On creativity and patience

 Some thoughts on creativity...from a Journalist Artist, "Heron Dance Journal," by Rod...(he doesn't publish his name).

"... your area of focus, what you persist at, needs to be based on a realistic assessment of your skills, and on how you can make a unique contribution to other people in a quality way."

Well, duh. But I have such a love of creating "X" that I never thought about if it contributed anything to others. Well, I hoped it did.

Someone asked me the other day what I loved most of my pottery creativity. I said immediately, the sculptures. And then I realized how the were all flawed in some way or another. But I do keep them around. They were made for me by me.

Heron Dance said: "I learned that sticking with the work is made easier when I’ve said to myself, “It isn’t the market’s or subscribers’ job to be consistent. It’s mine. Control what you can — your own output. From there, let the chips fall where they may.” Your faith in yourself, your work, especially initially, needs to be greater than the inertia, the indifference, of the world."

Wise words there. My 12 years of creating pottery, sculptures etc...I sold in about 3 main places, plus a couple of extra shows which meant lugging a whole lot of pots in tubs, and usually tables and a pop-up-tent. But I did sell quite a bit so would consider doing it again - for a few years...when I look back at my initial photos of my pottery creations, most of it's gone. I do destroy the items which I feel would never be salable.

I never felt that successful however! I am glad I had some retirement funds to support me as well as the pottery making! I always considered it a hobby for IRS categorization.

I did pay sales taxes to the State of North Carolina for a few years, and then didn't make enough to bother with it. I just said I'd gone out of business.

"Discovering your destiny is not about going to therapy and finding out what I really want to do with my life, but rather finding out what is wanted of me. What's the gift I have that others need? The gift the world needs?"
      -   James Hillman, as interviewed by Wes Nisker, Inquiring Mind, Summer Issue.

I still am not sure of the answer to that question. But I still surround myself with creative ideas, inspiration, art, etc. I love that. My life would be very boring if I just had shelter, clothing, entertainment, transportation, health, and food. I need the creative happening, one way or another, for me to have joy in life.

Heron Dance Here is the article on having patience with creativity.

And if you were young when the Beatles were playing tunes everywhere you went...or maybe just have found what really great musicians they were, here's the new song which had to wait for current levels of technology to let Peter Jackson merge John Lennon's old tape of his voice with the two (or was it three) remaining Beatles, in an amusing video of all of them.

My animal spirits

This is hitting me upside the head - this morning's dream first (which I'll give a few details later).
But in chronological order, then I've seen several blogs, which I chose at a whim to look at, and the messages all kept saying, your wild self...the animals are calling you to acknowledge that you also are animal. That you are sister to animals.

Then this wonderful video of the silkies...and the music, the story, and actually swimming with the seals of Ireland.  I cried.

I don't know where this is leading.  There's a call to be out in the wild (which I subscribe to with awareness of my "abilities")  There is also a "klunk" kind of ah ha...I have purpose here. These strong emotions draw me to do something special.  Is it art? Maybe.  Is it inner growth? Maybe.  Is it anything that makes sense? Just about like silkies do.

So the dream is triggered by my connection to my cats, who've been pets, who've all gone before me, having their deaths as my responsibility, having their care for many years of my life, and having the joy of their sweet warm furry bodies cuddled with mine.

I suddenly hear them thumping down on the floor in the next room - about once a day. (Of course my scientific mind says it's the neighbors) Then I feel the bed have a creak as one jumps up to be near me.  And I have ghosts of them out of the corner of my eyes all the time, just disappearing around a corner, or walking by somehow.  And today I kept having one sitting by a door patiently wanting me to open it.  Never to go "out" because that wasn't part of their lives.  But those awful doors were closed and little claws and paws just couldn't get them into the next room...where something wonderful awaited.  Curiosity.  Ah. Such a shared emotion.  Patience, sometimes also shared.

What is the meaning?
To help those waiting to go through doors...the barriers of our lives.
At least that was my ah ha this morning.
And to open the doors.  It's simple. But sometimes so scary for me.  I don't think the cat was afraid.  She always just waited patiently and then knew (with a mew or two) that her servant would comply.