Thursday, February 28, 2013

Exercise Your Creative Muscles!!

What have you done lately to get your creative juices flowing?
Have you taken brush in hand or sat down to see what words you could form on paper? Or maybe you doodled on a napkin while waiting for your food to arrive. No matter what it is, you need to get to creatively jogging in your brain, just like you might tone your muscles by jogging. 





 Now I'm not telling you anything I wouldn't tell myself. In fact, I followed my own advice and painted 15 paintings in a week. Then made four "A Study on Paper" series. That's what it took to get me out of my creativity funk.

 Sometimes all it takes is a little step in the creative direction and then you can get your creativity moving.

Don't be afraid to push past your comfort zone and explore new things. It is in exploration that we stretch and grow.



Close your eyes and imagine what you want to do.

 It's in those moments when you have ideas that you should go for it. Do it before you have time to talk yourself out of it, or forget what it is.

Be like the little mustard seed that is ever do tiny when planted, but with great determination grows to be a very big plant.

Have you ever thought of setting gem stones or creating a sculpture from your own imagination?


 


What ever it may be just do it or at least try it. Pick up a paint brush, pencil, wet clump of clay, sit at the sewing machine or even just sit down and color a picture with a wide eyed child.

Jog around your creativity and don't tell me that you aren't creative because I know better. Far too many people sell themselves short. Often times what they are really saying is "I can't do it perfect so I'm not going to try it." Pish Posh!!! Perfection is over rated and many times not even needed.

Okay, now that I have given you this friendly lecture (or mom would call it a scolding) I'd like to hear from you about what you've been doing to play on the creative side of life.






One suggestion that I give people, if they are having trouble with creativity, is to use a creativity journal. I make my own, but you can buy something like this one in stores or online. They can be small or large, I'd suggest one about the size of an average book. Tuck it away in your backpack, or briefcase, or even in your suitcase if you're traveling.
The point is to have it with you so that if an idea comes along you will have it right there. It's also a perfect thing to have with you to take a break from something else that is taxing your brain. Shoot even Einstein needed a break when he was working. Reportedly he would often times stop and play the piano, or violin to relax enough to be able to solve problems. So why not follow his lead and take a creativity break?