My mom is an artist. A really incredible and gifted artist. She paints and draws, and creating always came naturally to her. She majored in fine art, designed and created jewelry, taught art classes at our school and in our home and continues to create. She encouraged art at home but I never felt I was good at it.
Chris Orwig in his book Visual Poetry talks about when asking a class of kids if they can draw, every single kid raise their hands. But when asking a group of college students the same question, only a few raise their hands. At some point our unlimited imaginations become limited and we no longer hear the question as can you draw, but can you draw well...and this is exactly how I felt. Pablo Picasso said "All children are artists. The problem is to remain one when you grow up."
Until just a few years ago I was convinced I wasn't fortunate enough to inherit my mom's creative genes. Then I found photography. I always loved it...the idea of capturing a moment forever through a photo. The way beauty could forever exist in photo. Slowly I realized photography was my thing, I nurtured it, practiced daily, and I have created work I am proud to call my own. Then it hit me- just because I am not a great painter or a great drawer doesn't mean I am not artistic or creative. My mom did bless me with her creative gift, we just use it in different ways.
I am participating in a two-week intensive "Creativity Boot Camp." An online course aimed to exercise all aspects of our creative selves, letting go and getting lost in creative work. It was a last minute decision to participate, unsure of the time commitment but I am so glad I went for it. We are at day 4 and it has already been an eye-opening experience. For me, creating art is incredibly liberating and therapeutic and just like my photography, I want to nurture my whole creative self by experimenting with new and different mediums.
There's been doodling...
...journaling...
...getting messy with paint...
...and playing with color.
What's next?
I love this post. As an art teacher, this is what we try to ingrain in students' minds early on... that EVERYONE can be creative. Sure, some people's work might get more attention, but that doesn't mean that every single person isn't capable of being creative. Keep spreading the word, and keep creating! :) (SUPER awesome doodling, by the way!)
ReplyDeleteYou ARE an artist! :)
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