Day 1 of 30 of my 30 Days of Creativity Challenge.
I love “pulling paint.” Just mixing up colors and seeing what comes through. I love blues and purples – they’re obviously my favorite colors. I never know what’s going to appear or what the end product will look like. It’s why I love abstract painting. Well, that and the fact that I don’t have to make it look like anything, I can enjoy the process.
The definition of being creative is the act of creating from original thought, or expression. It’s using your imagination. For me, creativity is nothing more than setting your mind free. It’s allowing your mind to relax. Letting go of expectations and assumptions of how something is “supposed to” be. It’s being in the moment. Being creative is something that is within all of us, not for a select few. Nor is being creative just about art, or painting. That’s a huge misconception. Creativity can be found in writing, playing the piano, dancing, singing, how you fold your laundry, how you prepare your family dinners. As children we used our imaginations constantly. We played and created with abandon. However, as we got older, we left our creative spirits on the back burner as we got caught up in the mundane of life. Thankfully though, even though we left that part of us behind, it never left us. It has been waiting for us to come out to find it and to play.
This challenge I have set forth, is really getting you to remember. It’s remembering that you were once, and that you still are a creative being. Brene Brown says, “There is no such thing as creative people and non-creative people. There are just people who use their creativity and people who don’t. And not using it doesn’t go without penalty. As it turns out, unused creativity is not benign. It’s dangerous!”
I titled my painting for today, my first painting for the year 2021, “From The Shadows.” You see, I wasn’t always “creative.” I was always told my art was junk. Yeah, well, let them tell me that now! From the shadows comes some incredible things if you’re willing to let them come through.
Here’s to your creations in 2021! Let whatever wants to come through, come through. No thinking. No judgements. Just play!
The Soulful Artist 