Category: My Creativity

I recently came across an interesting question asked about the meaning of art and if there is such a thing as meaningless art. This is an interesting topic of conversation and prompted me to engage in the discussion. In my opinion, all art has meaning. For the artist and the viewer. I will explain.

Art is subjective and perspective is everything!

It is all inclusive. Art is the result of the process of being creative. We make art because we have a vision. That vision is a result of our interpretation of the world around us or feelings we want to express.

Thus… our perspective.

Thus… the subject of what we think is relevant, important, necessary.

Not just the fact of how we arrange our art or use measurements in the construction of our art.

How do you measure joy? What do you feel is important?

This is in the creation of our art.

Then…. Others can interpret our art and make a judgement for themselves.

That is what I mean about art being subjective and perspective is everything.

Meaningless art?

Many people view art and say “I don’t get it” or don’t understand what the artist was trying to communicate in their work. Sometimes, it is difficult for an artist to convey what they actually mean in their work because they are just working out their emotions or thoughts into something tangible.

So, this can possibly be what some artists may call “meaningless” because they were just creating and doing the art process instinctively without a plan.

In my opinion, art always has a meaning. For the artist and the viewer. There is interpretation which has meaning. Even the piece with the black canvas and just a white dot on it. Just some people would not want the art for themselves or appreciate the work involved and might say it has no meaning to them.

This, of course, is Just my opinion though. You may interpret as you will for yourself.

The beauty of art and perceived value.

Many people want to only see beauty in art. Their view of art is that the piece should make them feel happy, pleased, comforted, or amused by the content of an artwork to be appreciated. Again, this is meaningful because it is their interpretation of the art that puts value on the artwork itself. It is a perceived value.

We all base everything on life from our own perspective and view of life that is created by our own experiences. This forms our beliefs and fundamental values. All the situations we have been through and ideas we have formed and feelings we have encountered help quantify what we value in life. Everything has a price tag. Maybe not always in money… but in value. So how we place that value on something, including artwork, is due to our own understanding and it creates the perceived value we formulate. Sometimes the value is on tangible things that we can appreciate with our senses and sometimes the value is placed on intangible things we cannot touch, but they are still felt within us.

The most beautiful thing about art is the fact that the perceived value is different for everyone. It is completely customizable. Art is personalized and unique for every individual. We all find beauty in different ways. What one may find beautiful someone else may see as awful. What one individual may see as grotesque, another person may see the vulnerability and find that beautiful. Art is an expression of our highs and our lows and everything in between.

Making art is a physical and tangible way to process our intangible thoughts and emotions into something we can feel and experience for ourselves. How we perceive that is our own view of interpretation of what the artist was trying to say or release in their creativity.

Art is meaningful to everyone. It carries substance. It holds intention. It exudes creativity. Art represents what we sometimes cannot emotionally communicate and that, in itself, is beautiful, meaningful, and valuable.

Am I an Artist or Hobbyist?

Many people do not attempt to create art because they do not think they are an Artist or have the ability to be creative. This is an odd notion because if we applied the same logic to making a meal then we would not eat because we don’t think we are a Chef or have the ability to cook. I want to interpret this further. Because there are people who have artistic talent or culinary talent who choose to follow that path in life and eventually become professional in that practice of their talent. Both professions have many forms of creativity and ways to achieve their work. Same for musicians and entertainers as well. There is a talent element to the creative arts, however, that does not mean that anyone should not create art. We are all born creative. I’ll say it again… we are all born with creativity. We all have the ability to be creative. We all have the chance to do something with that creativity in its many forms. So everyone should be making art. Even if it is only for themselves. Even if no one else will ever see the artwork or appreciate it. Even if you throw it away after you make it. You should be doing it and having the experience of doing the art process. We are a creation ourselves and made to be creative too!

Many people start a hobby because they need a creative outlet. As we age we become consumed by the day to day obligations that come with adulthood. We are no longer free to explore as we did when we were children. So, we work and work and work hard to achieve our ambitions and goals but there’s always something missing. We don’t feel complete or fulfilled or comfortable because we have abandoned the one part of us that allows us to express ourselves openly. When we make art, we are focused on the act of being creative and that sparks something within us to do more, be more, feel more, and appreciate more. It grounds us the same time as freeing us.

So whether you make art as a hobby in your spare time, or create artful masterpieces as a profession, it is all meaningful and worthwhile. Value yourself and your art will reward you with what you’ve been missing and help find the meaning of life. So in conclusion, art is meaningful and valuable in many ways, all we have to do is be open to art and let it speak to us. So go and be creative on purpose!

