INTRO
Today on the blog I have Faigie Kobre as my guest. Faigie approached me to
ask if I'd allow her to share her passion for re-introducing creativity back
into the second half of life. So many of us strongly believe we have no
artistic ability (I'm one of them!) and we miss out on the joy that being
creative brings with it because we don't know where to start. When I discovered a few alternative areas of art to explore it was an absolute eye-opener, so of course I was happy to share something like this.
Faigie has created a free mini-course, and today I'm giving her the
space to share why - and there's a link at the end if you'd like to take the
plunge and explore a little of what she calls "art improvisation". So I'll
hand it over to Faigie from here.....
YOU CAN BE CREATIVE
You can be creative…. “Me? I can’t even draw a straight line
- even with a ruler…!”
Is that something you’ve said about yourself forever? I can’t begin
to tell you how common that is. So many adults, when confronted when
any form of creative art, tell themselves they’re hopelessly
non-creative. I’m here to tell you that you were robbed of the joys
and healing that art brings. And that’s such a pity because creativity is
a form of self care. By buying into the myth that art is only for
artists and that one can only be creative and artistic if one actually
knows how to draw, you miss out on the opportunity to experience the joy
of bringing art into your life.
By failing to tap into your inner wellspring of creativity, you lose the priceless chance to feel the inner freedom and self-validation that soothes the soul and heals anxiety, over thinking and melancholy.
By failing to tap into your inner wellspring of creativity, you lose the priceless chance to feel the inner freedom and self-validation that soothes the soul and heals anxiety, over thinking and melancholy.
EVERYONE IS BORN CREATIVE. IT’S A GOD GIVEN GIFT
Sure, lots of folks weren’t born with the artistic ability to draw. But think about it: Does anybody expect you to be able to sit down at the piano and bang out a Mozart concerto without years of intensive lessons (unless, of course, you’re a musical genius)? For some reason though, if you weren’t born with a golden hand, you’re relegated to that group of people – most of us, that is -- who “can’t draw a straight line.”
But the same way you can learn to play a concerto, you can learn to draw, too -- IF you really want to, because it IS hard work. But even more important, there’s so much, much more to art than drawing. Just look at our littlest ones. The experience of creating is pure joy, and very young children can get immense pleasure out of art. Somehow, as they grow, that tends to peter out. Why is that?
WHAT YOUR EARLY EXPERIENCES WITH ART SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE
As a child, you needed to create on your own level, even if it was immature-looking and messy. This would’ve helped you build a sense of self-competence. That’s why you needed process-focused art projects, where the emphasis is on the process of creating, rather than on the end-product. This nurtures self-esteem and develops thinking skills, initiative and creativity. It makes children feel really good about who they are.But realistically, most of us did not benefit from the positive, process-focused art that we needed for our development, and so we started hearing voices in our heads telling us, “Me? I’m just no good at art. I can’t even draw a straight line…”
FINDING THE RIGHT KIND OF ART
How can those of us who didn’t have good early experiences in art heal our creativity scars and discover the sheer joy and freedom to be found in creating art? In a very important and popular TED talk entitled Do Schools Kill Creativity?, well-known author Sir Ken Robinson put it simply:Many people succeed only after they have recovered from their education.
Kids and adults of any age can heal by getting involved in the right kind of art, which will help them heal from bad experiences and exchange a negative mindset for a positive one. The right kind of art begins with process-focused art, which is all about improvisation. This means doing things in a very abstract way, allowing yourself to experiment with many different art materials and fun techniques without putting emphasis on the end result. You don’t think too far ahead about what you’re creating; you just improvise and see where it takes you.
And this improvisation is key to your healing.
ART IMPROVISATION
Art improvisation changes the anatomical structure of the brain, making us think differently. When we are allowed to create as we like without following exact directions, it opens so many new possibilities for us. It also turns off the internal voice of self-censoring and inhibition and allows self-expression to flow. As you do it more and more, your fear of failure dissipates and then disappears.
GREAT MEDIUMS FOR HEALING YOUR CREATIVITY
As a past early childhood educator, a present elementary school art teacher and creativity coach for adults, I have seen the progression of what happens from early years through the adult ones.As a result, I have also discovered what I think are the perfect mediums for getting re-acquainted with one’s creativity.Doodling, non-representational painting, collage, and alcohol inks.
For painting we use acrylics and watercolors in a non-representational manner. Collage is cutting and pasting, and the one you may not be familiar with is alcohol inks. Alcohol ink is a dye suspended in alcohol and works on non porous surfaces. What water is to watercolors, alcohol is to alcohol inks. It is a gorgeous, vibrant, fluid and very forgiving medium. What this medium does along with the other mediums is take you back to your childhood “play” time. Playing is one of the most important ways to develop your creativity and it’s time to go back to start playing again.
A FREE MICRO-COURSE
I'd love you to re-ignite your creativity with the transformative power of expressive art. I'm sharing a FREE micro course with 6 short videos that will introduce you to 5 easy to use, fun mediums that can help you get started with expressive art even if you can't draw. Just click the link HERE and we'll get started.
