You are a creator.

When I was in college, a few girls down the hall invited me to a painting party in their dorm room on a random Friday night. They had gathered cheap supplies from the arts and craft section of Wal-Mart, set out brushes and canvases and encouraged us to paint.  “But what do I paint?” I asked. The host’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Whatever you want!” It was clear she came prepared with ideas to bring to life, but to me, it was incredibly intimidating to create something out of nothing. 

Having little experience working with paint, I selected the brightest colors for my pallet, picked a brush that was not too small and not too big, and made marks on the blank canvas.  I had no plan for what I wanted my creation to become, but rather I explored the possibilities with each movement of the brush. I mixed colors to make new ones.  I made thin lines and fat lines. I moved the brush with quick flicks of the wrist.  I fanned out the bristles to make abstract shapes (which is probably frowned upon because it could damage the brush.…) It was all an experiment to see what would happen when I pressed the paint-filled brush onto the canvas. 

The final result was not very impressive as far as “fine art” is concerned but it unleashed something in me. I now understood that anyone could be a creator. The marks I made on the paper were unique to me. I created them. They expressed feelings of curiosity, captured the moments of fun I shared with my friends, and helped me to see the beauty in creating something out of nothing. 

I’ve been encouraged and inspired by the book, “the Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin. He writes, 

“Creativity is not a rare ability.  It is not difficult to access. Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It’s our birthright.  And it’s for all of us. Creativity doesn’t exclusively relate to making art.  We all engage in this act on a daily basis. To create is to bring something into existence that wasn’t there before.  It could be a conversation, the solution to a problem, a note to a friend, the rearrangement of furniture in a room, a new route home to avoid a traffic jam.” 

What have you brought into existence that wasn’t there before? How are you engaging in the act of creation on a daily basis? Have you ever considered yourself a creator?

I truly believe God has given each of us the gift of creativity so that we might bring beauty into the world to remind each other that goodness and beauty exists. You may not think what you’ve created is a masterpiece, but someone else just might be so inspired by your creation that they buy a frame and hang your art on the wall to look at everyday. 

Go out into the world and create something today.

***This is the actual painting I created that evening. My mom liked it so much that she went out and purchased an expensive frame and hung it in her house. It still hangs there today. 

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." Maya Angelou