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Traits that contribute to being a “creative individual” may include curiosity, risk taking and open mindedness that can be nurtured and cultivated over time. It is the ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions. Creativity is not a gift but a learned skill that is developed with time and experience. It begins when we are very young and continues well into our senior years if we allow it. Any subject matter is perfect fodder for creativity. Painters, potters, woodworkers, musicians, quilters, poets, authors, photographers, chefs , jewellers – the list is endless. Sometimes just wrangling our way out of bed in the morning is a creative endeavour!

Being creative begins with pre-schoolers as they discover a world of imagination and magic. The world is an open book to be explored and played with. Building blocks, colouring outside the lines, playing make believe and engaging in made up games with friends are all activities that encourage creativity.  Unfortunately, these types of activities tend to be pushed aside at the onset of formal schooling as the expectation to conform is ever present. Kids are often told this is the way to do a certain activity and this is what it should look like when complete. This unwitting tendency of stifling creative play continues to shape and mold us throughout our lifetime.

As we age other barriers tend to come into play. The fear of the unknown or fear of failure can limit our endeavours. We might feel stress and anxiety and start overthinking about what the end result will be. We never truly know exactly how a project will turn out. We often let self-doubt or perfectionism get in our way. Sometimes expertise and knowledge can inhibit our creative journey. It is more difficult to see new ways of doing things if we get locked into old comfortable ways of thinking and being. We might fear making mistakes, being rejected or being criticized. This is how we learn so embrace the feedback.

Be bold, be courageous and dare to be different. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Have fun. Being creative helps extend what we perceive to be our limits. Just do it! If it doesn’t work out, try again.

The piece of art that goes with this blog is an example of having fun. Our world is full of colourful shapes of all sizes and with the rising cost of living wouldn’t it be wonderful to come across a sliver of gold!

Jennifer Farnell is a member of the Okanagan Art Gallery and Artists On Main