Before being a mom, I had multiple encounters with childhood. I taught elementary school kids, worked as a private tutor and had young siblings. I also happened to be a kid before, and up to now, I still remember those fun and creative days of my childhood.
Childhood is charged with goofiness, playfulness, a large dose of curiosity, and wisdom, all wrapped up with the most bright and colorful ideas and emotions. And for some reason, that perspective little kids have about their world has always been an inspiring force when it comes to making art.
Seeing my daughter grow up these first 5 years, has been a reminder of the amazing view kids have of their world. Antonia has been a great source of inspiration and wisdom to me. And for that, I will always be grateful. But to be more specific, let me point out 6 lessons she has taught me firsthand about creativity.
1. Be curious. A big part of creativity starts with being curious. Curiosity is that force that pushes us to go out there and discover more about the world we live in. Kids are naturally curious because there are so many new things that can easily call their attention. Reminding ourselves to keep a curious mind, is an important step toward creativity. Get excited about your surroundings, and go out and explore!
2. Observe. I could see my little one getting mesmerized by the most minimal details of the things she came in contact with. When we observe in detail, we gain information, and this helps us better understand what we encounter. Look at the details on the petals of a flower, or a leaf, and dissect the whole into its most minimal parts.
3. Be spontaneous. This is so hard for me, and for a lot of adults as well. Most of us have been raised to keep up with schedules, plans, and organization, and sometimes we end up wanting to control things and calculate our moves. Kids on the other hand are experts at being spontaneous. Most of the time, my daughter goes into our art space and starts exploring and grabbing colors and mixing materials, without recipes or expectations. I wish to be more like her. Spontaneity catalyzes creativity.
4. Be fearless. When you are spontaneous, you learn to let go of your fears. And this helps you be more spontaneous at the same time. Making mistakes is cool! This is a great way to learn what works and what doesn’t. We get tons of information about our preferences or the materials we use. Try coloring outside the lines, don’t throw away the things you make that you don’t like right away. Try to reuse them. Admire them for what they are and try to see them from a different perspective.
5. Be playful. Don’t take things so seriously. Going into art-making with a rigid plan that can’t be bent can be detrimental to your creative process. Sometimes we just need to schedule some time for us to play. Play with different materials, and combinations, drawing or coloring just for the sake of it. Make crafts, listen to music while you make art, and just have fun.
6. Get inspired. I don’t know about you, but I often feel like my adult life can sometimes sap my creative energy. At the end of the day, most days, I feel like I just want to sit on the sofa and let Netflix take me on a trip to drama land, or to a paradisiacal island. It is essential to recharge or feed our creativity. Going for a walk, enjoying time in nature, going to a super cute store, or seeing my daughter’s arts and crafts are things that inspired me. What are the things that inspire you? Think about it and take your interior child on an inspirational trip.
Creativity doesn’t necessarily mean being artistic. I used the art examples here since making art is an activity my daughter and I enjoy, and one that allows us to be imaginative. But creativity is inherent to us humans. We just need to welcome it into our lives and learn to exercise it. Enjoy the process!
I designed this “Welcoming Creativity” page that you can download for free and use it as a reminder of these points that can help spark creativity. Write your creative intentions and reflections about doing this exercise.
Toninï Atelier 