Creativity & Self-expression

"Art is the desire of a man to express himself,
to record the reactions of his personality to the
world he lives in". ~ Amy Lowell

Artwork by Nicole Hanna

Self-expression is one of the greatest gifts allowed to us, and we can utilize it in such an abundance of ways that we then, hopefully, share with the world. This relationship with creativity, expression and sharing is what, I think, keeps the world a positive and healthy place. Which is why it's my goal to find new ways of expressing myself this year.

Though I like to write poetry, take photos and (of course) make jewelry, one of the areas of my life lacking in attention is my art. I honestly can't remember the last time I've taken the time to really draw something for the sake of drawing, and not because I have an end goal to justify the time spent doing so.

Time. Ah yes, that fickle mistress of our lives which dictates what we can and cannot do. There's always something else to be done. Projects to finish, goals for which we strive, both personally and professionally, family and friends. All these things utilize (rightfully so) our time. But there are moments of peace that we only find doing things for no other reason than the act of doing and sharing. There is no other end game, and the person best effected by it is ourselves.

Perhaps that's selfish in some small way, but still a necessity if we want to maintain some sense of creative and self-expressive balance in our lives. Take time for ourselves, for our joys and passions, however that manifests itself in our lives, and then share that infectious joy with those around us. That's where the magic happens!

So, I plan to dedicate small pockets of time, in the coming weeks, to my art. To expressing myself through that art and allowing that expression to tell the world who I am, who I want to be, what I dream and where I hope life takes me. I wont be afraid to try new things, pull out the watercolors I've never used, or (gasp) actually draw in ink, where mistakes have to be incorporated in the work and not conveniently erased. Fear of failure, of mistakes, is the dark devil of creativity and self-expression, and I wont be a victim to its charms!

How do you plan on creatively expressing yourself this year?