Recently I've started doing some writing about art for PULP, our local independent paper. It has been a fun challenge because although I've been blogging for six years and have written a number of technique or project based magazine articles, I've never considered myself a 'writer'. And blogging is a completely different animal than newspaper writing. The biggest difference being that when I blog, it is almost always image driven. And even though you can add a graphic or photo to a newspaper article, it still remains primarily a print rather than a visual medium.
There is a learning curve to be sure, but I think I might be getting the hang of it. My first article was definitely not the best thing I've ever written. And getting it out it was so much more difficult than I had imagined it would be, but I'm proud of it. Mostly I'm proud of stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something I really wasn't sure I could pull off. And I've learned something new about myself in doing it: I don't like to try new things that I'm not fairly certain I can accomplish. But, then again, who does? Yet, it is in stretching ourselves beyond certain confidence that we realize we can accomplish/create/survive things we never would have believed before.
A Spark of Creativity
by Debra Cooper
It comes with the territory that as an artist you are going to be misunderstood, especially if your work doesn't fall neatly in the esteemed 'Fine Art' category. Although I've blogged about my creative processes for over 5 years, I haven't always felt comfortable sharing my art with the people in my Real Life. And while it is true that most of my family and friends did not share my artistic interests and I certainly received my fair share of blank stares whenever I tried to talk to them about my work, I mostly made a lot of assumptions about how others would see my art or what they could relate to and was tempted to shut off that part of my life from them because of it.
It never ceases to surprise me, though, when I do share something new I've made with a friend to hear, “Oh, you're so creative, I could never do that.” or “I'm not creative like you are.” as if creativity is something you are either born with or not. To be sure, not everyone is an artist, but every human being who ever coordinated the perfect outfit or worked in the marketplace, cooked a meal or solved a nagging problem was born with a creative capacity they are probably undervaluing. I may be able to scrape paint on a canvas, but when Halloween rolls around I'll be standing in line at the big box store to buy my kids a cheap, mass produced character costume because the thought of making one out of household items makes my blood run cold. I can thread a needle, but I can barely follow a recipe and couldn't coordinate a dinner party to save my life. Yet the same creative instinct that compels me to keep adding to my spray paint collection inspires my neighbor to bake the most amazing cookies and a friend to supplement her income by hosting jewelry parties for strangers.
The fact is, we were born to create—to make order out of chaos, beauty out of poverty. It is the impetus behind all human culture and how we make meaning of our world. Whether it is hanging on a wall for collectors to judge or presented in a dish to people we love, art, beauty and creativity are as vital a part of our lives as commerce or technology. These days I don't have any trouble sharing my art with anyone because I have discovered that just by being a creative person, you give others permission and inspiration to live their lives more creatively. Whether or not you ever feel comfortable calling yourself an artist, taking time to recognize and explore your own creative instincts in whatever form comes naturally to you can make life infinitely more rewarding and fulfilling.
