Creativity for Creativity Sake

As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been creative. Whether it was wanting craft kits for Christmas, putting shows on in the living room or letting my imagination create a better place to live than the war of home.

But then, aren’t we all?

Really deep down isn’t everyone creative?

OK maybe not everyone is a Monet or a Zadie Smith and perhaps you can’t play guitar or execute a perfect triple axle but isn’t creativity more than that?

“If you’re alive, you’re a creative person“

Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic

Isn’t it about creating yourself, your life one decision at a time? Every choice you made today created your experience, some good, some bad and maybe even some miraculous. You create your reality one thought and choice at a time. Even if you were on auto-pilot, you chose that – no decision is a decision.

Just to be clear, I’m talking about choice not the lack of it, for example if you are a victim of a crime – that is not a choice, that is something that has happened to you.

But for the most part we are in charge of our daily choices, so to answer my own rhetorical question – Yes, everyone is creative. Good now that’s settled and we can all agree everyone is creative (yes even you) and I am correct we can get back to me… ;D

I have always leaned on creativity for survival and in the past two decades – oh god, I just realised its twenty years since I was sixteen and threw up in my mouth a little bit...

Ok, looking back I think I’m good being 36…

Anyway, in the past two decades (deep breaths Sam) I have desired to make my way in this world through art in one form or another, and yes I want to be compensated for that with cashy money BUT I do believe not everything I create needs to be for sale,. for example I’m pretty sure I’d have Child Protective Services hammering down my door if I attempted to list my son on Ebay. Some things aren’t good enough to sell, somethings are practice but most importantly somethings are for me.

So I thought it would be a fun idea to create a light hearted series on my blog where I share things I have made for the sake of making them. There entire purpose was to be made because it was fun, healing or relaxing for me. Most of them will be horrendous, a lot will be silly and some will make no sense even to me but I want to help promote the idea that creativity is it’s own reward

I’ll share and my hope is that over time you will join in and maybe encourage a mate to as well,. I’m not expecting you to share images (although I’d be a liar liar pants on fire if I said I wasn’t a little curious) but I’d love to hear the stories and how you felt.

As I say, there is zero shame in wanting to be compensated for your art when it is a product, I merely belong to the school of thought that not everything needs to be a product. After all once we make something a business or put a price tag on it, it stops being ours and ‘just because’ and we all need a little more ‘just because’ in our lives.

So, here it is, my first ‘just because’ share. This is a cuddly toy snake, one of his eyes was mercilessly chewed off by a dog, (that shall remain nameless for legal reasons) I sewed up the wound and then decided he needed something extra. Something that made him look… distinguished. Maybe even a little flamboyant, so he would feel incredible around his mates. And what says that more than a purple (the colour of royalty I’ll have you know) eye patch with a fanciful gold trim?

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou

The best part is because of this whimsical choice my son has now created an enire back story for the snake and is planning on giving him a few more scars to back up the fact that he is a bad ass soldier who fights for justice and has seen too many front lines… My act of creativity sparked another and isn’t that joyous?

Yes, yes it is.

Until next time,

Get creative just for the hell of it.

If you wanna share you can tell me about it in the comments or tag me on Instagram @mastressofnone so I can read all about your frivilous flirt with creation!