Creativity Is Good for the Soul

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.  Pablo Picasso

I suppose if anyone knew the purpose of art, it would be Picasso.  He was one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, credited for co-founding the Cubist movement.  His style changed throughout his career because he was experimenting with different techniques, trying out something new.

When was the last time you tried something new?  Do you typically get in a rut and stick to the same schedule every day?  Drive to work on the same road, eat the same thing for breakfast every day, or even watch the same television programs every day or week?

Break out of your shell and do something different.  We all have our comfort zones, but most of the time it is when we try something new and unusual that we grow and take on a new characteristic.

About three years ago at the advanced age of 50 I became a writer.  I had never tried it before—well other than school essays and short quips for the college newspaper.  I knew that I had a skill as a good speller, and at my job as an office manager I was the one in the office that always was given the task of letter-writing simply because it became known that I could do it well.  But I didn’t really know that I had the ability to construct a story and follow through to the ending until I tried it.  But now I have published four novels, so apparently there was more to my skill-set than letter-writing!

A few years before that, I tried my hand at painting pictures.  I started with oils and switched to acrylics when I didn’t like the smell of the oil paint.  I painted enough landscapes to fill the bare walls in my house, and some of them have garnered complimentary comments from my friends but I would never have any aspirations of selling them.  They are pretty amateurish.  However, it was really fun trying to paint, relaxing, and a pleasant creative outlet.  I’ll probably take it up again someday when I have some free time.

But now that I am a published author it doesn’t seem like I have a lot of free time.  I have book-signing events coming up that I need to prepare for, one new book that is newly available on my publisher’s website, but won’t be officially released until October 1, and another book at my publisher that will begin the production phases any day now.  By the way, let me do just a bit of shameless promotion here before I continue.  The book that is now available on my publisher’s website is Goldstone Weddings, the third book in the Goldstone Inn series.  Check it out please at www.tatepublishing.com

And just because you are an amateur, don’t let that stop you.   Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited for saying, “Every artist was first an amateur.”  Everyone has to start at the beginning.

A few years ago I had a job as an Activity Director working with the elderly who had dementia, depression or other mental ailments.  One of my favorite activities to do with them was to watercolor.  We simply used the cheap watercolors and plain white paper and painted while listening to soft music.  Sometimes I had simple coloring-book-like pictures for them to paint, but the action was what was therapeutic—not necessarily the result.  It was a quiet time for all of them to reflect on their life, to calm down, to simply be creative in a very uncomplicated way. 

The world needs more artists in my opinion.  I believe that everyone has some creativity in their soul—it might be latent and lying quietly waiting to emerge—but it is there.  Chances are you have an interest in painting, sculptures, poetry, music, jewelry-making…something like that fascinates you. 

In this day and age of social networking it is fairly easy to find someone else with your interests or to find a class that teaches you how to do your facet of art.  You could also check out some library books, or perhaps find instruction on TV like Bob Ross’s Joy of Painting.  I have an aunt who took up painting when she was in her 60’s, and of course you’ve heard of Grandma Moses who took up painting in her 70’s.  Young children have also created some amazing masterpieces—and even though it might not sell for thousands of dollars at a gallery, when you add a frame to your child’s fingerpainting, it becomes a true work of art.  My father taught himself how to play a guitar when he was sixty-five, so don’t be afraid to just try something new.

My point is, you are never too young or too old to try your hand at art.  The painting of the animal at the top of this blog was done by a quite famous artist—Pablo Picasso.  It looks quite simplistic and you may say, even a child could do that.  But give it a shot—see how well you can duplicate it.  Put your rendition in a frame and call it art, because that is exactly what it is.   

“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”  Vincent Van Gogh

“The highest art is always the most religious, and the greatest artist is always a devout person.” Abraham Lincoln.

So pick up your paint brush, your pen and paper, or your wire and beads and create something.  Let me know what you have made—send me a photo.  I’d love to see what you come up with.  Have fun!

-------------

I will be at The Sequel Book Store on Saturday July 27 from 1-3.  Please stop by while at the Enumclaw Street Fair.  I will be signing books, and will have all 4 of my titles available.