Texture

texture: noun  

1. the visual and especially tactile quality of a surface.

2. an essential or characteristic quality; essence.

3. the quality given, as to a musical or literary work, by the combination or interrelation of parts or elements.

 

This is where I leave little offerings of words and images regarding the creative process as I know it: inspiration, perspective, synchronicity, experiment and reflection on the creative process, including my experiences under its spell.

Disclaimer: the words, ideas, and concepts deposited herein are conducted in a casual manner, where I give myself permission to write in a free and exploratory fashion. This is, among other things, a window into my mind and heart.

The Muse

Somehow, for whatever the reason, I grew up with a hearty respect for creativity. I knew that it was fleeting, and so it was understood that when I felt it present inside me, I had the responsibility to honor it and bow to its whims. I began to personify creativity with a generic, yet fitting name: The Muse. I define my Muse as the spirit of creativity in general. I have known since before I held memories, that when The Muse came to visit me things were awesome. Her presence always made me feel powerful and warm with possibility. Over time I learned to trust The Muse as somewhat of a benevolent trickster who was not above leading me into mischief, yet somehow always had my best interests in mind. She saw something in me that she wanted to cultivate so that I could eventually share it with the world. Well, that's how I see it from here anyway.

The thing is, I believe that creativity is the common super hero power that all people possess as a birthright. It is infused within each of us as a survival strategy. Indeed, our people, the Homo sapiens (modern humans) have only managed to survive for 200,000 years on this blessed planet because of our creative abilities. Creativity is what allows us to solve problems. What is a survival situation if not a series of problems that need to be solved?

In addition to the survival implications of this super power, creativity is also infused into our DNA as a mechanism for thriving. I think of all of the elements that animate my life with joy and meaning, context and connection and I don't have to look too far to see how the creativity of others is directly responsible for the metric of my well-being. I enjoy the art, music and stories of others each day. I can't lie though, I also measure my quality of life by how good it feels to be a participant in the creative process myself. I like to be creative and make things simply because I like to be creative and make things. I depend on the unannounced visits of my dear Muse for my mental and emotional well being.

But when it comes down to it, the alluring impulse that we may feel to be creative, while being overall healthy to the participating aesthete, is a gift mostly intended for others. This is why I see the act of participating in the creative process to be somewhat sacred. The solution to every problem that we face in the world is to be found as a seed inside each and every one of us. If the right conditions for growth and development are presented, those seeds will germinate and grow into realities in our lives and the lives of those to come.

So when you feel the impulse, the urge to act on a creative whim that has been incubating inside you, I invite you to give it the right of way. For when we deny The Muse the opportunity to hang out with us, the whole world loses. However, if you have the courage and trust to open the doors to inspiration and not always bow down to obligation, we all win.