Category: Art classes

 Cure for creativity crisis

We are recently hearing about the creativity crisis. How come? Why do we even need to be creative? Everybody who cares about personal development would most likely agree that it is very important to develop our creative side and work on it. Creative activities help easing different mental conditions. Being creative makes life happier by raising serotonin levels and significantly improves our internal balance. Balance is the key to everything: good health, well-being, success and prosperity.

Creative children are more successful

Long-term and wide research shows that creative children are more likely to succeed in any subject and cope with any situation easier. They will feel more confident and less lost if something unexpected happens than kids, who are lacking creativity.  Creative activities can make one’s life more interesting, fuller, more exiting and less stressful.

Letting creativity in

I was reading recently how becoming creative was described as getting into some state of mind and intentionally trying to make that happen. I am very sure it won’t happen that way. Becoming smart, interesting, enthusiastic and creative is not following five easy steps. Becoming creative takes work, efforts, numerous experiments and perseverance.

You have to simply try

Creativity is not that somebody will pour over you, and nobody can actually teach you how exactly to be creative. There are so many definitions, approaches, tests and scores to detect whether you are or are not a creative person. Creativity has to originate from the inside of an individual. It is possible to get advice, technical and practical guidance, but the process is up to you.

Attractive trait of character

Creativity is a very attractive feature, similar to being interesting, imaginative and innovative. Such talent empowers any person. We all desire to be noticed, to be loved and appreciated. By doing something creative, we are opening the doors for love, appreciation, new friendships.

Most people want to be creative

Whenever the talk touches creativity, nobody has told so far they did not want to be creative. I am most often receiving completely contrary messages. People complain their life is boring, dull, it is lacking any interesting or magic aspect.  They would love to become somehow involved with creative things. So what’s stopping them?

What is stopping you?

Many people give up quickly anything which does not happen right away. Some give up activity they just started  because the results did not show after the first  attempt. Some are feeling sorry to spend any money on what they think is simply a pastime. Creativity crisis is associated with other issues, unfortunately.

Spending on creativity

Spending some money on creative activities is inevitable. The least costly thing is probably writing poetry or stories. So, yes, you will have to spend some money on your fabrics or papers, for sewing machine or brushes, for gardening or crafting tools. That is definitely less than one spends on fast foods, useless drinks or antidepressant pills.

Benefits of being creative

Depending on your creative activity, there are also real benefits. We spend much less money for things we have created than bought. The creative mind works like this: I have something, perhaps I’d need a few other materials and I probably could make something great out of it, or I could recycle or upcycle something. The consumerist’s mind works this way: where do I get it and how much it costs?

Inspiration

Where to get inspiration or idea what is the creative area you would like? There are hundreds of options: all craft and art shows, local meetings of writers and photographers, amateur song and dance festivals, amateur theater performances, garden shows, musical gatherings like open mikes, galleries, art and craft stores and departments, fabric stores and more. Besides, there are always people at these events and places who will give good advice on where to start.

Is creativity forgotten?

Surveys and research tell us that creativity is dramatically decreasing, and something needs to be done to reintroduce more creative activities in our families, schools and society. We might have too many opportunities to get everything served on a tray. However, things you create reflect you and suit you the best. Become artistic and creative crisis won’t be an issue.

Never too late

It is never too late to engage in creative things. Local people who are interested in art could join also my art classes and attend the creative workshops. I am not surprised that some of my students love these art classes so much that they return year after year. They would miss anything else, but not the weekly art class. It is obviously doing something good for them!

My experience

My experience after teaching at high schools, colleges, individually, and in groups allows concluding the following. The idea of becoming creative most often is present in the family and it is passed over from generation to generation. Kids, who pick up arts, crafts, sewing, writing, dancing, playing an instrument in early childhood, will most likely continue with creative activities. Teens, who love creative lifestyle and who paint, write, dance, sing, play, have less depression, anxiety and upset moods. They don’t engage in drugs, alcohol and troubles.

Adults need creativity, too

The same goes for adults. People, who are involved in creative activities, are much less complaining about loneliness, depression, feeling lost, seeing no meaning or purpose in life than those, who at the best go to the bar or sit in front of TV. People, who make creativity their best companion, are healthier and more satisfied with their life.

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