Why Do We Create?

Creating is an innate human desire. We yearn for the time and space to write, draw, paint, compose, and engage in various forms of artistic expression. But why? What drives us to create? What are we seeking through this act of creation?

Might we be seeking the feeling of accomplishment? When we create something out of nothing, it can provide us with an amazing sense of achievement. We get to witness our imagination coming to life. This sense of accomplishment can be incredibly fulfilling and empowering.

And… the act of creating provides us with a means of self-expression, allowing us to communicate our unique perspective in a very personal way.

In addition, the act of becoming immersed in the creative process can be uplifting and deeply satisfying. It allows us to tap into a child-like wonder, reminding us of the pure joy that comes from engaging our imagination.

Moreover, creativity provides an outlet for introspection and self-discovery. As we engage in artistic endeavors, we gain insights into ourselves, our desires, and our beliefs. It allows us to explore different aspects of our identity and encourages personal growth. Meanwhile a creative practice becomes a means for engaging our intuition and connecting with our inner wisdom.

Ultimately, the act of creation fulfills a natural need within us. It is an integral part of being human - to seek opportunities for self-expression, to feel a sense of accomplishment, to connect with something deep inside ourselves, and to experience the joy that comes from bringing something new into existence.

Why do you create?  I invite you to leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

Promoting Creative Thinking Through Curiosity

The Inquisitive Mind - An Exercise

How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci by Michael Gelb

In “How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci,” Michael Gelb suggests generating a list of 100 questions on anything that comes to mind.

Although it seemed like a tedious task, I got comfortable with my journal and pen and wrote and wrote and wrote. I found that the process provided some wonderful surprises. As I continued to write, I became more wowed by the wonders of our natural environment, the workings of the human body and the way we interact with one another. The miracles of everyday life became magnified and a sense of awe grew.

Questions came to mind that I have not pondered since childhood. (like…How does a bird have the ability to fly?) And after the first 75 or so, I found that the questions seemed to have more depth and meaning.

At the end of this exercise I was very thankful for all that I have, for what I see, for who I am, and to be experiencing life in a world with so many wonders.

(This post was originally published on August 2014 in the Shared Easel Blog .)

Art as Meditation

A couple of years ago, I saw a thread of conversation between artists on instagram on the subject of meditation. Most of the comments were in the same vain… they spoke about having trouble meditating and the inability to get a meditation practice going, stating one reason or another. I didn’t engage in the conversation at the time but it seemed clear they had a limited idea of what meditation could be.

As a long time meditator, my initial thought was that creating art in itself is, or could be, a form of meditation. Many meditation practices involve following the breath in order to bring you into the present moment while observing and letting go of thoughts as they arise. Those thoughts generally tend to carry you on a visit to the past or a journey into the future.

But when we create art we are doing so in the moment. With every brush stroke, every choice of color, texture, and use of materials, we are in the present moment. You often hear that the big gifts can be found in the process, rather than the end results or finished product. When we focus on the process we are in the now and it’s in the now that we find our joy and delight as artists. It’s not the finished artwork that keeps drawing us back to the creative process, it’s the act of creating that keeps artists engaged.

The process of creating art is an experience in the moment. So, in effect, it can easily be a meditative practice. In every part of that process, we have a choice of being fully present with our materials, breathing into the experience, and letting go of the world outside our studio space. Each moment of the art process is a gift and opportunity to be present with our developing creations, to observe the feelings that arise with each stage of that development, whether it be joy and delight, or frustration and angst.

When we experience the messy middle, it’s likely that our minds have wandered away from the here and now and carried us to thoughts or concerns of the finished piece. We may want to hold onto a part, or all, of what we’ve accomplished so far, without messing it up. Although that can take us out of the moment, being present with those feelings and observing our flow of thoughts, without getting caught in them, can become part of our process. This offers us greater awareness of how we internally process our creative flow.

Back in the 1980’s I did a full week intensive class in meditation. We were taught to focus on our breath. When thoughts came into mind, to label them “thinking,” letting them go, and then returning to the breath. In any given moment, an artist can shift from wherever the mind has wandered to being with their creation in the now. It is a dance we can have with our tools and materials, shifting back to the current brushstroke, or pencil mark, ink splatter, sculpted element, etc. Art can so easily be your meditation practice. And many are already engaged in that practice whether they have labeled it so, or not.

You may also be interested in: Morning Meditation Paintings
or Meditation on Rain