I hear people say to me a lot when they look at my art, “I couldn’t draw a straight line” or “I have no creativity whatsoever!” My response to that is first of all, straight lines are boring anyway and rarely make for interesting art. Besides, most artists love to draw outside the lines, we’re known for being wierd!

Secondly, I firmly believe with all my heart that everyone has an area of their life where they show creative expression. It’s just that some people don’t express their creative side in a way that people typically think of as art. For instance, I have met people who have the knack of turning a physical space into a wonderful environment that evokes a strong feeling of peace or emotion. For example, there is an Asian restaurant in Charlotte called Zen Fusion. When I first went there, I was astounded at the atmosphere of the place. If you know anything about Zen, you know it is all about simplicity and serenity. Zen Fusion gives you that feeling from the moment you walk in the door. I sought out the manager to compliment them on their great atmosphere. Turns out, the owners did the interior design. They had wanted to start a restaurant like this, and already had the name picked out, and had already pictured how it would look in their minds. Now that is what I see as art and creativity! It just happens that their “canvas” is the space in their restaurant.  They took an idea and conveyed it visually so that when people walk into the restaurant, it produces the  emotion and feeling of Zen. That is what art does, it moves the viewer and evokes a feeling.

I believe that it’s important for each of us to get in touch with our creativity, however it manifests itself in our life, simply because it is a renewable energy source for us, and a gift to those around us. Seek out your creative side and you’ll thank yourself for it!

Namaste,

Craig