Hola! It's been a little while since I posted so apologies up front.
For those of you who have recently brought home a newborn, you'll be familiar with the concept of sleep deprivation. That's where all my spare/blogging time has gone over the past few weeks. I'm back now and feel significantly energised to be posting again.
The Newborn (Emma) is a delight, but also a night owl. I've already started joking (wishing?) that she will grow up to be the Executive Producer of a Late Night talk show. Maybe the one hosted by Letterman's son when he takes over in 20 years time? Again, probably wishful thinking.
All the awake and cuddle time has given me a chance to ponder what the future holds for the now three-week-old Emma Kingsley.
I love a good quote. Have many of them up on my office wall. And the one I've been staring at lately is this one from Picasso.
Picasso was right - it is a problem. A big one.
I look at my little nearly two-year-old Joshua at he chalkboard. Free flowing movements of chalk in hand onto the board. Scribbling away. None of it distinguishable in form or shape, but all of it creative in his own way. He's interpreting
as he draws. Somewhere along the way some well-meaning teacher or adult is going to encourage him to stop scribbling and draw something that others can interpret. That would be a shame.
So two thoughts here... firstly
how do we ensure our kids maintain their free-flowing artistry, yet free of constraints? And then how do we as
grown-ups rediscover the inner child when pursuing a creative task?
Ultimately I think it comes down to what the child has inbuilt, that the adult fears. That is,
the fear of being wrong. Judgement of your work is often a barrier to creating or publishing what you visualise, or what you feel within your heart is right. But it shouldn't stop our creativity. It doesn't stop Josh at the chalkboard, and it shouldn't stop you.
That's not to say that every piece of creativity doesn't need critiquing. Or every producer doesn't need a buyer. We are focused on commercial creativity at
binge thinking after all. But judgement or commercial realities certainly shouldn't dictate a process that at it's core comes from within the creator or creators alone.
When designing, writing, producing, painting, composing or creating -
start with the heart - and protect your idea as far as you can until you actually
require judgement in order to progress. Judgement too early could mean your potentially brilliant insight is killed at birth. And I can tell you from recent experience, birth, and the stages immediately after, are the most precious and beautiful in the life of anything worthwhile.
Love to hear your comments!
WK
