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! :)