Did You Put Your Crayons Away?

Were you the child who was discouraged, or not encouraged, in your early creative endeavors?  [See entry “Give a Child A Crayon” below.]  Were you intimidated by the talent of someone else and decided to stop trying?  Did you move on to something you simply found more entertaining or fulfilling?  Creative visual expression may not have been the path for you, but it could be an avenue worth revisiting/exploring to open other options for personal growth and healing, particularly if other attempts have been fruitless.

I was fortunate recently to hear talks by two art quilters, Juanita Yeager, and Penny Sisto.  Both have developed their own styles and have amazing bodies of work.  They each have very different approaches and have taken widely differing journeys.  Both have been successful and well received.

Juanita’s presentation took the audience through her quilting beginnings and skill development to the evolution of her personal style and sense of herself as an artist.  It also covered techniques she has been exploring and what she is doing now.  Hers has been a journey of learning and personal growth.

Penny’s talk included a narrative of a tragic life event she had experienced, as well as a demonstration of her creative process/technique to illustrate/represent that event.  In some aspects, hers has been a journey of healing and drawing on life experiences to bring great depth and meaning to her artwork.

I connected with Juanita’s exploration of various media since that’s the phase I’ve been in lately – fabric dying, deconstructed screen printing, and painting on fabric.  I identified with Penny’s statement, “If you think too much, you get careful, and things that are careful don’t live.”  Also, while I don’t typically portray meaning (or even representation) in my art, I can appreciate the healing power (both for the artist and the viewer) of a piece with a message.

Through both presentations I was able to consider the wider benefits and true necessity for art and creativity as tools of personal growth and healing (among other benefits).  So, what does it take to access this creative outlet?  Well, if you’ve been discouraged (or not encouraged), you need to take courage.  Be bold.  Be adventurous.  Try.  Don’t do it for anyone else; do it for you.  Abandon self judgment.  Take the first step.  It isn’t even necessary to share your work with others, although in time you may find deeper connections to others when you build up confidence and open yourself to sharing.

Get out those crayons and see what happens.