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We are all born with creativity. Our first perception of the world around us is in images--colors, shapes and shadows. As a young child and adolescent, art is a magical way of exploring our perceived world. It is a time of making art without any expectations; it is a natural way of expressing oneself and one’s surroundings. We have all encountered situations in our lives that have presented obstacles that stifle our creative passions. It may be criticism from a peer or authority figure that somehow conveyed that your art needed to be a certain way or a duplicate of reality. The freedom of becoming our true artist self is to understand that art does not just lie in the realistic rendition of our world, it lies in the passion and inner creative world we each possess. The most important part of reclaiming the artist within is to let go of the need to have your art approved by another. Rather, it is to find the joy in the physical process of making art itself. This passion can be found in sculpture, photography, painting, dance, crafts, poetry, writing, knitting, fabrics, music, woodworking, the visual arts or whatever taps into your creativity and brings forth the healing energy of the artistic process. We think in images and our creative process parallels our dream world. When we start to open up the door to this creative part of the self, it also opens up new directions and insight into our inner self and soul work. It may take some time and experimentation to find what medium (e.g., drawing, music, pottery, etc.) gets you excited again about making art. Perhaps remembering what art medium you were most drawn to as a child, the one that made you feel excited about delving into the process will help unlock the artist in you. It may take just experimenting with different types of mediums to find out what you are most comfortable with. The possibilities are endless and not just limited to painting. The next step is to create a space and time to create art, make it as important as anything else that you do in your day. It is wonderful to have a space that you can keep for only your art making, placing in this space special objects that inspire you and, most importantly, a place that is just yours. It may be as simple as lighting a candle where you do your art or listening to music that is relaxing. There is no right or wrong way to create this space or time, but committing to your artistic self will open the doorway to letting go of the fear that has kept you from truly becoming the artist you have always been. It is important to make art from what you are feeling in your life now. Let go of preconceived notions that your art has to be gallery-ready or even that anyone needs to see it -- it needs to be for you and about you. It can represent your pain, your fear, loss, illness or whatever is relevant to your life now. In this way it is a release and also a way of working through life’s issues to better understand your journey. It can also identify the strengths you have that you may not be aware of. Perhaps, it may just provide a time to relax and be in the moment with color, shape and form, a familiar part of the innate self. Letting go of the fear that keeps you from creating art may also help to let go of the fear that may hold you back in other areas of your life. With the creation of art there is a reconnection to the world that we often feel disconnected from when crisis and trauma preoccupy our thoughts. The art process enables us to look at the world through new eyes and often with new meaning. Creating art can help find answers and most importantly speak to what the soul needs.
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