to an active place in your days.

Many artists suggest going to a gallery to be inspired when their artist's self has moved into hibernation.  I would think this would be helpful if one is stifled and seeking new directions.  But if I am having trouble finding the right side of my brain, then going to a place to look at the abundant work that some prolific artist has produced will only make me feel more the failure.  I love appreciating the work of others.  But this would not be the moment for it.  I suggest, rather that we move in a completely different direction.

*Go outside!  Work in the flower bed, sit at the park and feed the ducks, drive a country road looking for abandoned farm houses, visit the beach, go camping in a tent, or walk the dog.  The point is to take yourself out of your normal environment.  Let the creativity and spontaneity of nature surround you and remind you of what you love about creating.

*Rest.  Simply rest.  Maybe you are behind on your sleep.  Maybe you just need to take a nap every day for a month.  Maybe you need to stop pushing yourself so hard and let your mind and soul be calm for a while.  Maybe you need to visit another place where you have no deadlines, no 'to do' lists, no oughta's or shoulda's looming over your heads.

*Talk with a friend.  This doesn't have to be an artist friend.  But it does need to be a friend that understands who you are as a creative person.  It does need to be someone that appreciates what you have to offer.  It does need to be someone that appreciates your passion to create.  And the confidant does need to be a friend that will listen more than they will suggest solutions.  I've found that often my mind works best when my mouth is moving.  Sometimes we answer our own questions simply by hearing ourselves speak.   

*Try something new - a new medium, a new technique.  Revisit an old technique.  Do this in the privacy of your own space and your own moments, free to make a mess because no one else will see it.  I've found that may times when we are struggling, we've let performance worries creep into our thoughts.  Experiencing creativity with no intention that this piece will ever sell or maybe not even be seen can break us out of performance fear and blocks.

*Take an honest look at what you've been making in the last year or two.  Have you gradually slipped into performing for the market?  Maybe you liked the projects at first.  Maybe they seemed fun and easy to produce.  But at some point, you moved beyond that level.  The art that really comes from within you is something else.  But you continue in the other direction because you think it will sell.  That is a sure way to find your creativity to have grown stale.  Find your heart, your creative soul.  Producing what comes from within you rather than for the market is what people will be drawn to in your art - that something special that only you can add.

*Clean up your space!  If its junky in your studio, if its crowded, you'll have too many visual messages coming into your mind.  If its disorganized, the frustration and lost time spent searching for that special object or tool or image will quickly disintegrate any right brained thoughts you may have been having.  The bonus of cleaning and organizing is that sometimes in the process you will find objects or images that you've forgotten you had.  Inspiration will come sweeping in like a fresh wind with those now refound items.

*Most of all don't panic and be kind and patient with yourself.  Life runs in seasons.  This too will pass.  If you are an artist, your creativity is still there whether you feel it right now or not.  Know that it will return.  It is a part of who you are.  It IS who you are.  YOU ARE AN ARTIST.

Wind and Honey Creations

Living A More Creative Life, Part 2

As promised I am continuing with the Living A More Creative Life series.  I will first approach this topic from the perspective of those who do not claim to be artists but who desire to live a more creative daily life.  These ideas can be helpful to anyone and everyone.  Then later we will look at the need to rekindle creativity in the life of the artist.

Before we proceed any further let's get one thing out of the way.  I know what you are thinking, and YES, you can!  Over the years when people learn that I am an art teacher, I receive one single response the most often.  Oh, I could never do that.  I'm just not creative.  But you know, that simply is not true.  I know, I know.  I've heard it over and over - You just don't know me.  Why, I can't even draw a straight line.  Well, I've got news for you.  Being creative has nothing to do with drawing a straight line.  That's what rulers are for.  After years of being a teacher I can tell you that everyone can learn to be a more creative person, to make more creative choices, and to think in a more creative way.  We may not all be commissioned to paint cathedral ceilings in the next few years.  But we can ALL be creative people.

In the last post on this subject I mentioned that creativity is breaking out of accepted patterns and solutions in order to find a new way of doing something.  Everyone can do that.  It is just a matter of reminding yourself to stop and think before you continue, once again, down that same ol' thread bare path. So what is your area of creativity?  How does your mind work?  Where do your thoughts go?  Renoir once said that a work of art "must seize upon you, wrap you up in itself, and carry you away".  Maybe visual art is something that is within you and you don't realize it.  Perhaps you long to create in that way.  Maybe today is the day to begin trying.  Perhaps you should check with me about online classes.  Or perhaps visual art is not your area of creativity.  Perhaps it is not the way your mind works.  What is it in life that, as Renoir said, seizes you, wraps you up, and carries you away?

