I recently read The Cult of Creativity by Samuel W. Franklin, and it really made me rethink how we use the word "creativity". The book traces how it shifted from being about genius and imagination to a catch-all solution for everything, driven by post-war conformity and corporate agendas. It’s fascinating (and a bit unsettling) to see how creativity became an overused buzzword, often overshadowing other crucial skills
Loved this! Recently wrote about this from a different lens - discovering creative treasures is like finding oysters for the first time. we shuck the shell, then follow the funk.
Yes MUSIC! I’m a painter and I must have music to accompany my painting activities. Depending on my subjects, sometimes it’s House music ( to get me going on canvas prep) , lately I’m into Tango( I’m painting fires in the mountains of L.A.), and then when painting portraits of peoples’ pets it’s more like cello and classical . The main thing with being an artist, and having the gift to create, brings me to a magical level where my soul is the happiest, and I dwell in the space of the heavens.
I love your description, "I dwell in the space of the heavens". I resonate with this. I too find music a great co creator when painting or burning canvas. I got my Master's in recording engineering and considered mixing music one of the most fascinating creative endeavors but it wasn't something with which I could find the space of the heavens - it required too much thinking.
I used to tell my kids, "Only boring people are bored." Boredom is like a bridge. You may not know what is on the other side, but you have to venture across to see what's there. Go explore! In nature, in your heart, in your mind. Kids and adults don't get bored enough these days to hear that inner voice. The phone is an unfortunate escape from the boredom, but also from the adventure of creativity.
"Inspiration isn’t fully in your control, which is why it happens when you’re not trying too hard. When you’re distracted, dreaming, or just taking it slow—that’s when the lightbulb ideas happen." YES. Thank you!
A beautifully written and articulated reflection of the creative energy. It is certainly our natural selves and often interfered and blocked with layers of thinking and societal conditioning. Awareness and the pregnant space all around us and the essential cosmos is naturally creative our very bodies are an expression of the miracle of the space and energy.
A very nice reflection! It is so true that the act of creating art requires a good and relaxed attitude as well as an environment conducive to the work. Forgive me for mentioning a recent post on a book about my father, "I'm Adding Sunshine to My Paint - Harald Sandberg's Path to the Arts."
"They do not understand that an artist is not born with a brush in hand, but that it takes a long time, yes, many, many years of work and maturation before you can somehow feel comfortable with the tools of painting. By this I don’t mean the first time you hold a paintbrush in your hand, because at that moment everything is wonderfully easy, and you think that you are a never-before-seen genius. No, it is only much later that one begins to realize that art requires not only talent and genius, but a persistent, never abandoned, patient searching, or to put it – if possible – even more clearly, work, work. If you knew what lies behind one single tree, or a small part of an artwork, of studies and humility in facing nature, before you can paint it in a way that you feel is the only true way. Think about how much time it can take, just to get away from overly strong influences, to grasp that this is how I must paint." (August 13, 1946)
Beautiful sentiment, thanks for sharing! I am a beginner fiction writer and I am finding that my literary heroes, like Dickens, were truly "in tune" to the world around them. I aspire to be like that...
Every writer is different. Many writers find that stiffling and need to move around, walk, pace, and also indulge in conversations with other creatives.
Creativity is truly a primitive process - as is original thought - they need one another. I've been honored to have leaders in creative thought on our podcast, along with readers who don't criticize, but look into concepts we teach with introspection.
Love this. Walking around. Cleaning. Doing nothing are great prompts for my own parody writing. They just bubble up.
