The Artsy Type

“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” ~Pablo Picasso

“The key question isn’t “What fosters creativity?” But it is why in God’s name isn’t everyone creative? Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? I think therefore a good question might be not why do people create? But why do people not create or innovate? We have got to abandon that sense of amazement in the face of creativity, as if it were a miracle if anybody created anything.” ~ Abraham Maslow

There is a story told by an art teacher… or maybe it was a music teacher… he was playing with his 4 year old daughter, but needed to stop to go to work.

“What do you do at work?” she asked.

“Well, I teach people how to draw (or sing),” he answered.

“You mean they FORGOT???”

No 4 year old will ever tell you they can’t sing, or draw, or dance, or paint.  They would think you were crazy if you told them they couldn’t.

So how is that we, as adults, insist we can’t do anything creative?

Within the spiritual world, we debate the presence of a Great Creator, in who’s image we are supposedly created… if there is some kind of creative force in the universe, doesn’t that mean that creativity then is our Divine Right?

In Western culture, we have put artists up on pedestals and confined ourselves to the ground at their feet.  As much as it is a show of our respect for their abilities, it also keeps we mere mortals from ever having to fail at creative projects… because we never even start them.

Michael Jordan is an artist on the basketball court… but that doesn’t stop the rest of us from practicing our jump shots.  How come we’re allowed to play sports at a non professional level, but unless we’re going to paint the modern version of Starry Night, or sing like Maria Callas (or Beyonce – take your pick), we’re not even allowed on the field?

Let’s take art back!  Let’s paint, draw, dance, decorate, sing, act, cook, garden, write with no apologies… it’s not about the finished product; it’s about the process and reconnecting to our birthright.

“Life is a creative endeavor. It is active, not passive. We are the yeast that leavens our lives into rich, fully baked loaves. When we experience our lives as flat and lackluster, it is our consciousness that is at fault. We hold the inner key that turns our lives from thankless to fruitful. That key is “Blessing.”” ~ Julia Cameron