One Simple Rule to be a Creative

 

This past fall, I experienced Gowanus Open Studios for the second year in a row. The beautiful thing about going to these artist open studios is that you are being bombarded with art that you didn’t know could possibly exist and it’s all so inspiring and fresh. It’s definitely an overload of creative information!

The artists are standing right there and you can ask them anything.

I met a photographer who displayed scenes from random happenings in his world. I asked where he got his inspiration from or what the meaning was behind the work and he said that he just shoots what’s in front of him. He told me that he doesn’t wait to be inspired, he just shoots and sees the work.

I met another artist who painted ink on paper, instead of using a brush, he painted with any scraps that he found around his art studio. I asked what the meaning was behind his work and he too said that if he took the time to think of meaning behind his work, he wouldn’t be able to create.

Artist after artist expressed a lot of the same comments, and it hit me.

There is only one simple rule to be a creative and it is to stop thinking and create.

As I reflect on the last year as a photographer and even as a blogger, what struck me was how I let a lot pass me by because I told myself that I wasn’t ready or it wasn’t perfect enough. We think things like, design is a bit off, the color isn’t right, the angle is not the best or I don’t have enough experience. The list goes on. We create so many rules as artists that when the time comes to create, we back out of the potential of making something inspiring.

There are a lot of exciting things that I intend to do this year. Above all, I intend to follow this one rule and it is to just create.

What are some lessons that you have learned as a creative?