Are you creative enough to call yourself an artist?
Has anyone ever said to you, “You are SO talented, I just couldn’t ever do what you do, I’m not creative enough”? Me too, and it always makes me feel a slight sense of sorrow that someone limits their own abilities as having or have-not.
The thing is, this is the more familiar way of talking about creativity. As if it is a finite resource, we have to be careful not to overwork or exhaust, or something some people don’t possess. This kind of scarcity thinking attached to creativity is not just toxic for artists but anyone who might be thinking about diving into anything deemed as “creative.”
Why do I say this? Well, for the first and most apparent reason, it’s just ridiculous. There are no limits to creativity, and one’s creativity is not measurable. Ability (sometimes intertwined with talent) and proficiency are measurable, but neither of those is creativity.
Now, the second reason is really a more historical one. I think most of us would agree; gone are the days of talent or ability being associated with some imaginary blessing from the heavens. It’s archaic thinking that (historically)holds only certain types of art and artists(white men) worthy of attention and value, and I think we’ve all learned that ain’t the case, folks!
I bring gender and race into the equation because, when it comes to the arts, women, and people of color are not just in the minority STILL—insert hard eye roll here, but we are also the artists who have to defend, prove and/or explain our work constantly. Think about it, if you are a woman(or you identify as a woman), how many times have you felt you need to “explain” your artistic choices, subjects, or expression to others? The same can be said for people of color. I’ve personally witnessed this happen to others, and I’ve racked my brain about how to “explain my art” so that I’m taken seriously. If you haven’t ever done this, I applaud you! You are lucky, whether you know it or not, especially if you are an abstract artist.
What does talking about creativity from the viewpoint of scarcity have to do with gender and race? AHHHH…that’s the $50,000 pyramid question!!! Chances are, some of you have already caught on and are likely already starting to turn the wheels. But here goes…For centuries, women and people of color have been on the other end of the talent pool, the very, very shallow end…like just on the top step with a couple of inches of water. The rest of the pool, and this pool is Olympic-sized, was swimming with endlessly creative and talented men who were all anyone ever needed of art; they were the very creamy white part of the crop. This is reality, don’t come for me. When artists, meaning men and women, talk about creativity(and by extension talent and value as artists) as if there is only so much mojo to go around. It harkens back to…only certain people have it, use it properly, or even understand it.
It may seem overanalyzed or perhaps too critical, but the way we talk about things, the patterns that words create in our minds and thoughts, matters. It’s not an overreach to connect the phrases “I lost my creativity” with “I’ve lost my ability.” Or “You are so creative, I don’t know how you do it,” as if creativity is allusive and finding it like solving a riddle.
The truth is everyone is creative; everyone’s creativity is valid; creativity is everywhere and all around us; creativity is not a type. Your creativity is not determined by birth. Instead, try to think of creativity as more like a mood. Everyone can feel happiness. You aren’t constantly experiencing joy, but you can access it whenever the occasion calls. The same goes for creativity, but the key to understanding this is believing in yourself, believing that your creativity is valuable.
Your belief in your creativity will help strengthen your creative practice exponentially! Feeling uncreative doesn’t mean you are; it could just mean that you aren’t letting yourself fully engage with your creativity. Trust me. This is something I know way too much about. I struggled for years, not letting go, not letting myself paint intuitively. I wanted to control my creativity because I wanted to harness it; in short, I was practicing creative scarcity.
Through trail and error, I figured out the three most important habits that have strengthened my creative intuition. These three habits made all the difference in my art practice, and I know these habits will help you, too.
Head over to MY FREEBIES to find the guide. I want every artist to feel empowered to make the best art they can, happy-making!!!
Use these hashtags in your posts: #courageiouscreative #creativeenough #alwayscreative
