How Did You Get to be so Creative?
29 March
 |
| Source: Cat Planet |
I am asked this question a lot and usually I just shrug my
shoulders and say “I dunno, I just am I guess” and while that is partially
true, it’s not entirely true. So today I’m going to do my best to answer that question.
:o)
1) First, I was raised in a creative home. My family members all have many talents.
My mom seems to master almost any craft or art form she
tries, from decorative and oil painting, to sewing. I remember her sewing
clothes for my Barbie’s. They were pure perfection too… straight seams, tiny
little buttons and zippers, the whole works. She made bigger clothes too for me
as a child and even maternity clothes when I was pregnant with my daughter.
My dad is a jack-of-all trades. He can do almost anything it
seems from electrical work, construction, and plumbing to rebuilding cars. Many
projects that have been shown here on my blog could not have been done without
my dad.
My grandmothers were seamstresses, crocheters, and water
color artists, and one of my grandfathers built beautiful furniture.
2) Second, I started very early. I can remember making beds for
my Barbie’s out of Kleenex boxes, little sculpted fabric faces out of pantyhose
stuffed with fiberfill, and making pot holders from scraps of fabric with my
grandma.
This is me working on an embroidery project at about age 9 I think.
This is me working on an embroidery project at about age 9 I think.
3) Third, my creativity was nurtured and rewarded. I was always
bugging my mom or dad, wanting to make something. I can even remember saying
those very words, “I want to make something”. I didn’t know what but I wanted to make something! And
I don’t remember ever hearing the word “no”. I’m sure it happened but more
often than not we made things.
My mother reminded me though that during my rebellious teen years there was slight resistance to anything crafty! Fast forward past the rebellious teen years... into my adult years, my parents and I continued to make things
together.
We made a GIANT wooden cactus for my first house. It mounted on the wall and had pegs to hang coats from. We made a little side table in the shape of a butler. He held a little tray and sat next to my couch for years. We built a shed and finished a basement in one of my houses. And most recently, we made over a little vintage travel trailer. :o)
We made a GIANT wooden cactus for my first house. It mounted on the wall and had pegs to hang coats from. We made a little side table in the shape of a butler. He held a little tray and sat next to my couch for years. We built a shed and finished a basement in one of my houses. And most recently, we made over a little vintage travel trailer. :o)
In school, I got A’s in Art class… I failed P.E. Ha!
So, you see, creativity is a normal thing for me. I grew up
surrounded by it, and have lived it almost continually.
4) I also think my standard answer when I am asked this question
is also true… How did you get to be so creative? I just am.
As scientists have more recently come to realize, creativity
is far more complex than the right and left brain distinction (left brain =
rational and analytical, right brain = creative and emotional). Even though the
full picture of how the imaginative mind works is still unknown, it is well
known that creative people are just different (Carolyn Gregoire).
This Huffington Post article, {18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently} is very interesting if you’d like to read it. I can relate to almost all
of these things in some degree. The ones that stand out the most and describe me best
are:
- We are daydreamers (oh yes!)
- We take risks – sometimes those risks don’t always pan out though. “Time wasted, reputation tarnished, money not well spent – these are all by-products of creativity gone awry” (Carolyn Gregoire)
- We lose track of time when we are being creative.
- We surround ourselves with beauty – what many people consider useless knick-knacks, I find beautiful and I want to have it surrounding me. Check out my recent craft room makeover {Craft Studio Makeover Reveal - Part I and Craft Studio Makeover Reveal - Part II} where I had gotten a little carried away with all that beauty! I had to declutter and pare down the beauty!
- We shake things up – avoiding anything than makes life more monotonous or mundane. I do this even with small things like driving home from work, sometimes I take different routes every day. And I am spontaneous to the point of stressing out those closest to me!
Knowing all this about how creatives are different, I do believe that some people are “just born with it”. But I hate it when I hear people saying “I don’t have an ounce of creativity”. I do NOT believe that is true. I believe that everyone has some form of creativity. It can be cooking or baking, writing, drawing or painting, sewing, building, knitting or crochet, sculpture, writing music, etc.
It may not come as naturally or un-taught as it does for
some but with a good teacher and practice anyone can have something they are
good at.
But here's the catch... I don’t think it will create the same feelings of joy for some... so sometimes when someone says they aren't creative I think they probably don't have the desire to be either.
What do you think? Are you a creative person? Does it come naturally to you?
But here's the catch... I don’t think it will create the same feelings of joy for some... so sometimes when someone says they aren't creative I think they probably don't have the desire to be either.
What do you think? Are you a creative person? Does it come naturally to you?
Posted by: Tania | Little Vintage Cottage
at 29 March
Tag:
Great post! I agree that everyone is creative in one way or another. And a little encouragement goes a long way in bringing out that creativity.
ReplyDeleteHow liberating to know that it is OK to color outside the lines :-)
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo