The Journey of Words: Rediscovering Flow in Writing

The impish author I’d grown to think an impostor starts to perform again.  The magical mystery befuddles me. How can a once prolific practice abate when I paint? I wonder. Then the stirring starts. I’m enamored with the flow and cadence of thoughts transforming into words. With passion and purpose the prose progresses. I’ll never figure …

Time Management for the Creative Change your Mindset

It’s as if the two sides of my brain collide; the artistic, unrestrained, go with the flow crashes against my responsible self.  Do whatever you want whenever you want wars with organize thyself.  Chase after every idea butterfly as opposed to schedule a time to clean your toilet.  Elya loves to paint butterflies! Paint away …

Become the Artist and Writer you Want to Be!

Years ago, I bemoaned my lack of artistic talent. Impatience percolated until the pour oozed with bitterness. I wanted to be further along than I was. I longed to be a published author. I dreamed of becoming an extinguished artist and a person of influence. The road ahead was long and rocky, and I was …

Fresh Starts Await!

There are times when your life’s canvas gets wiped clean.   You find yourself faced with a fresh start, a new beginning, a chance to do things differently. Maybe you’ve graduated from college, gotten married or divorced, lost your job, or changed jobs. Perhaps a loved one died, or an unexpected turn of events left you …

Cocoon yourself to Create

Sometimes life circumstances set us aside, and we find ourselves holed up at home: Caring for the sick Helping family Battling illness Managing home-improvement projects ________ (insert your reason here) Our normal running around turns into staying put. I’ve been thinking a lot about how what cocoons us also creates opportunities for art.  "Chrysalis" by …

The Feral Cat of Inspiration

Inspiration is like a feral cat.It stalks around in the shadows.You never know when it will grace you with its presence. When you're trying to catch it,inspiration slithers away. But when you give up the chase,inspiration comes and finds youwhen you least expect it to. It's a waiting game.An idea starts to form in the …

Depression and the Artistic Temperament

If you’re an artistic soul, then you’ve battled depression, this enemy of soul. You’ve got this light, bright side most people see and admire, and then there’s the dark place only those closest to you know you crawl into at times. Berit Grogard D.M.Sci., Ph.D.’s article, “Positives of Depression on Artistic Expression,” presents a scientific …

Creativity as an Act of Worship and Sharing

Maybe, like The Little Drummer Boy, each one of us has a song to play as an act of worship… I have no gift to bring… That’s fit to give our King… Shall I play for you?… Then He smiled at me… Maybe the song is a form of creativity that not only makes God smile …

The Fallow Ground of Creativity

Have you ever noticed that dry times tend to follow a creative project? I know I have. I can be on such an artistic roll painting or writing or songwriting, and then I finish the piece and my creativity comes to a screeching halt. I often experience these odd, unproductive times after a flood of …