MEET FAIGIE
Faigie Kobre is an elementary school art teacher and a creativity
coach for women. She helps women reignite their creativity through
her free micro course Discover 5 Ways to Relax and Unwind even if you Can’t Draw . It is located on her website Creativity Reignited
Before she started using these 5 mediums she was very focused on alcohol inks and if that interests you can check out her instagram and facebook pages about that topic.
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Hi Leanne and Faigie - Thank you so much sharing these insights into a very critical aspect of mid-life. It's so true that we are all born creative. It's all about discovering them.
ReplyDeleteAlso, creativity can be in any aspect of our life. Art is one form of expressing them. Creativity is about finding something new, something different, something that is refreshing.
We can be creative in language, we can be creative in our morning walk, we can be creative in our reading or music listen. There is no end to the scope of being creative.
Creativity is like a whiff of fresh air.
Yes Pradeep creativity encompasses so much. I just love art so always think of creativity connected to art
DeleteHi Pradeep - very wise words indeed. I think creativity encompasses a far wider scope than we were led to believe by our art teachers at school. I've loved discovering blogging, and now I'm enjoying dabbling in all sorts of different areas - stained glass was a wonderful thing to do, and calligaraphy, collage - and so much more. I love that Midlife gives us time to try new things.
DeleteI love this post! Thank you Faigie for your inspiring words, and thank you, Leanne for sharing this post. xx
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure - I'm finding that there is a little kernel of creativity deep within me and when Faige offered to share her thoughts on a similar area, I just had to say Yes.
DeleteHello Leanne & Faigie, I am not a creative person but I would like to be, so this is a very interesting idea. I think I fall into the category where I couldn’t draw, so I wasn’t artistic and therefore I never explored any other avenue. I’ve always admired people who can draw and are creative and wished I was - perhaps I might find a creative streak after all. I hope so.
ReplyDeleteGo for it Elizabeth. You won't be sorry
DeleteHi Elizabeth - I was exactly the same and I still second guess myself every time I try something "arty". I think it's a great time of life to dabble in different areas (like the 5 that Faige shares in her course) and maybe something will resonate. I know other bloggers who love to do mandelas, or watercolours, or photography....I'm loving my collages because they don't involve drawing - just arranging and cutting and glueing - and I find a lot of joy when I'm playing around with them.
DeleteFaigie is so right about the impact school has on a non-artists relationship with art. I was nerd; not an artist. And my feeling was that I wasn’t about to take a class that I couldn’t get an A in so I didn’t take any art classes. As an adult, I realized how much I’d missed out on. Although I have a lot of creative outlets, I’ve slowly been dipping my toe into drawing. Great post!
ReplyDeleteIts never too late Michelle. Remember Grandma Moses started in her 70's
DeleteHi Michelle - I took art in early highschool as a requirement, but there was no encouragement for those of us who couldn't draw well. In the end I left with a feeling that I wasn't arty at all. It was such a shame, because I think we all have some creativity in us - we just have to find a medium that we enjoy and want to play with. I think pottery would also be fun to try, and I loved the stained glass classes I took a few years ago.
DeleteI would have to agree that being creative is important and not necessarily art. I am taking part in the 100 day creative challenge. The challenge I have set myself is listening to music and seeing where it brings me as I realised that I did not have music in my everyday life. Creativity can free the brain for a few minutes every day.
ReplyDeleteHi Noilin - I like how you've found an alternative route to creativity. Music is so powerful and the 100 day challenge would be the perfect space to immerse yourself more.
DeleteNoilin so glad to hear you are taking part in the 100 day challenge..so am I. I'm doing 100 days of expressive art. Good luck to you with your music
DeleteHi, Leanne - Thank you for introducing us to Faigie. Very inspiring post! I wholeheartedly agree that it is never too late to explore our passions.
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - when Faige described what she does and what she was offering (and I heard the word "collage") I felt I had to share her thoughts and her little mini-course. It's so good to explore different aspects of ourselves now we have more time to do so.
DeleteI think we all have that voice in our heads from when we were kids. Creativity is, however, about so much more than art - and so much more than what we've always thought of as art (as you're finding out). Thanks for introducing us to Faigie.
ReplyDeleteHi Jo - I remember doing art in early highschool and feeling like I was less "artistic" by the end of it all. It was all about drawing and no real encouragement to explore or develop our skills. I just felt defeated by the end of it and was positive I didn't have a creative bone in my body - it's been fun to find that there's a still a spark burning.
DeleteYes! Art is so much broader that we've all thought
DeleteI enjoyed hearing from Faigie, thanks Leanne for sharing. I love that Julia Cameron quote about being willing to do things badly in order to get them right. Creativity is in everything we do and we sometimes don't realise it, even blogging.
ReplyDeleteHi Deb - I definitely consider blogging/writing to be creative, and it's certainly allowed me to give voice to a lot of stuff that had nowhere else to go. I loved that another comment mentioned music, and I'm sure there's so many other aspects that we lost sight of somewhere into the journey through adulthood. I'm hoping to find some of mine again and grow it into a bigger part of my life.
