Comments on: Does Creativity Dry Up?

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:05:41 +0000

Ah, San! This is an angle I did not think about. You are right, with visual artists it is more of an whole body experience! Does that mean it is easier to keep the balance. Writers, more like professors, are so in their heads, it stands to reason it takes a toll so some part has to close down for healing! I love this thought and think you are absolutely on to something. It sounds like a great psychological study. Thanks San!

By: San

San — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:07:32 +0000

I believe artists of all kinds–visual as well as writers and musicians–go through dry spells. It’s possible, however, that a visual artist’s hands may push the inner doubter aside more easily. It’s a body versus head thing.

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:01:08 +0000

Thank you, Donna, for your wonderful insights here. I know what you mean, it isn’t so much a drying up as it is something else which is going on in the creative person’s life. Isn’t that true for everyone, though? I also loved what Ms Angeluou said and it is true there is a time and place for everything. It is true, we often are pushed into bursts of creativity with something which is normally one of life’s greatest challenges. Finding and living with the silence (often along side the loudest noises) helps transport us to those places of wonderful creativity.

Donna, I sure hope you will find your way back and post here often. Thanks Again!

By: Donna Martin

Donna Martin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:30:52 +0000

I find it hard to think that a visual artist could possibly dry up…as they see art and beauty in all they are exposed to – it is a constant energy. I do feel they can be exhausted, or have periods of depression for one reason or another that may determinet they are not in the mood. I agree with Ms. Angeluou – and I also believe there is a time and season for everything…My season came after the death of a loved one and the children were all grown. An artist must have alone time…as I feel an artist is creating – no matter the medium, is what is in their being at the moment. What we see and what we paint carve or draw s a living creation…and knowing that, there is no question there will be times of what I prefer to call silence…Great Post…

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:02:36 +0000

Hi Suki, as I read your comment here it made me think how we all have particular things we are good with and not so good with…being individuals, really. It seems to me it takes people who are comfortable with themselves to take the risk to be creative and (not always) the extrovert is sometimes one of those people who just isn’t comfortable unless they are with someone else. Like you, I am an extreme introvert, so organizing social occasions makes me step way out of my shell and constantly be “on”. It takes a tremendous amount of energy for me to do these things, however with my husband’s work I am called upon to prepare and/or participate in such events from time to time. The point is here, that we all have our gifts and the challenge is to claim them and utilize them for ourselves, those we love and the world. We all can’t provide everything, but together we can have a great deal! At least that is the way I see it. You are so wonderful to keep this conversation going. I love your insights so much!

By: suki

suki — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Kim, interesting take on your own lack of routines. Letting, in a sense, the others around you set the routines. Sort of like I tend to do socially. As i am very shy and would often rather stay home, I seem to have a lot of gregarious friends who do all sorts of organized social things to which they often invite me. Then, I dont have to organize these social things, I can just tag along if I want to. So , in fact, I have never really learned to organize social things myself for othersf. I do have dinner parties sometimes. And i can organize social alone things for myself. But have a hard time issuing invitations to events I have formed and set up. Often when I do anyway, no one comes. Not a boo hoo, but just an interesting dynamic that occurs between me and my friends.

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:59:57 +0000

Hello Suki, it is interesting to consider what makes us the way we are, isn’t it? I also grew up in a family full of routine and married a man who can’t seem to function at all without it. Yet, I can’t seem to make a routine of anything no matter how hard I try! You are right about routine making life more secure in a lot of ways because we have things to depend upon. In some ways, I wonder if I rely on some of these people to establish my sense of dependence on life? I find it comfortable to eat when I am hungry and sleep when I am tired. I can do that when I am alone, but I can’t when others depend on me for particular things. I think you and I have similar routines, but in different ways…you depend on yourself for them, but I depend on the routine ones in my life for them. It is interesting to contemplate.

I am glad you liked my comment on your blog. I know you are really trying to make some major decisions there and how hard that can be. Hang in there…you have lots of friends pulling for the right thing to happen for you.

By: suki

suki — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:16:51 +0000

Kim, thanks for your question. I am not sure about my daily habits repetition. It is something I learned from my parents who were very regular in their daily eating and sleeping habits and my brother is that way too. Although of course I could have rebelled when grown up and do the opposite and be very irregular with eating and sleeping. I did rebel in many ways except for, eating times, sleeping times. I feel my life has been insecure in many ways, and do think my habitual tooth brushing patterns helped ground me so that I can “fly” with my creative being and also with the insecurity that comes with living on the edge for so long, with no home owned, little income etc. PS I just love your comment on my blog post. You say it so well. Would I rather live in a small house in the center of things or a bigger (and cheaper) house isolated far away from things. (my rephrasing). That is it in a nutshell!!! Thank you.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:23:40 +0000

Thank you so much for returning Dianne! This is the kind of thing I hoped for with this blog. I really love these conversations and the insights from everyone. We all are so different in our approaches to our work and we have so much to share. I would feel so successful if someone was able to walk away with any helpful information.

You bring a very good thought to the table about external factors having such a huge impact on our creativity. I think, for me, it was during one of these times I learned journaling helped me to quickly come back around during these times. I was even able to use my painting to grieve for a lost friend. I guess what I am trying to say is for me maintaining these other venues have helped me to generally hold the balance in place for the most part. I also might find, at some point in the future, I am wrong or what I thought was right all along no longer works. Maintaining the balance is challenging, isn’t it?

Thank you so much Dianne! It means a lot to me for you to return to this conversation.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:12:54 +0000

You know, Suki, I think creativity absolutely might be cyclic for some people. That makes a lot of sense. I love your approach and find I similarly try to go with the flow with life in general. Why should creativity be different?

You make a good point about writers working in series. I guess it depends on what you are looking for in your writing career if you do that or not. It is similar to acting, I suppose, in some writers do not want to “type cast” themselves and others are happy to create that niche which works well for them. As always you make very good points.

Suki, I think it keeps the creativity flowing when you jump from one thing to another, so it is a good thing indeed. Again, I suppose that is what works for some people – I know it works for me, too.

Here is a question for you…do you find the repetition in your life powers your creativity and maybe in some way gives you permission to follow your muse? I am just curious!

Thanks Suki for your wonderful insights. I always love to hear your thoughts as your creative experiences are so varied. I love it!