The Importance of Being Creative
Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.” Pablo Picasso
It was just a year ago that I started this blog on the “Creative Spirit”. It was started, as a way, to keep in touch with one of the most exciting and creative classes, I ever had the fortunate experience, to work with. I am so glad that it has caught on, and spread well beyond that class. Thank you for being a reader, and please feel free to pass it on to anyone you think would be interested in joining our conversation.
Psychologists have told us that there are two forces that influence our behavior: heredity and environment. In Blog 2, I wrote: “We are all born creative”. Studies have shown that if children developed without any interference from the outside world, no stimulation for their creative work would be needed. They would be deeply rooted in the creative process without inhibitions. It is once an outside source comes into play, that this goes away, and the child loses that ability to have free expression. We also know that a seed will not grow unless it is nourished, so it would be fair to say that our environment has a great deal to do with our creativity.
Evolution
The development of our creative ability is an ever changing continuum. No matter what environment we have been exposed to, it is never too late to tap into, and develop our creative abilities. It just takes finding the place or thing, that will inspires us, and encourage us, to develop those abilities.
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Albert Einstein
Creativity means to grow, and making art is just one aspect of being creative. It is important in all of life. It is a way of living life that embraces originality. It is about living life as a journey, challenging us to turn the simplest of things into extraordinary experiences. It helps us find innovative ways to negotiate life.
If we develop our creative ability, no matter what age or stage of life we are in, the world is ours to explore. We will never feel like we have hit a dead end, because we will have the capacity to see what others can’t.
What ways do you show your “Creative Spirit” in everyday life? Do they become a catalyst for your pursuits in art, or does your art spur creative solutions to everyday situations?
The act of creation is a sort of ritual. The origins of art and human existence lie hidden in this mystery of creation. Human creativity reaffirms and mystifies the power of life.” Keith Harding