Let creativity be the star of your daily life
How many times have you heard or read about someone who used their creativity to overcome an illness, damaged relationship, or other challenging circumstances? I’ve heard of people who used art or music or dance to deal with their issues and believe they wouldn’t have been able to succeed without enlisting their creative abilities.
This is what Amy Oestreicher explains in the beginning of her book Creativity and Gratitude - exercises and inspiration for a year of art, hope, and healing (Apollo Publishers).
Her detour, as she calls it, began in her senior year of high school when a blood clot caused her stomach to rupture. Months later, she woke from a coma and was told she might not be able to eat or drink again. This turned into seven years and 28 surgeries. When she was able to eat again, her first bite awakened memories of being sexually abused by a mentor.
Her journey was challenging, to say the least. Her mother brought all sorts of artistic and crafty tools to the hospital and Amy began to play with them and use them to deal with her frustrations, fears, and doubts. She put her resulting works on her hospital room door daily and people began checking her room to see what she had done. Not only was she healing herself, now she was inspiring staff and other patients as well. Creativity and Gratitude was born from Amy’s journey.
“For fifty-two weeks, you will be prompted to take part in a creative exercise that will teach you about the four skills for resilience: Creativity, Hope, Storytelling, and Gratitude,” Amy writes. The book offers a wide assortment of weekly tasks designed to support one’s journey through whatever detour is being experienced. Sometimes there’s journaling or writing, others there’s drawing or coloring, dancing, storytelling, Haiku and so much more. What is most impressive about Creativity and Gratitude is that Amy continues to share her story and life as we move through the book. Her challenges and detours continued well past the first seven-year hurdle. Sometimes it is difficult to accept that any one person was faced with her circumstances. It is also very inspirational to read how she handles her issues and then shares these techniques and ideas with us.
Whether or not you are walking such a difficult path, this book gives great ideas for dealing with life’s detours and challenges as well as giving some wonderful creative prompts and ideas for living a creative life.
When looking for books on creativity I thought you might like to know about, I discovered The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (Penguin Press, 2023). I had no idea who Rick Rubin is. From the moment I read the first page, I was hooked. There is a quote from Robert Henri: “The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.” (I didn’t know who Robert Henri was, either. He was an American portraitist and figure painter.)
I had only read a few pages when I was struck by the desire to decorate this book. “What,” you ask. That’s right, I had the intense desire to grab some of my pencils and pens and draw/color flowers, borders, vines, etc…I am one of those people who uses highlighters and will underline in books if I want to remember something. But draw in a book? I had not done that. There are some blank pages in the back of the book. I knew that someday this book would end up in someone else’s hands and wanted to communicate with that person. Here is what I wrote. “I illustrated this book for you. I don’t know who you are. You don’t know me. I felt inspired to draws pictures in this book. I am breaking the rule that says we shouldn’t write in books. I am not a fancy artist…just a 77-year old woman who likes to make marks, use color, and glitter pens.”
The book is full of wisdom and inspiration for all creative types. Whether you’re an artist, musician, dancer, corporate executive, homemaker, parent, or dog trainer, this book is for you. The 78 short chapters have titles such as, listening, patience, openness, expect a surprise, and surrounding the lightning bolt. Here are a few of my favorite sentences:
“The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world.”
“What defines inspiration is the quality and quantity of the download….(it) is the rocket fuel powering our work. It is a universal conversation we yearn to be part of.”
“Art creates a profound connection between the artist and the audience. Through that connection, both can heal.”
Only after getting three-quarters of the way through the book did I decide to find out who this man is. Who is Rick Rubin and why can he be considered an expert in creativity? Mr. Google says “Rick Rubin is an American record producer who holds eight Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year which he won with the Dixie Chicks and Adele in 2007 and 2012, respectively. He has also won numerous producer of the year awards.” Oh, my.
I found an interview of Rick that was conducted for the 60 Minutes television show and was blown away again. Famous music artists such as Adele and Johnny Cash hire Rubin to help them with their albums. Guess what? He doesn’t play a musical instrument. He can’t run a soundboard. He just knows what he likes, follows his feelings and helps these famous artists give their best selves to their fans. If you want to be inspired and motivated to create your best art and life ever, you want this book.
Three tips for you!
How do you identify yourself in your creative journey? What we call ourselves matters. Are you willing to wear the title Artist? Sure, like me, you might feel you’re mostly just playing around with paint or wood or fabric or food and shy away from the term artist. Although you might have to grow into it, try calling yourself an artist and see how it affects your attitude and your art.
“Good enough is good enough.” Don’t aim for perfection in your art. Sometimes aiming for perfection keeps us from starting or finishing a piece. It also detracts from our creativity and ability to respond to the intuitive flashes our muse sends us. Do your best without grunting and groaning and let good enough be good enough.
Doodle. You’ve probably heard this already, but it is said that letting ourselves doodle can be a doorway to our creativity. Doodling without a goal loosens us up and allows new ideas to blossom.
Creating with joy, grace and ease,
Krysta