Creative Inspiration’s Many Faces
I’ve been feeling very creative lately, but this recent wave of creativity initially seemed to be manifesting itself not in my writing, but on my walls.
Last week I took a break from writing, which somehow prompted a wall decorating rampage.
I made an eye chart that’s actually a quotation:
“If cats were double the size they are now, they’d be illegal” – Douglas Coupland
(If you want to make your own, here’s a really helpful site. And I won’t mind if you steal my idea, apparently it’s not a new idea, and stealing is a part of creativity too.)
I purchased a bevy of vintage postcards from ebay to scatter in a collage on my bedroom wall. The cards are still in the mail, but here are a few that are still available that I like:
This is actually titled “6 UGLY WOMEN EARLY 1900′S POSTCARD”, which just makes me want to buy it because I feel bad that someone’s calling them ugly.
He looks like he likes to have a good time.
And I’m still working on my biggest wall project of all: A mini-gallery composed of a photo of colourful wires, a print of a mountain scene, some old family photos, and one of these (from FauxKiss on Etsy.com):
The best part about this spurt of creativity is that it helped me come back from my writing break with my pen-a-blazin. I had one of the best writing sessions on my WIP yet after a week of creative wall decorating. Creativity seems to breed more creativity, even across mediums.
Have you had this experience before? Do you pursue other creative hobbies to help your writing?
I’m currently taking an online continuing ed class called “Creativity Training for Writers.” The instructor actually talked about giving yourself at least a weekly “artist’s date,” a time that you pursue some creative activity that is NOT writing. It clears the brain, sparks the creative juices, and inspires you without you even realizing it sometimes. My only other creative outlet right now is taking pictures, but I’m hoping to remedy that with trying to get back into drawing or painting.
That’s great advice! I think I’m going to have to try to make my other creative pursuits a regular part of my writing practice.
How is the online course? Have you found it helpful for your writing?
Oh, I love this idea! As a long-time endurer of myopia, I am both familiar with and often vexed by the eye chart. That is such a cute and fun way to both express your creativity and decorate your home. I’m going to check out the eye chart site! And I’ve decided after reading a few of your entries that I will be subscribing to your blog–you’re an excellent writer and I am fascinated by the nature of your novel. :)
Regarding the question you asked–yes. I often feel that expressing my creativity in other outlets leads to big developments in my writing (dissertation, for now). One of my new favorite creative explorations is in photography. I’m not exceptional by any means, but I like to play in Photoshop to clean up the “normal” or “boring” photos I take.
I’m a big proponent of “whatever works for you, do it!” So if you find yourself producing more or busting through writer’s block after a creative moment, then go for it!
Best of luck!!
I’ve been considering trying photography lately too! I think the next extracurricular course I take may be a photo course, that is, once I find a decent camera.
I love to play with color so I will get my watercolor chalk and blank paper and just make the page prettier than it was when it was blank. I love going into shops with a multitude of colored jewelry, I take pictures of different colors of flowers, purple, yellow and pink being some of my favorites, and I will edit a bunch of my family pics and post on facebook. My second buddy.
I am with you, creativity breeds creativity. Absolutely! Remember, it comes form the other side of our brains, so if we writer’s can actually tap into using both side of our brains, oh my, watch out! :-) Happy decorating!
I love that eye chart. Really cool idea. And you’re right. Creativity does breed creativity. It’s lovely, isn’t it? I sometimes would design a bunch of graphics and then somehow it would spur my writing or I would listen to other’s creativity (i.e. music, a book, etc.) and that would spark my writing to flow lovely. I love it when it happens. That’s why so many of us creative folks are into so many different fields of art because it furthers our expression to new heights.
Sadly, no. And perhaps this is the solution to our writerly dry spells!
A lot of the time, I’ve just kept my focus so transfixed on writing that I’ve never tried to keep myself occupied with my other hobbies, aside from photography. No wonder I’ve worn myself out. I thought that if I was vigilant to my journey, I’d get somewhere. But in the end, all I’ve really done is made myself hate this number one hobby of mine. Go figure.
Loving it