| Current Category is: Creativity | Select Another Category | |
|
|
| Home | Search | Categories | Links | About Us | Contact Us |
|
|
 |
Find the Artist Within
Can anyone be an artist? People admiring my work often say, "I could never do that!" I say, "Yes, you can!" Eight years ago, during a very difficult time in my career in finance (Downsizings, layoffs - let's not talk about it, OK?), my company sent me to a development workshop for female executives. I came out of a particularly thought-provoking discussion group and penned the following very prophetic free verse. Threads They Said Mimi said, "Why don't you paint again?" Carole said, "You can do it!" Cheryl said, "You have an artist within. Reach down. Bring it out." Martha said, "There's a strength within you." Bob said, "Reach for the sky. Be your mother's daughter. The threads came together.
I believe anyone with a creative eye can be an artist. If you know what you like when you see it, you can be an artist. If you know what someone else will like, you can be a commercial artist. You only need to find your medium or craft. To find the artistic spirit within you: 1. Think about your abilities, not your dis-abilities; what you can do, not what you can't. Maybe you're good with the computer. Think graphic arts. Maybe you wield a mean needle. Think of practical sewn items to which you can add artistic touches. Today with the endless supply of craft materials and kits to get you started, there's something for everyone - or I should say - something for every artist. 2. Determine your bliss. I once read that if a woman thinks back to what she most enjoyed when she was between 8 and 11, she can identify her bliss. For men, it's between 10 and 14. They mature later, you know - some women would say never. If, at that age, you were always making "stuff" (doesn't matter what) and loved having your own crayons (that no one else was allowed - under penalty of death - to touch) and maybe your own set of colored pencils, art and crafting could be your bliss. If you took particular joy in actually producing something - an end product - rather than just messing with all those neat (or should I say, messy) paints, you almost certainly have an artist within. 3. Browse a local crafts superstore or Internet crafting sites (please start by browsing around TheArtfulCrafter.com!). Go up and down the aisles, whether virtual or real, and see what appeals to you. Purchase a few kits. [Aside: If you intend to sell what you make from the get-go, be sure to consider what will also appeal to your future customers.] 4. Don't be afraid to try something new. To me, a sub-definition of artist is "someone who is always trying something new" - new techniques, new media. You have ittle to lose - the cost of a kit or a few tubes of paint - and very much to gain!
You have permission to publish this article electronically by Eileen Bergen
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Creative Thinking versus Critical Thinking The process of creative thinking is often, mistakenly, intertwined with critical thinking. There is a tendency to write and edit simultaneously, couple hypothesis generation and evaluation, combine problem identification with solution. Telling It Like It Is (Or Can Be) When you hear, "tell me a story," does your mind suddenly go blank? Don't panic. The good news is, you're already a natural storyteller! Surprised? You shouldn't be. Innovation Through Concept-Combination There are many creative problem solving techniques used by inventors to come up with new solutions to old problems. For sheer innovation, though, it's hard to beat the technique of concept-combination. Tap the Creative Inside You Imagination is the source of creativity. It's a place where unlimited possibilities reside. Magic In Your Spice Rack Variety is the spice of life, but spices, historically are the stuff of magic! A spell, after all is really just a recipe and traditionally many of them involve plant life or herbs. Magic doesn't have to be complicated to work. Unlock Your Creative Secret Weapon It seems like this week a ton of people have been asking me how they can become more creative. I even had one client jokingly accuse me of being in cahoots with the Devil in trade for my creativity. 9 Steps to Supercharge Your Productivity with Creativity Time is the great equalizer. Everybody has the exact same number of hours in each day. The Power Of Your Intuition We all have enormous reserves of mental capacity that we habitually fail to use. There is no problem that we cannot solve, no obstacle we cannot overcome, and no goal we cannot achieve when we learn to use the incredible power of our mind to its full capacity. Art, Artists and Vocation "If you really want to upset your parents?go into the arts!"-Kurt VonnegutHow many times have people been told that "You can't make it as an artist."How many times when you've told someone that you are studying theater, dance, the visual arts, do people look at you and cringe; feel sorry for you, and feel that you and your family have wasted a great deal of money, and that you have wasted years of your life. SoulCollage - Combining Collage Fun with Spiritual Practice SoulCollage? is a unique blend of spiritual practice and the fun of collage. Using our intuition and imagination, we create a deck of collaged cards where each card reflects a different aspect of who we are. You Dont Have To Be An Artist To Be Creative Imagine that a block of ice has been set on your desk. Now describe it. Get your Creative Juices Flowing Copyright 2005 Cherry Communications/Be Heard SolutionsThe creative arts enhance our lives in countless ways. They make us think. Learn A Life Skill TODAY! Did you ever watch your grandma knitting?Wasn't it boring? Didn't it seem to take forever?Most of us live life in the fast lane.Who needs to buy balls of yarn, search for patterns and spend - heaven forbid - the next three months making a jumper, when we can buy one in the high street for next to nothing. 7 Things Sapping Your Creativity Right Now This was a very easy article to write. I was late in getting started this month, and as my publication deadline got closer and I could no longer wait until I "felt" like writing an article, I was forced to sit down and do it. True Power Series Part I. Visualization: Image Production and Verbal Thought (5 minutes a day)There is no limit to what you can visualize. The most effective visualization usually happens when emotion is connected with a strong image as, for example, when you really want something specific that you think will make you happy. Creativity Creativity is the gift to mankind. This is not the thing which can be created by human beings. Top Ten Reasons To Start Creativity Coaching DEVELOP YOUR ARTISTIC CONFIDENCE I'd really like to write but I don't have enough time. Creativity coaching can give you back control over your calendar. The Elements of Creativity: What-ifs? What if there is no toilet paper and I am halfway through doing the "do"?What if one of my team members decides to leave the project halfway and he happens to be the most knowledgeable guy there?What if I turn colour blind, how should I adapt to the environment?What-if, what-if and more what-ifs?The technique of asking What-ifs provokes an individual to think and to produce something new. At times, in order to find original solutions to old problems, one must take the leap of faith and ask 'crazy' and imaginative questions to get us out of the rut of stale, conformist routine. How to be More Creative and Enhance Your Creativity efore thinking about how to be more creative, let me begin point out some real barriers that some people seem to have when wanting to enhance creativity, have a think if any of these things are applicable to you and your life;1. Lack of time. Creativity: The Key To Getting More Done In Less Time If your to-do list seems as long at the end of the day as it did at the start (or worse yet, longer!) then you could definitely use an injection of creativity in your work day.Here are five simple ways of using your creativity to improve the quality of your day:1) Stop banging your head against the wall -- A good chunk of the time people waste in a day is due to stressing over the same problems that face them day after day.
|
| Home
| Sitemap
| Disclaimer
| Privacy
| Contact
Us © COPYRIGHT 2011 BRAINBELLY.COM |
