Events Invitation – Do you ever feel like creativity is out of your reach?

Some people have told me that they are not creative, and feel intimidated by an empty page or having to create something “from nothing” (or for nothing). And may get even more uneasy if they don’t have anything to paint from, like an object in front of them. Let me know in the comments if that resonates with you.

During our recent “Intuitive (FREE) Art Events” I also noticed the hesitation at the first stroke of my pen, wondering if I would be able to do it again this time. And every time I start a new painting I get waves of doubt before starting and during the process, hearing the critics nagging.

That’s when I have to remind myself of something crucial: those critics have never created anything. They’re not in charge of this process, and they don’t get to take the lead. Instead, I imagine inviting them to sit quietly on the side, perhaps I may listen to their insights later when I’m ready to refine or finalize a piece.

The “other” voice inside me, the one that is quieter, and more subtle, usually gets drowned out by the critics’ loud opinions. This quiet inner voice is my trusted source of creative impulses and making sense of my inner and outer world. And for this purpose, this is the energy I want to foster and cultivate.

At the beginning of the creative process, whether it’s in journaling or therapeutic doodling, there’s no “wrong” way to do it and no pressure for a perfect outcome. The only goal is to stay present, to let whatever wants to emerge come forward without judgment.

But what does that mean “what wants to emerge”? And why is this important?

Most of us will remember that as kids we were eager to explore our world, creating and making things (up). The amazing feeling of setting a crayon on paper, and expressing ourselves through colors and forms, or sing, dance and make sounds. Do you still remember the delight?

It was fun. It was without agenda. It was without any end result in mind, and without any inner critics.

But it wasn’t just fun. As we are creating we are learning and opening new pathways in our brain, we connect dots that didn’t connect before, we make connections in contexts that didn’t exist, and we make sense of the world inside and outside of us. We release and make sense of emotions and events that we wouldn’t have been able to process. We become resourceful and able to adapt to change. We have ideas that didn’t exist before.

And why is it important that we nurture this intrinsic part of us that is so seemingly hard to access but comes with so many benefits and is available to everyone by birth?

Even as “grown-ups”, with all the stressful events happening around us, it becomes even more important to find and develop ways to utilize some or more of those creative tools to refresh our innate curiosity and resourcefulness.

Creativity offers so many benefits, including:

• Mental health: Creativity can elevate mood, reduce stress, and foster resilience. It encourages us to be open-minded, curious, and optimistic.
• Brain connectivity: Engaging in creative activities strengthens connections between the two sides of the brain, nurturing new ideas and perspectives.
• Problem-solving: Creativity offers alternative ways of thinking, helping us approach challenges from fresh angles and come up with innovative solutions.
• Self-expression: Through creative expression, we feel more comfortable with ourselves and our surroundings.
• Confidence: Creativity builds confidence, especially for younger people learning to express themselves.
• Intercultural connections: It helps bridge cultures and subcultures, fostering understanding and empathy.
• Teamwork: Participating in creative projects teaches teamwork and cooperation skills.
• Physical health: Certain creative activities, like dancing, also keep us physically active.

Some examples of creative activities include drawing, singing, playing music, writing, baking, and gardening.

Here is an interview with the artist Julia Cameron, who wrote “The Artist Way”, which is a great workbook for rediscovering our inner creative source, that I used many years ago and highly recommend…

“What is the key to creativity, and how does it help our mental health? Beverley D’Silva speaks to Artist’s Way author Julia Cameron and others about ‘flow’, fear and curiosity.

“Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy – pure creative energy,” is the first of 10 basic principles to be found in Julia Cameron’s bestselling creative guide, The Artist’s Way. It is subtitled A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity because, she tells BBC Culture, “creativity is, to my eye, a spiritual experience”. For Cameron, there is no “creative elite”; we are all creative, she says. “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” is a phrase often attributed to Einstein. Read more here… https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210105-why-being-creative-is-good-for-you

If you are committed to creative practice and would like to join me and others for a bi-weekly Intuitive (FREE) Art Event, our next meeting is this Saturday, November 16th, followed by a meeting on Nov 30th, Dec. 14 and 28th at 10 am Pacific 1 pm Eastern time. The meetings will last about an hour each.

This Thursday, Nov. 14th at 4 pm Pacific time, 7 pm Eastern time, I will join Michele Stone again for a YouTube Live, this time we will be exploring our hearts creatively.

There is no prerequisite to join this art class. All you need is a piece of paper, pens or colored pencils, watercolor or gouache paints, brushes, a cup with water, paper towels or rags, and a quiet place for uninterrupted time. We will take about an hour altogether. Give yourself at least 30 minutes afterward to reflect before getting back to your daily schedule.