FINDING BEAUTY: When Creativity Runs Dry

FINDING BEAUTY:

WHEN CREATIVITY RUNS DRY

By: Marion Talisic

Beauty is always there...

waiting for the artist to discover it.

(Photo credit to the photographer)

On the first day of class, a teacher showed a piece of plain bond paper to his students and asked them what they see. One student said, “It’s white.” Another said, “It’s clean”, “It’s a paper”.

The students were correct but one student said “I see a beautiful bird.” Everyone laughed at him but the teacher did not and asked him to show to the class the beautiful bird he saw. The student took his pencil and started drawing a beautiful bird and everyone saw it. 

Art is seeing Beauty and its purpose is to make Beauty be visible to those who can’t see it. And making it visible one must be creative for what is art without creativity.

Creativity is innate to EVERY human being. Hence, every individual is an artist in his own style. Creativity is a power to see beauty and translating it into a material that touches and move people is an Art. 

But, what if creativity runs dry? 

HOW TO FIND BEAUTY?

I. STOP

A friend of mine, a writer, shared to me that she cried when she noticed she CAN’T “write” something for 3 years except academic papers. 

Today’s world is a world of flash. Everything is in fast phase and everyone must conform with the fastness of the world so no one will be left behind. Speed is important, yes it is but sometimes we need stop to refuel our mind, our heart, and our soul. Because we are concerned of not being left behind, we are pressured and because of this pressure we can’t see clearly and do what is best.

Creativity becomes stagnant. It is when our soul is blinded to see beauty. Don’t be alarmed. Simply just stop for a moment. Do not panic. This is the moment that we need to relax and enjoy our self. A relax soul can see more beauty than a pressured soul. One can never find if he or she keeps on moving too fast.

II. LOOK

AWARENESS

When we stop, we need to be aware. The movie “3 Ninjas” mentioned that “A true ninja uses anything around him as his weapon.” According to Chase Jarvis, a well known photographer, one must be aware of his or her surroundings as a source of inspiration. No matter what the situation is no matter how disorganized it maybe or how chaotic it maybe, be aware of it. Give yourself a time to see the beauty that is waiting for you to discover. 

Ma’am MG, an artist told me that "there is beauty in chaos". Be aware of the details; be aware for objects that can become your subject. A piece of stone can be translated into different kinds of beauty depending on your field; a poet can make poetry out of it. A writer can make a story out of it, a fashion designer can make a good design out of it, and a photographer can make a unique photo out of it.

There are things in this world that our eyes cannot see but the heart can, as well as there are things that our hearts cannot see but our eyes can. Make use of these two to make a masterpiece.

III. LISTEN

We stopped, we looked and now we have to listen to what our situation is.

INSPIRATION VS. NO INSPIRATION

When we listen, we have to use our hEARts, not only our ears. Most of the time when we are in this stage, inspiration is nowhere to be found. When we are inspired, everything becomes so easy, but in times that inspiration runs off; this is the time we use our uninspired situation as our inspiration. We have to listen why our inspiration runs off and when we found its answer, then we make it the source of our piece.

LET THE WORLD SPEAK

Another thing is letting the world speak to us. Listening is one of the hardest skills a human being can do. Listening can be achieved by Listening itself. Forget about our whims and desires, forget about our self for a moment and listen to what the world is saying and make it our inspiration. 

IV. GO

After Stopping to refuel our soul by Looking and being aware of our situation and by Listening to what the world says to us, it’s time to hit the accelerator and the gas to move on.

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

According to Josie Lynn, a fashion designer and entrepreneur, “when things get dry in art, keep doing it because if not all, somebody will find your piece beautiful; it only takes a right beholder to see its beauty.” We might not know our “worthless” product may be of some value to others. Not every piece moves and touches everyone. A painting moves me but no effect to you. A music may touches you but not to me. So no reason to totally STOP, just GO.

KEEP DOING IT

Quitting are only for the losers. Art is innate to all men. Keep doing it because whatever kind of piece it may be, it is an expression of oneself. 

(Photo by JL Mahinay)

Anyone can write anything or anyone can write the same topics or ideas we have but what’s the difference and what makes our work unique among others is, it is OURS and for the world. 

I am writing this article because I am in the state of My Creativity Runs Dry. I stopped for a while and Looked for answers on what is happening to me. Then I See (present tense always) that someone keeps believing in me. I am Aware of that and am so very thankful about it so I Listened to that faith in me and got this inspiration from my not being inspired situation. So here I Go with this article. 

~ THANK YOU ~