It is inevitable that some people will like a created work, and some won't. Some will understand it the way the author intended, others won't. There are so many people out there to receive these creations and they will all interpret it in their very own way, taking from it what they need in that moment. Therefore excessive explanation of a creative work by the artist can be rather pointless and a waste of energy.
Letting go of Creative Projects
The most important thing is to create, release and move onto the next creation. "The passion to make and make again" says American poet and essayist Adrienne Rich. How long that creation may take entirely depends on the artist and the size of the project. A novel can take years to germinate and grow, to edit and publish. Many authors liken the process to 'giving birth' as it can be a long and painful, yet joyful experience. Authors of novels have also described the emptiness after the completion and release of their work. There is new space within that can initially feel sad or even feel like depression but from that space, new ideas and seeds of growth have air to germinate. These seeds may eventually grow into a new project and with it, the excitement also grows.
Letting go can be beneficial in any capacity. Letting go of clothes that don’t look good on anymore, of clutter and accumulated ‘things’ in the house. This creates physical space just as letting go of creative work can create a sense of inner space. Imagine if authors Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson or J.K. Rowling had never had the courage to share their creations with the world. It would be a far less richer place indeed.
Undervaluing Creative Potential
So many people vastly undervalue their ideas and creative potential. But there will always be someone in the world who is touched by the song lyrics, melody, the brushstrokes of a painting or the unique lay of words in a story by an artist. To feel the value in a piece of work is to feel the inspiration, heart and authenticity within the creator during its making. This kind of work has value simply because it exists. But if it has changed and expanded the consciousness of another, then its value continues to expand and grow independently. It may have opened a new perspective or helped someone turn a corner in their life. It is impossible to know how the work of creative beings can touch another and often people undervalue their potential to create change in others lives.
The Power of Creativity to Change Lives
Most people will be able to remember a song lyric or melody that lifted them from a dark mood, or a book that may have even changed the direction of their life. Inspiration lies everywhere, on every street, in every corner, in every sound heard and sight seen. Holding back inspired ideas for fear of rejection is holding back the unique contribution one has a chance to offer to the greater world.
Sharing Creative Gifts
To share creations with each other is as important as creating them in the first place. Creative gifts shared can be like the ripples of a pool, spreading influence, energy and inspiration to another and then to another and so forth until the ripples reach to the outer edges of consciousness.
Quote:
Cameron, Julia, The Vein of Gold, Pan, 1996, p313.
Sources:
Robinson, Sir Ken, The Element, Allen Lane, 2009
Finding the Flow: Patience and Creative Success
Jane Alexandra Cormack - Jane currently works as a director and facilitator of her own company, Rhythm In Colour. These workshops connect women through creativity ...
Join the Conversation