The last time I wanted to write was in back in May of 2023 around Mother’s Day, but I was not in the right mindset to share. I was having doubts about myself and motherhood as I was dealing with conflicts and circumstances. I found it hard to put my thoughts into the proper perspective to be productive and helpful at the time, so I just didn’t write at all. I had to nurture myself. I had to even be a Mother to my own self. That time of year always makes me reflect on my own journey as a mother the past 22 years with my own three children. Of course it made me think of all the nurturing women in my life; my Mom, my Granny, my Grandmother, and my Mother-in-law. Not to mention, my older sister who was like a Mother to me until my teenage years when she became my best friend. However, I could not talk with any of these women because they have either passed on or have not been available. So, I have been mothering myself and nurturing my creativity.

I have been blessed with the direction of strong and kindhearted women that have definitely made an impact in my life and in my life’s work. While mothering myself, I thought about all of these wonderful women and how they have inspired me. I especially thought about my Mom and how inspirational she has been to me in my life even to this day. Her spirit and kindness has been a guiding force for me in my family life and work ethic. I owe a great deal of credit to my Mom for allowing me time, space, and encouragement to find my creative self and do the things that were important to me. My Mom always made time for me and emotionally supported me growing up. She started her own business making her arts and crafts which she sold in fairs and shows for many years. I remember when she started selling and I grew up in her business too. I saw her joy, her experimentation, her inspiration, and even some frustrations… but I was a part of it all. She welcomed me in with open arms and taught me how to use my ideas and make my own items to sell. This gave me the creative outlet I needed for sure. I was born an Artist and have used my creativity since I could hold a crayon. It is in my blood and my Mom is to thank for that. She lives in me and through my hands, my words, my teaching, and my compassion and empathy. I am eternally grateful for my Mom and her nurturing my inner self and creativity.

My Granny Laura (Dad’s mother) was artistic and creative as well. She loved to draw, crochet, puzzle, and bake. I definitely have some of her talented genes because I enjoy the same things as she did. She always found a way to take care of her four boys and the family on limited means. They had a vegetable garden and my grandfather was a hard working task man his entire life in one form or another, but I remember him as a fisherman and tradesman. He used to craft fishing baskets from chicken wire and that’s how he caught his Georgia catfish that he sold and we used to enjoy at the family annual fish fry. My dad also was very creative and had a love of woodworking which he would bring into my mom’s business when they joined forces.

My mother-in-law was a very creative woman who also found ways to keep a family of seven in a household the size of our living room running smoothly. She was a homemaker and housewife who made all their clothing who later became a seamstress making wedding dresses and clothes for the community from home. She was truly an amazing soul and became a heartbeat for the community of ladies around her and provided more than just fashion advice. This is one reason my husband has been so supportive of me and my creative endeavors, because he saw it in his own mother. He knows how important it is to me because he saw the same resilience and determination in her. She is an inspiration to me and I am blessed to have spent time with her and learn from her experiences.

It seems everyone around me in my family tree has had an entrepreneurial spirit and I am not an exception. In fact, my creativity has led me to become a serial entrepreneur with several projects and businesses in my time. My family has always nurtured me in such a way that I knew I could do whatever I set my mind to do. I’m stubborn like that. Perhaps my stubbornness is what propels me and keeps me going because I am determined to be creative and find a solution to everything. Thus the need to nurture myself and be kind to myself so my stubbornness does not cause any harm to anyone else.

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We all must nurture ourselves and find our truth. We may expect our family and friends to tell us what that truth is, but we are the only one who truly knows what we love and are passionate about. We have to be honest with ourselves and use the tools that we have been given to follow our own path. It takes time. It takes inner self investigation. It takes shadow work to face our inner struggles. We have to dive deep and most of us don’t want to go there because maybe it’s a little scary, but it doesn’t have to be. All of our experiences in life have brought us to this point where we are now. All the good, the bad, the inspiring, the discouraging, the love, the heartbreak, and all forms of contradictory emotions we may feel are what make us feel the way we do today. Our emotions are only part of who we are, but they are the most important to help guide us to what we are meant to do. Our purpose in life will be shown only when we have done the work and are really able to be receptive to the answers we have been seeking. That’s why we have to nurture ourselves and that in turn helps us be more creative.

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Being creative is a natural gift that all humans posses. Most people believe that they must be talented artistically in order to be considered creative, but that is a misconception. Yes, there are people who are talented and use their creativity well in the visual arts… but there are so many more ways to use your creativity. We all have it inside us. All we have to do is learn how to use it. We had it as children and used it as we played. Now as adults we must rediscover our creativity to be able to use it in our daily lives again. When we are young we think that anything is possible and therefore we create our own reality. In many cases this shows us at an early age the endless possibilities that our minds can achieve. As we grow all of the limitations start creeping in little by little… from friends, from family, from school, from work, expectations that we are supposed to meet that limit us on using our own creativity to lead us on our own path towards success and happiness. It happens without us realizing it because time doesn’t stop and days roll into weeks and months and then before we know it years have passed. How many times have you said to yourself, “I wish I could get back to doing (blank)” and you just shrug off ever doing that thing again. You think the opportunity is lost and can’t happen because you have put limitations on yourself. So part of nurturing yourself means you have to allow yourself to uncover those limitations.

