INCREASING YOUR CREATIVITY – PART 1
DIVERSE EXPERIENCES
September 24,2023
Every year, I try to do something out of my comfort zone. Something I have never done before. Something that scares me, or energizes me, or stretches my abilities.
Two years ago, I went to Spain with my daughter and her family. My son in law suggested a tour of the cathedral in Seville, I was all for that. I loved looking at stained glass windows, statues, and mosaics. Right up my alley as an artist! But, the tour he signed us up for was for a tour of the roof of the cathedral. Now, cathedrals are tall. To get to the top, we had to climb a circular staircase for several stories. We arrived at the top where we had a view of the entire city of Seville…we were high up and I have a fear of heights! The ground was undulating, following the arches of the cathedral below. It was difficult to walk on the surface. Another fear I have is of falling. The guide took us to an area where there were scratches in the cement of the floor. He explained that these were the plans that the architect made to tell the stonemasons where to place the stones to create the arches. Those scratches were at least 5 centuries old.
This was a tour definitely out of my comfort zone and was a highlight of the trip and inspired me for the next few months. Arches appeared in my paintings.
The next year, I again went on a trip with my daughter’s family. This time to Costa Rica. They planned a zipline excursion. I was OK with that as I had done a zipline previously in Costa Rica when ziplines were new. The one I went on was several feet above the earth. We sailed through the cloud forest. It was relaxing and felt totally safe. I could do it again. But, the zipline we went on this time was far different. First of all, we took a funicular to the top of a high cliff. We were far above the valley and I was told that our goal was to get to the bottom by flying through the air. There would be seven stages stopping at a platform between each flight. I was scared! The guide saw my hesitation and accompanied me on the first flight. After that I was on my own. It was exhilarating and exciting! I made it to the bottom in one piece, energized and proud of my accomplishment. Again, my art was also energized with flights above the earth dominating my paintings.
This year, I’m doing something different. As a child, I took piano lessons but gave up playing years ago. I decided to start up again. I have already learned so much from my instructor. He is training us to play by ear. He wants us to focus and pay attention to the sounds of the notes and find them on the keyboard. He calls it “training your ears”. I immediately saw a relationship to painting. At my next art lesson I talked to my students about “training their eyes” to see the differences in the colors we work with. From my piano lessons, I have stretched my ability to teach my students about color.
I suggest engaging in activities and experiences that are outside your comfort zone. Travel, try new foods, take up a new hobby, or attend events you wouldn’t normally consider. Look for diverse experiences to enliven your life and grow your creativity!