I recently read The Cult of Creativity by Samuel W. Franklin, and it really made me rethink how we use the word "creativity". The book traces how it shifted from being about genius and imagination to a catch-all solution for everything, driven by post-war conformity and corporate agendas. It’s fascinating (and a bit unsettling) to see how creativity became an overused buzzword, often overshadowing other crucial skills
Loved this! Recently wrote about this from a different lens - discovering creative treasures is like finding oysters for the first time. we shuck the shell, then follow the funk.
https://www.tobiwrites.com/p/shuck-the-shell-follow-the-funk
Yes MUSIC! I’m a painter and I must have music to accompany my painting activities. Depending on my subjects, sometimes it’s House music ( to get me going on canvas prep) , lately I’m into Tango( I’m painting fires in the mountains of L.A.), and then when painting portraits of peoples’ pets it’s more like cello and classical . The main thing with being an artist, and having the gift to create, brings me to a magical level where my soul is the happiest, and I dwell in the space of the heavens.
I love your description, "I dwell in the space of the heavens". I resonate with this. I too find music a great co creator when painting or burning canvas. I got my Master's in recording engineering and considered mixing music one of the most fascinating creative endeavors but it wasn't something with which I could find the space of the heavens - it required too much thinking.
Thank you Julie. We all have our vehicles that let us travel to our special creative destinations.
I used to tell my kids, "Only boring people are bored." Boredom is like a bridge. You may not know what is on the other side, but you have to venture across to see what's there. Go explore! In nature, in your heart, in your mind. Kids and adults don't get bored enough these days to hear that inner voice. The phone is an unfortunate escape from the boredom, but also from the adventure of creativity.
one of my favorite lines
Interesting advice. In a world where we're eagerly in search of the next great inspiration, taking a "break" might be just what everyone needs!
"Inspiration isn’t fully in your control, which is why it happens when you’re not trying too hard. When you’re distracted, dreaming, or just taking it slow—that’s when the lightbulb ideas happen." YES. Thank you!
A beautifully written and articulated reflection of the creative energy. It is certainly our natural selves and often interfered and blocked with layers of thinking and societal conditioning. Awareness and the pregnant space all around us and the essential cosmos is naturally creative our very bodies are an expression of the miracle of the space and energy.
A very nice reflection! It is so true that the act of creating art requires a good and relaxed attitude as well as an environment conducive to the work. Forgive me for mentioning a recent post on a book about my father, "I'm Adding Sunshine to My Paint - Harald Sandberg's Path to the Arts."
"They do not understand that an artist is not born with a brush in hand, but that it takes a long time, yes, many, many years of work and maturation before you can somehow feel comfortable with the tools of painting. By this I don’t mean the first time you hold a paintbrush in your hand, because at that moment everything is wonderfully easy, and you think that you are a never-before-seen genius. No, it is only much later that one begins to realize that art requires not only talent and genius, but a persistent, never abandoned, patient searching, or to put it – if possible – even more clearly, work, work. If you knew what lies behind one single tree, or a small part of an artwork, of studies and humility in facing nature, before you can paint it in a way that you feel is the only true way. Think about how much time it can take, just to get away from overly strong influences, to grasp that this is how I must paint." (August 13, 1946)
https://open.substack.com/pub/sunshineinpaint/p/an-artist-is-not-born-with-a-brush?r=7f7u6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Beautiful sentiment, thanks for sharing! I am a beginner fiction writer and I am finding that my literary heroes, like Dickens, were truly "in tune" to the world around them. I aspire to be like that...
Sleep is so important. Walking is second.
This was simply beautiful, and so timely. Thank you.
I have once again not been included in a Substack Reads newsletter. Each omission is more egregious than the last.
Solitude, stillness and silence is definitely needed for trauma healing too ❤️🩹.
I once wrote about the only piece of real writing advice there is. "Sit your ass in the chair and type!" https://www.commonreader.co.uk/p/there-is-only-one-piece-of-writing
Every writer is different. Many writers find that stiffling and need to move around, walk, pace, and also indulge in conversations with other creatives.
I do all of that to
Wonderful!
Creativity is truly a primitive process - as is original thought - they need one another. I've been honored to have leaders in creative thought on our podcast, along with readers who don't criticize, but look into concepts we teach with introspection.
God did I need this!