Finding Your Creative Side

Many people ask me as an artist "where do you get your ideas for your paintings?" Creativity is a gift from God, and it seems to be most active when we are children. I often tell my students to think back to when they were in kindergarten and asked to draw a picture. Immediately our little brains began to go to work, and we would start with the sun shining down on trees and flowers and began to add other elements to our composition without hesitation. So why is it that by the time we are 9 or 10 we begin to question our own abilities? "Does this really look like a tree, or can I draw a horse without seeing it right in front of me?" Part of it has to do with the fear of criticism, with the birth of the new artist also comes the critic who can crash our hopes and dreams with one harsh critique. Critics come in all shapes and sizes and can vary in age from 8 to 80. I have had many critiques in my years of experience and have learned to take each one with a grain of salt. Everyone has their own personal tastes, and there is no guarantee your art will please everyone. If it pleases you and you enjoy what your doing, you're on the right track. Another reason why we begin to lose our creativity so young is because we begin to fall into the rules and obligations of conformity, and it most often begins in the classroom. We are taught that trees are green and most often produce red fruit. Where do you live that you see purple trees with lollipops on them? Our imagination begins to get squelched with ideas of realism and practicality and the world of make believe slips away.

So, how do we break through the world of practicality and exercise our creativity? This process is never easy. I find that even in my fantasy art, in which I can create anything I desire, I still find myself referencing the different types of dragons to ensure that I am following the correct approach to creating a mythical character. For the most part, as I said before, creativity is an exercise of the brain that only gets better with practice and finding that magical spark within each of us. Not everyone has the confidence to draw, paint, or sculpt, but most everyone appreciates good art and we are all given the ability to be creative. Creativity is more than just creating good art; it begins by sparking new and inventive ideas and bringing them forth to reality. Observing the world around us, learning, growing and experimenting with new ideas, techniques, and materials are all part of the creative process of unlocking the key to our imagination. Most importantly, have fun with it and focus on things that are meaningful to you.