DeleteFor sure blogging is creative. And Julia Cameron has so many wise things to say about this topic
DeleteThank you, Leanne, for introducing us to Faigie. I am one of those that says, "I can't even draw stick figures." I honestly can't remember at what point I started to feel that way. I like the idea of starting with abstract improvisational art. As a recent retiree, I have been consciously trying to shift my focus from results to enjoying the process in many aspects of life.
ReplyDeleteChristie wouldn't you see that its all about mindfulness?. Enjoying the process really does that for us
DeleteHi Christie - I've found myself doing the same thing with retirement - allowing the extra time available to be used for dabbling in different things and seeing whether I like them or not. Some appeal and some get discarded, but it's a fun process and I like using the other part of my brain that's been dormant for so many decades.
DeleteThanks Leanne for sharing the words and images from Faige. I am someone who has always encouraged creativity in others, and by the time I was first retired, got into art fun in a playful way via a supportive on-line group. I've always enjoyed playing with media and have encouraged my grandchildren when they stayed with us. They tell me they have many memories of fun with Grandma. As a K-2 teacher by trade, I loved seeing what different outcomes children would have, and over time would find that some children, no matter what, might become self-critical. I also understand that nature and attitudes learned at home have an effect. What a pity it is. Thank you for sharing all that I too find wonderful about being 'in the moment' and creating. So pleased to see your blog post for this week’s Wednesday’s Words and Pics. Looking forward to next week if you are sharing a post then. Thank you for being part of the WWandP community. Denyse.
ReplyDeleteHi Denyse - I've loved seeing all your mandelas and other art - it's so good to let ourselves have some free rein and to feel creative after so many years of being more "in the box". I'm the queen of self-criticism, so freeing myself up a little and being kinder to the small kernel of creativity I'm trying to nourish has been such a blessing and a new area to grow in at this time of life.
DeleteHi Leanne, I am always in awe of your creativity. I am with you where I believe I do not have artistic ability. Yet, I feel I am creative in different ways.
ReplyDeleteThank you for introducing Faigie here. I agree with Faigie, how ‘everyone is born creative.’ It is interesting to read about getting involved with the right kind of art. I like the information about ‘…back to start playing again.’
I always learn something new and gain a new perspective reading your posts, Leanne. Thank you. xx
Hi Erica - you are such a good friend to still pop in for a visit and to leave a warm comment, even though you're not blogging atm. I liked what Faige said about discovering our creativity and almost going back to a childlike approach - and just giving ourselves the grace and freedom to try and see what we like - I'm finding that there's a little bit of creativity that I never knew lurked beneath my surface and I want to nurture it as I grow older.
DeleteHi Leanne, I totally agree with everything Faige says. Everyone has creativity within them - it's just a matter of finding the medium that you enjoy and that resonates for you. She and my friend/art teacher Natalie (as written about in my Art Chat #10 post) should get together. They seem to have a lot in common! xo
ReplyDelete(p.s. you might like to delete my original comment that came up as Anonymous)
Hi Min - I actually thought of your post when I was putting Faige's post together. I think we all need to be inspired by others who are trying their creative wings and seeing what attracts them and what they're actually good at. I remember you saying that you found collage really difficult to get your head around and yet I love it.....and you draw and watercolour so well - and I'd love to be good at that. There's so much to explore!
DeleteI think that each of us share our creativity in our own unique ways. I love writing, but my older son loves to draw and my younger loves to dance. Creativity is so great. Thanks for the virtual coffee, Leanne. Happy Friday.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right Shari - I love how creativity isn't just "art" but covers a whole range of options that we can investigate and dip into - to find one or two (or more) that ignite something fresh within ourselves.
DeleteHey Leanne, I went over and am going to try her mini-program. Your creative collage work is always so inspiring. Maybe something in her process & mediums will spark with me!
ReplyDeleteThat's great Pat - I think the mini-course was a great reminder about how simple art is - and how we don't have to be great artists to find something we enjoy and want to play around with. You've explored some interesting art forms already and I've loved your glass creations. My collaging makes me happy - and that makes it worthwhile for me because anything that brings joy is a bonus.
DeleteHi Leanne - Thank you for your weekend coffee share and introducing us to Faigie. I agree everyone has creativity and at midlife most of us have the opportunity to reignite it if it's been put aside before. Creativity is much more than art though (e.g. baking, blogging, photography, etc. are also creative activities).
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie - so many commentors have said similar things about the range of activities that come into being creative. I love that we can play around with different ideas and find things that spark something within ourselves - often something we thought we'd lost or that we'd never had. Blogging has certainly done that for me.
DeleteRecently, I started doing macrame. It's a good creative outlet for those of us who are "not artistic". I am covering my house in colorful wall hangings!
ReplyDeleteHi Mary Jo - I love that you've found your creative sweet spot. I think so many of us thought that art was painting or drawing and nothing else counted. Now we're discovering all these different dimensions and opening up a whole new side of ourselves.
Delete