I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes someone an artist. There are lots of definitions and although some make a living creating art; that doesn’t diminish the artist persona in all of us. I came to this understanding while on vacation with my family.
My family just returned from a trip to the Dominican Republic. It’s a beautiful island with amazing beaches and I spent time in the water. At one point after my family left the water I hung out and bounced with the waves, then it happened. My feet starting moving and my hands started moving and I was dancing in the water. There was no music, just the sounds of the water splashing and the kids playing on the shore. There was an internal beat I couldn’t resist.
In the dining areas of the resort, it wasn’t unusual for the staff to sing with the music playing on the intercom. They were jovial with big smiles and grooving to the tunes. They were singing! The folks in the gift shop joined in for the chorus of the tunes playing in the retail establishment all happy and bouncing to the beat…they were singing.
How many times have you been in a meeting and you find yourself doodling on the paper in front of you? You may create elaborate designs all over the page. I have found this to be true while in school. All of my notebooks have doodles and scribbles throughout. Every time we pick up a pen, pencil, or marker and make a mark we’re artists.
We have innate need to express. When we express we feel better. Our ability to create relieves stress and provides us with the ability to get something out of our body and out to the world. The biggest point I want to make is that you have to stop negating your creativity. If you dance, you’re a dancer. If you sing, you’re a singer. It doesn’t mean you’re going to be on So You Think You Can Dance or American Idol. It does mean that your body, mind, and spirit are joining forces to express themselves through the avenue of art.
Don’t’ allow the committee in your head to negate your inner artist. We all have creative potential so let’s get out there and use it!!!!
Time to Live Creatively 