The limitations I had placed on myself I really pondered during the last year and I have come to a conclusion. I want to share my process with you. I want to help others rediscover their creativity and understand how to access it on a daily basis. I have done the work myself and I am my own worst critic so believe me that I know what I am talking about. All of my experiences in life have led me to this point to be able to help others in this important way. Being creative is needed in everything we do and in every job we aspire to work in. Critical thinking is creative thinking. Teamwork makes the dream work because the people in the team are thinking of ways to solve problems creatively. So, let’s start lifting those limitations and start nurturing our creativity. I look forward to working with those interested in custom tailored assistance and provide personalized help as a creativity coach! I believe this is my calling and am finally ready to step into this new chapter. New year, new opportunities, new possibilities, new ways of thinking, and new goals. Nurture yourself. Nurture your creativity!

So, I have been going through yet another transformation in my life recently. It has been a time of reflection and self analysis. I have been thinking a lot about how I got to this point in my life and where I want to be moving forward. I suppose this happens for everyone at my age of forty-something, but kidding aside, it takes courage to self- reflect.

We are braver than we think. We are courageous more than we know. We do things everyday that make us award winning heroes that either go unnoticed by others, or more importantly, go unnoticed by ourselves.

We wake up in the morning and make a choice to get out of bed. Sometimes we take that for granted. Not everyone can do that because of physical illness, or exhaustion, or depression, or another reason that just leaves them unmotivated. I have had all of those obstacles to get through in my life. What is seemingly easy and just a natural thing to do can be so difficult for some and a real task to achieve. Something as small as that, but becomes a big problem if not done. I’ve been there. More than once. Sometimes it is still a struggle to get myself moving, but it’s different now. Because of my new mindset I feel a shift. I want to get out of bed. I want to get moving and get things done, but sometimes there is still a barrier in achieving my goals. So, what I’ve learned is that there is always going to be something that can keep us down, but there is always a reason to get up. There is always a chance to start again, even though tomorrow is not promised to us, we can always start from where we are… today. There is always going to be bad news, hard times, difficult relationships, relentless struggles, but they don’t have to be as exhausting to us. We don’t have to make the difficulties we have take our energy.

These obstacles are in our path to allow us to make choices. If we just stand at the fork in the road and don’t go right or left and just complain and worry about the direction, then we will never go anywhere and hurt ourselves in the process. We look at the fork in the road as a barrier, as a difficult decision because of the possible outcomes, and we are not sure which path to take because we can’t see the future to know if it will get us to the destination we want. Read that again, slowly. Let it sink in. This is the struggle; but, it doesn’t have to be. When we finally do make a choice and try a path it is in that moment that we are brave. We go on our way not knowing for sure the outcome but we become confident in ourselves to be ready for whatever we may face ahead. This single act is courageous. This way of thinking is what being creative is all about!

Always remember that you are BRAVER than you believe, STRONGER than you seem, SMARTER than you think, and twice as  BEAUTIFUL as you’ve ever imagined.
- Dr. Seuss

Creativity takes courage. It is the one greatest gift we have that not many are actually using and applying in their daily lives. We are our own heroes and are brave enough to get through anything in life. Being creative gives us the tools we need in order to be comfortable being brave and courageous. It is what gives us hope in ourselves to know that we can truly accomplish anything and get through any difficulty that comes our way. When we think creatively we understand we have options. We CAN do it and we WILL do it because our mind can see the WAY to do it. If you talk to a neuroscientist they will tell you about our brains neurologic pathways and how things connect together and spark or they disconnect and reconnect to other pathways. Our brains are constantly connecting the dots so to speak. One idea sparks another and another. This leads to a long line of a thought process. So, when we are creative- we are thinking of more than one possible outcome in our ideas. We are connecting one dot to another dot to another dot and that makes the path flow. That’s the creative juice!!! So, when that gets going and moving along our brains are ignited with a creative fire that makes us move and make things happen. We put that process in motion and that, my friends, is the creative process. Once we know the way, we understand the why, and will do what we think we can do.

You CAN do it! You can be creative. You are capable of being courageous! Just never give up on your dreams and what you wish for. Put yourself there and imagine life as you want it. Only think about the positive outcome and how you can get there. Never give up hope because that’s what ultimately keeps us going. Being creative keeps hope alive. Be creatively courageous and become the hero of your own life!