A recent experience attending an exhibit of “Outliers,” self-taught artists, reminded me how the act of observation, of really seeing, is a form of communion. Communion, meaning: the “sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.” Like the Christian religious ritual, really seeing is a profound, deeply meaningful experience. Continue reading “Communion; The Art of Observation”
Category: Identity
Hand-written: You, from the Heart.
I’ve been writing about the therapeutic benefits of making things by hand, but I’d neglected one thing we do–or, used to do–by hand: writing. Writing by hand, like other hand-done activities, confers both emotional and creative benefits. We should take a moment to appreciate hand writing and what it does for us. Continue reading “Hand-written: You, from the Heart.”
5 (Lame) Reasons to Hold Back from Creating Things
You could be Vincent Van Gogh, or Adel, or Steven Speilberg–or you could be me, or you could be you–but I’ll bet any one of these “you’s” has been stopped cold by that voice inside your head that tears you down when you try to express yourself. Continue reading “5 (Lame) Reasons to Hold Back from Creating Things”
Why Make Things When You Could Buy Them?
In this “Digital Age” where we have no patience for things that take time, and where we can easily find whatever we might want on a computer, it may seem Amish, quaint, and/or silly to be encouraged to make something with your own two hands. Why should we make things? Continue reading “Why Make Things When You Could Buy Them?”
Owning Your Creative Self
I don’t know about how you react to compliments, but I reject them outright. They make me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. Which is odd, because I would love to believe someone liked something I did.
So whenever anyone compliments me on “being so creative,” I wince. I’m not creative. Continue reading “Owning Your Creative Self”