Creativity is...(fill in the blank).
Creative Possibilities/Issue #12
Creative Possibilities is a section of Good and Beautiful Things, dedicated to sharing parts of my creative journey in order to spur on your own.
In the year-long art class that I’m currently taking, we were given the assignment to write for six minutes using this prompt: Creativity is—
I won’t share all six minutes of my writing but these are a few thoughts that came out of that journaling session.
Creativity is—one of my greatest sources of joy.
Creativity is—a connection to God.
Creativity is—unique to the person holding the brush or the clay or the sewing needle. Their individual self will be integrated into what they make.
Though not everyone will make art, everyone can access creativity.
Creativity is—a healing force. It’s tapping into something bigger than the moment at hand.
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For another assignment this week, I collaged squares of colors into a grid formation, getting my hands sticky with glue in the process. It was really satisfying to create a seamless plane of creamy colors and textures.
Soon the work morphed away from the grids and instead I used bits of color to form the shape of wings.
I didn’t have a plan for the bird so it took some playing around to figure out where to go with it. I ended up cutting it out and gluing it to a darker piece of already painted paper. Then I looked through my journal for words that fit the image and landed on the page about creativity.
I love how this collection of thoughts and art were eventually woven together into a final piece. It was a bit like a treasure hunt until the very end.
What about you? I’d love to hear what comes to mind for you with this prompt: Creativity is—scary? an invitation? a refuge?
A New Tradition: Going on Art Dates
My friend Shannon and I went on our first art date together to Nashville’s local art museum. The exhibit was called Southern/Modern. We each took time to walk around separately and then we came back together at the end to discuss the exhibit. I sketched images from different pieces onto one layout and then colored them in when I got back home. I’m already looking forward to further dates!
Continuing the Creative Journey
Here are some other things that inspired me in the past week or two, maybe they’ll inspire you too!
Books/Newsletters
My friend
shared her process for art journaling in this inspiring post. “I’ve often looked at art journaling as ‘poems and prayers on paper’.”
I’ve been dipping into the book Let There Be Art by Rachel Marie Kang. “And this is bravery, that you might come to call this kind of breathtaking curiosity, beautiful. That you might dare call it creativity, dare call this swell of wonder within you—art.”
Podcasts
“Survival requires creativity.” Some of you may be familiar with this couple: Grammy award winning artist Jon Batiste and writer/artist Suleika Jaouad. A recent Netflix documentary, American Symphony, follows them through a difficult year of navigating the return of Jaouad’s cancer while Batiste’s career skyrockets. I listened to a conversation between the two of them about their creative life and their faith that I highly recommend but I do think it’s behind a paywall. Another option is to check out this interview with Jon Batiste. “We think of joy and sorrow as opposites. The creative process is where we get to marry those things and experience them alongside one another.”-Suleika Jaouad
TV/Movies
I watched the limited series, Dance Life, this week on Amazon Prime Video. It follows several top students at Australia's premier dance academy as they finish their final year before trying to launch professional careers. I’m always fascinated by the drive it takes to pursue one of the arts as an actual career. Dancers, in particular, have a slightly disturbing ability to endure pain for the sake of the performance and that shows up quite a bit in this series.
Know someone who would enjoy some creative inspiration? Pass it on!
Blessings from the Guest Nest,
-Aimee
I spot the chicken! and of course I love this post all the way through! let's chat about your point - "creativity is a healing force, tapping something bigger than the moment at hand"!!
(and, of course, thanks for the shout-out. and for pointing me down the Carla Sonheim collage trail. what a tremendous gift that has been)
All the colors in those sketches!! LOVE! I’m going to take that prompt too to my journal.