Effect of Creating

I recently started thinking how creating has always been a way to either calm me or uplift me, depending where life has taken me. I started to remember the time my husband joined the Air Force and I had to move with him to Colorado. I was leaving behind everything that I knew and that  felt comfortable. I was working and going to school and all of my family and friends were in Miami. Not to mention a BIG change in the landscape and weather. As a young girl, suddenly having nothing happening in my daily life, I was down in the dumps. My husband told me to go to the base and find something of interest. I decided to join a ceramics class. I did not know a thing about molds, slip and glazing, but I was soon immersed in creating. My entire family received something I made while healing. Just as I was in the swing of a new passion, we had orders to move to Fort Walton Beach. 

The only ceramic piece I have made in 1976.

Another major change, no family, no friends, no ceramics and the hormonal changes because I was pregnant. I was ready to pack up and move to Miami. A friendly, elderly lady in the building, saw me pregnant, and lonely,  and decided to teach me how to knit and crochet. She had no idea, but she was my life-saver. She got me the supplies, which I could not afford, and asked me to join the knitting group in the building.......all seniors.  The creative side of me took off with a brand new passion. 

One of the many pieces I have made since then.

After the baby came, I was very busy, but soon needed to do something,  since the baby already had blankets, booties, hats, sweaters, and more. My husband again stepped in and said that I should go to the town's recreation center and see what I could take up. He would watch the baby and give me a few hours to disconnect. I joined an oil painting class. I always sketched, but knew nothing about colors and mixing them. The rest is now history. I continued to paint for the next thirty years. As retirement was approaching eight years ago, I took up watercolors and acrylics. I also started to sell my creations on line in preparation for those long hours that awaited me with nothing to do. I must say that creating is a way of life for me now. I tell everyone that  making art is much cheaper than paying for a therapist. 

My first oil painting done in 1977.

Stress & Artistic Expression

Like some of you, I have had my share of stress in 2011 and was able to deal with them and get past them. This latest stress, that I am now experiencing, has affected more than my health.

We all know that stress is known to affect your health. And boy does it! For that, there is medication and treatment. However, I was not aware of the effect stress can have in your creative process. It seems, at least for me, that I must have a clear mind, and available time, in order to create. Lately, I have found that being under stress can actually bring your creativity to a complete stop. It is very hard to get started.

When I mention this to friends and family, some say to paint and lose the stress and others agree that they just can’t create under stress. I ran into one of my old art teachers at, of all places, a funeral. He asked if I was painting. I said I have not been able to under all this stress. He said, “Well, what are you waiting for? Get started and the stress will disappear”; a very true statement. Now, if he had only explained to me how to get started.

How has stress affected your creativity? Let’s share how we can get started.

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