Monday, August 25

What Is Creativity?


Today’s Image

In the Studio
If today’s image looks unfinished to you, that’s because it is. I thought I’d show you a work in progress (aka a WIP in online art lingo, I found out). The acrylic I’m working on is a backyard scene, and although you can't tell it from this, it’s a bright Spring day with lots of green tree leaves and grass and flowers in bloom, or it will be eventually. Since last blog I added some detail to the wall and started painting the tree, which is a focal point, along with some of the branches, which will be hidden with leaves. For the tree and branches, I used the same colors as on the wall: Liquitex Basics Raw Umber, Van Gogh Warm Grey, and Winsor & Newton Titanium White. I thought some of you may want to see my painting process in progress.

Point of Order—for those of you who are subscribers (and thank you!), that is, you receive the blog automatically through RSS or Atom via a reader service. I noticed that what you’re receiving is the main blog content (what I’m writing at this moment), but you’re not getting to see all the sidebar content on a daily basis unless you actually link to http://orbisplanis.blogspot.com/. I just wanted to let you know there is new content there as well. For instance, every week I add a new blurb to Artist “Factoids.” This week I added Mi-Tientes ™ if you’re at all interested in what that is.


Just What Is Creativity?

I haven’t said much about creativity in the Orbisplanis art blog because I do not hold any credentials that qualify me as any authority on the subject. Be that as it may, I am broaching the subject today. I actually don’t think you have to have any qualifications to speak (or write) about creativity. It’s one of those things that just is what it is—like a law of nature or universal truth or something.

I do believe that creativity is of the utmost importance, however, and I firmly believe that. It’s like an inalienable right that you have, and no one can take it away from you. I hear people say (or read online), “I’m not creative.” What I think they mean is, “I really don’t understand what creativity is, but I know I can’t draw a lick; therefore, I’m not creative.”

Is that you? If so, you are not only mistaken, you are selling yourself way, way short.
Creativity is not the singular domain of art and all things ‘art.’ Creativity is a part of every individual’s make up, their inner being, that on occasion, and when the stars are aligned just so, makes an appearance that can and will surprise you. You can be creative in a thousand different ways that may have nothing to do with art.

Why did I bring this up? Well, what got this ball rolling was a ‘fortune’ in a fortune cookie I opened at PeiWei. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not one to stake my future (or lottery numbers) on fortune-telling or similar endeavors (not that there’s anything wrong with fortune-telling, etc.), I’m just usually on the side of individual self-reliance. But this ‘fortune’ seems so universally apt , especially for art blog viewers, that I couldn’t resist. I like it so much I’m going to add it to the Orbisplanis sidebar. Here it is:

Your Creativity Takes You to Great Heights
More on this…

Cheers!

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