The Saturday Writing Quote: a painter’s view of creativity

“Creativity is a difficult word because people think it has some magical quality–-I don’t see that at all. Creativity is really following some sort of idea to some sort of conclusion—even going down the wrong road, getting lost, and incorporating that experience into what you’re doing.

The misconception many people have about creativity is that it’s some sort of external thing—that you’re hit by a bolt of lightning or that you have a great insight. It’s really a rational thing. When you find your own unique approach to working through problems, creativity manifests itself in your work.

Creativity is also the reason I think we involved in mixed media. It’s not so much that we’re trying to be creative as that we’re trying to accomplish something, and in our quest, we look for ways to get there.”

Skip Lawrence, American painter

4 thoughts on “The Saturday Writing Quote: a painter’s view of creativity

  1. Leslie, I’m not sure who to address this to, you or the quoted writer, Skip Lawrence. Do you agree or disagree?
    I disagree with everything he says…it is a magical quality called “flow”…’you either got it or you aint’. It’s not an external ‘thing’ either. I’ve analyzed creativity until I’m blue in the face…my blue period. You’re either in it [flow] or you’re out.
    Anyone can duplicate, anyone can be taught to draw or paint, or sculpt, or whatever this artist deems a creative act…but only a true artists knows at what point you slip away and are lost until you’re found. You’ll know. You’ll feel it. And only at that point will you be successful in finding creativity.
    K.S.

    • Kathy, sorry to be slow approving the comment — I was away at the Malice Domestic mystery convention this weekend.
      One thing I do know for sure about creativity is that everyone’s experience is different, and so, naturally, are our ways of communicating that experience.

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