Comments on: Welcoming Back Our Creative Selves

By: KK

KK — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:33:21 +0000

I was told I wasn’t good enough in art by my mother. Then, asked to bring everything home from art class, I returned from a year as an exchange student to nothing. Everything had been thrown away. Art is what made me survive through life as a twin (who excelled in everything) and high school in general. I look forward to rejuvenating my soul!

By: Kathryn - Collage Diva

Kathryn - Collage Diva — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:15:24 +0000

Great post. I’m so mindful of the messages that I send my son as I watch how creative he is. It breaks my heart when he comes home sad from a comment that the “art” teacher has said. My heart warms back up when I see him spending hours drawing or making things from supplies that he has found around our home. One day he said, “I think it is great that I have an artist for a mom.” That comment right there validated the artist in me. Thanks Jamie for always providing such thoughtful and thought provoking posts.

{soul hugs}
Kathryn

By: Tess The Bold Life

Tess The Bold Life — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:54:16 +0000

I remember being in the Christmas show at school. I was under the age of 10. I was in the choir and the nun’s told me I couldn’t sing and told me to only move my lips and pretend. Talk about shame! Yikes. Healed it and sing when ever I feel like it. The birds don’t ask for permission to sing. Quote by someone unknown. Post…awesome!

By: Bohemian mom

Bohemian mom — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:20:17 +0000

Thanks for reaching all those creative and yearning parts of me that have been stifled along the way.
I am learning to embrace my creative projects and interests, where I once thought they had to be lucrative and $$$ earning to be of value.
You are my guru Jamie!

By: Linnea

Linnea — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:02:30 +0000

Lovely post.

As I’m going through The Artist’s Way, we had to do an exercise that included listing “The Blurbs” (negative self-talk) that popped up. In fifth grade, the once-a-quarter art teacher that came around told me I painted like a first grader. The following year, she told me my India ink drawing was beautiful.

I’d never noticed that the comment I’d chosen as part of my internal personal statement was the negative. I’m glad I had the opportunity to do the exercise because I’ve reframed the experience and while I doubt a one-woman show is in my future, I feel more confident about my creative abilities now and don’t break out in a cold sweat at the sight of a paintbrush.

By: The Other Laura

The Other Laura — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:01:41 +0000

I ran into the voice of some jr. high art teacher saying I had no talent for art as I was working through Wreck this Journal this summer. I am coaxing my wounded visual artist back out slowly with colored pencils and crayons.

By: andrea

andrea — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:56:34 +0000

I would love to send this to my gentle friend, who was wounded the same way by our high school art teacher. Unfortunately she’s aimed that resentment towards me so wouldn’t take kindly. (As a penniless artiste I just want her income now!

By: Hybrid J

Hybrid J — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:17:36 +0000

Thank you for such wonderful and well said post. Though I view myself as a writer, I still carry me the “art wounds” which I got when I was a small child. This also mean that every now and then I’ll find myself wrestling with the voice. Thank you to remind us that creating / creativity is part of being a human beings.

By: Grammy

Grammy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:06:56 +0000

I let go of art to live a life that took all my time. I did do a bit of ceramics. And used art in redoing my house. But for me I always wanted to play an instrument. I made sure my kids had that ability. But I do not know that is what I would like to do now. I am so happy with creativity, I do not need musical ability’s. My inner child love to learn and create.
Thanks for re awaking that side of me.

By: Miss Becky

Miss Becky — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:59:36 +0000

well, this is my story ~ I grew up in a rural area, very small town, and lived on a farm. There were no art classes in my schools. In high school the closest thing we had was poetry and creative writing class, both of which I took and excelled in. It was during my reading of Jamie’s beautiful website here that I recall why, as a child, I loved my week of Bible school in summer ~ it involved art. We created things (yes, of a religious sort, but so what). I have always loved the smell of the church basement where Bible school took place, and it ocurred to me several months ago why that is ~ I was creative for those 5 days! To this day, whenever I have occasion to walk into that church basement, it still smells exactly the same and triggers fond memories. As a teen I travelled on the train to visit my aunts in Chicago where I was treated to lunches in the outdoor gardens at the Art Institute; my favorite days were spent slowly walking through the galleries with an open mouth, in awe of such beauty as those paintings on the walls. It was heaven. I don’t know if I have an actual artistic talent, because it was never fostered/encouraged. All I can do now is be open to receive inspiration and to embrace my love of art, whether it be my own creation, or those of others. My walls are filled with art from Haiti, New Mexico, and personal friends. Thanks for letting me tell this story, it has been fun…