Weekly Inspiration: Developing creativity

Sometimes I go off on my own little tangent during my Weekly Inspiration post, but today I'm going to feed off of what Heather* queried of us: "Do you actively work at developing your creativity?"

My overall answer is YES! However, I don't think it's something that I consciously do each day. I believe I am a creative and talented writer (yup, I think I was born with the talent) who knows that the only way to keep it fueled, progressing and flowing is to constantly work on it. Because writing is something I love to do it's natural for me to simply do it. By just doing it I have noticed that my writing has changed, and my hope is that it has matured.

There are other areas that I am creative, but I don't nurture them as much and they don't necessarily come naturally. For instance, I'm a fairly descent artist. I showed an interest and a talent when I was younger. That talent was encouraged by an uncle who is an extremely gifted, and tortured, artist. As I grew up, I didn't take the time to nurture the talent. I think I became a little intimidated when I went to high school and saw the obvious talent that other kids had.

Then when I went back to college in my 20s I took an art class that I loved. We used different mediums and I learned what I was good with: I could work wonders with charcoal, pastels and clay. Pencil and other things - not so much. I made a piece once that caused my instructor to say, "You have an art deco style."

Art deco? Wow, I thought, I have a style.

This is the piece that my instructor called art deco. It's sitting on a dusty shelf in my home office. Maybe it needs a place of honor.
If I recall correctly, we were told to incorporate more than one technique that we learned.

I made this piece in the same class. It's on my desk holding up some books and whatnot.
I guess it's a bookend. :) I think I actually named these two pieces, but I don't recall the names.

Because life became so busy I have not been able to (well, I guess I haven't taken the time to) work on my art even though I bought a kit for myself a couple of years ago. I'd also love to take another art class. I think about that part of my creativeness quite often. In fact, while helping my 6-year-old son with his homework he asked me to draw a couple of pictures for him. I used an ink pen and was surprised at how well some of the drawings turned out.

"I didn't know you could draw that, Mommy!" Andre said with what sounded like pride and awe in his voice. I smiled and gazed at the drawings. I didn't know I still had it in me.

There must be a message in all of this for me because before I sat down at the computer and read this week's prompt for Weekly Inspiration (Is it in you?), I was reading an article in the November issue of Redbook magazine titled "Make time for what you love." I've been making time for writing although not all the types of writing that I'd like to do, and now I realize I need to make time for all of my artistic and creative endeavors. They make up who I am; nurturing me in the process.

If I'm nurtured and fulfilled it can only benefit those around me, right? And it should do the same for you. Pop on over to Maternal Spark (even if you're a guy) and think more about the creativity that dwells within you. The act on it. I know I will.

*Weekly Inspiration is hosted by Heather at Maternal Spark.