Creativity is a way of life, a way of moving your thoughts in a certain direction.  You can begin to incorporate creativity into your way of thinking in simple ways. Stop warming your water for tea in the microwave.  Use a tea kettle - maybe one that whistles when the water is hot.  And even better yet, pour your tea from a nice tea pot.  Are soda's your favorite drink?  Take just a moment and pour it out of that plastic bottle or the styrofoam cup and drink from a glass - a real one made from real glass where the ice clinks when you drop it in.

Put a candle on the table when you eat dinner tonight - even if you are alone.  Listen to music rather than the news while you prepare your meal.  Use glass mason jars to store your refrigerator items rather than plastic.  Keep your cotton balls in a lovely vintage tin.  Its a simple change.  But every time you get a cotton ball out, you get to enjoy a creative moment.  These kinds of small changes in our environment and our days actually only take a moment but they begin to shift our mindset toward a more soulful and creative way of living and thinking.  

These are just a few simple suggestions to get your imaginations running.  You will want to find creative embellishments to add to your life, to your days, that fit your personality and style.  They may not look like the ideas I have.  They will be uniquely YOU.  As you think of other ways to begin incorporating creativity into your daily tasks, please do comment here and share them with us all.

In the next post in the Living a More Creative Life series I will talk about bigger more life changing things that you can do to bring creativity not only into your own life but into the lives of others.

Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

Teaching Children to be Creative, part 3

Sorry about the lapse in these post about teaching children to be creative. The flu has crept into my house and I've been playing nurse.

Freedom is one of the most important gifts you can give your child to encourage creativity. I have already spoken about allowing them to create without being hindered by your expectations. One way you can encourage freedom is by making them an art box. This is something they can get into whenever they choose and do what ever project they want. When my daughter was 5 I fixed a little child-sized table for her by my worktable. She had a box full of supplies to choose whatever she might be inspired by that day. She would work for long periods along side me. And rather than feeling neglected by my work time, she felt we were partners in that time. Her box was filled mostly with supplies I decided I did not need. She had scraps of pretty papers, old buttons, wooden shapes, old greeting cards, tiny papier mache boxes, and more. Then of course, there was the standard pencils, markers, glue sticks, and of course glitter. Yes, you heard me. I said glitter. I know it makes a mess. That's ok. You will live. That's why you have a vacuum sweeper. But we did save paint for more supervised times. But even that changed when she was older.

The last item I want to emphasis is to give your child quality supplies. I don't mean that you should buy professional supplies for children. But you should provide them with supplies that will help them find success. Those paint brushes with stiff nylon bristles that come with children's paint are horrible and pretty impossible for accomplishing anything except stirring glue. Or you could use the end of the handle for creating dots. The buttons that my daughter used were from my stash of vintage buttons. But I gave her the ones I knew I would never use. Shop at garage sales or thrift stores or the bargain bins at craft stores. This doesn't have to be an expensive thing. Learn to recycle. For instance, those wavy cardboard bands that come on tea and coffee -- way cool paper! Cut it into shapes, paint, and glue away. You can get outdated books of wallpaper for free from your paintstore. When I teach children's classes we use Prang colored pencils. They are by far not the quality of Prismacolor. But they will blend a bit and cover pretty well. Most other children's colored pencils are more of a frustration to the budding artist.

Here is a picture of a collage created by one of my students. In this project as a class we first drew the elephants - freehand. Then the kids took various papers of their choice and created an environment for their elephant. They had the freedom to place their elephant anywhere they wanted - a jungle, sitting on their couch, eating at the table, playing in the swimming pool. My only rule for animal art is that they can not put them in a cage or on a chain. The artist that created this piece is 8 years old. I especially like her Weeping Willow tree.

Here are a few more ideas for you before I end this series.

*Let your kids make the card before they go to a birthday party.

*Or they could make a calender for grandparents. They can draw a picture for each month of the year and you can print them with the calender pages.

* They will really feel special if you take one of their drawings and use the special printer paper, make an iron on for their tshirt of their own art.

Please do not copy or download this student's art. It is her art and not mine to let you copy. Thank you for respecting that.