“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

This old adage first appeared in James Howell’s Proverbs in 1659. Like Jack, none of us want to be dull and boring.

Creativity is fun play for all ages.

You know that creativity in one area often leads to creativity in another area.

• Knitters/crocheters use yarn for weaving, too.
• Sewists use fabric in garments, bags, toys, and quilts.
• Potters use clay for dishes and beads for jewelry.
• Carpenters use wood for kitchen cabinets and fairy/gnome doors.

Creativity involves taking risks because the outcome is never certain. Artists of any medium try things without knowing if something will work out.

Creativity also improves problem-solving skills and builds a flexible mindset. If a project goes well, you can roll with it. And if it doesn’t go so well, you can change direction! Of course, these skills carry over to your “real” work, too!

Creativity takes many different forms.

When people hear what I do, many tell me they aren’t creative. I just know they haven’t discovered their creativity yet.

Creativity doesn’t have to involve art or paint or anything similar. Have you ever found a different route home or to work? Found a new restaurant or tried a new kind of food? Tried a new recipe? Made do with something you already have at hand rather than run to the store?

Some people hear “art” and think it involves either art gallery level work or finger paints. Here are some artists:

• Beyoncé, 50 Cent, Luciano Pavarotti
• Edgar Allen Poe, Amanda Gorman, Maya Angelou
• Picasso, Rembrandt, Banksy, Bob Ross
• Marilyn Monroe, Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez

And yes, even paintings done by your 5-year-old child, niece or nephew, neighbor’s dog, zoo’s elephant, or someone walking through fresh concrete!

Discover your hidden artist.

Merriam-Webster defines an artist as “a person who is very good at something”. This means an expert in their field is an artist. A master carpenter, a master mechanic, a Dean at the local community college, and even the neighborhood handyman who can “fix anything” are all artists in their trade.

Is there something you’ve done so many times, you’ve said you can do it blindfolded? Then you’re probably very good at it… which makes you an artist!

Have you ever:

• Received compliments for your sense of style?
• Heard commented that something seems easy for you? Cooking? Math? Public speaking?
• Always had ______ turn out well? A meal you cooked? A first date?
• Surprised yourself at how well your child’s last-minute science project turned out? At midnight? You know, the one you learned about after dinner that required a trifold cardboard thing?
• Tried something that didn’t quite turn out as planned? Pinterest anyone? Or that shortcut that took way longer to get to your destination? Failure is part of the creative process.

How did you feel? Proud or gratified? Or undeserving just because it was easy?

These are areas where you are an artist. Yes, even the ones that didn’t quite go according to plan!

So the next time someone mentions creativity, know that you are creative, too!

No matter what art form or craft is practiced, creativity is where time falls away, pain disappears, and joy fills you! You can find lots of that good stuff at our place. Check our list of upcoming classes.

Are there other areas of arting and crafting that you would like to know more about? Let me know in the comments!