Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The Creative Spirit

Hi friends!

Welcome to Bonny's Art Blog. I will choose a variety of subjects on a weekly basis for your comment and look forward to developing an exciting art dialogue with you! This is a place to ask technical questions, find resources and comment on various art concepts. This week's topic is the creative spirit. If you'd like to place a comment after reading; please click on "post a comment" below the text.

The Creative Spirit
I feel compelled to create. Ideas and solutions seem to pop in my head from everywhere. I could be working on an art piece, struggling with how to achieve a certain effect or even wondering what effect I want at all, when suddenly, a word, a circumstance or visual experience will start some train of thought which compels me to the ah ha moment! How beautiful!

There are also those times when I simply stumble upon a technique, perhaps something has gone "wrong" and in an effort to "get back" to where I was, I find some new solution and new technique which surprises, delights and opens a whole new world of creative options.

All of these moments make me feel so thankful for my creative and solution finding abilities!

But, this still does not answer the question of where it all comes from and why we create. Perhaps a great deal of creating is, in part, an effort to communicate, to find like minds, to be appreciated, to purely express. That initial spark that compels you to get to the canvas is an amazing joy we may never exactly know the source of. Thank goodness, because the mystery is the beauty. AND, so, I suggest in order to explore further and to go deeper, one must allow expression from within and restrict outside influence at times. One must ignore, to some degree, the compulsion to please, to sell, to show and come to grips with that core spirit, to live there in order to then share.

If you are excited, involved, immersed in your work, if your life and art are one and intertwine, you will likely connect with others, creating work they would like to collect naturally.

Your thoughts are welcome here! Bonny
ALSO, please visit The Bonny Studio website for info about the art and classes at: http://www.thebonnystudio.com/ and visit my personal art site at: http://www.bonnyleibowitz.com/ ! Thank you, Bonny

6 comments:

Unknown said...

My sister reminded me recently that there is a creative talent wanting to come out...and will if we just step back and let it happen. ( I posted an earlier comment but don't think it made it..password issues...if so, this is the shorter version) I agree with her and think we block our creative spirit by insecurities or mind chatter...when we feel confident in are abilities more it is easier to step back...I plan to take many lessons from Bonny in order to open up the door that my creative spirit is wanting to come through. Thank You, Cheri Belt

Dana S. Whitney said...

I'm not sure it's that I want to create so much as express myself. I'm interested in the life of the psyche: mine and others. For many years I felt muzzled, duct-taped and generally squelched. I've reached an age where I'm willing to stop playing "nice" and try to say what is on my mind and in my heart. Of course sometimes what comes out doesn't make any sense, but even singers don't make beautiful music the first time they open their mouths.

Heidi said...

"Create" is to bring into being! What a formidable task, if you think about it! I love to use colors and forms in a non-realistic way, as well as realistic. Often, I'm more comfortable with realistic. Creativity is freeing and mind expanding! I enjoy seeing how far I can take it! Awesome!

melissa said...

my creative spirit was born out of the quote from Anais Nin "and then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom"

The Bonny Studio Student Blog said...

Great Insights!

Anonymous said...

Perhaps each person's creative spirit in art begins with each person's reason for participating in that art form. I initially studied oil painting to develop patience. I soon learned to paint wet-on-wet and was driven to paint all night. Due to aging, my stamina, or rather lack of stamina, prohibits that approach.

That initial involbement was for my personal relaxation and selected scenes that allowed me to recall times of relaxation. I created a painting of a favorite hunting location in South Texas to help me cope with the hustle of New York City. I painted a crater lake in some northern state out of what I imagined that place would be and I created a painting of our den where I relaxed with family and friends.

The favorite paintings I buy allow me to imagine me being in that place and my favorite painting I create are recalling a favorite place and time. Joe "Papa Joe" Marchant