The Soul of Creativity

“There is no force more powerful than that of an unbridled imagination.” Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

I had lunch with my friend Sheila last week and she reported feeling out of sorts. An ordained minister who started her own non-denominational church a year ago, she has the usual workload of preparing each week’s program, writing the bulletin, writing the sermon, providing pastoral care, conducting the Sunday morning service and all the other tasks, big and small, that preachers are (literally!) called to do. And yet, she has time on her hands. She said she finally realized that she needed to do something creative.

Her talents are so obvious that several years ago, I bought her a name plaque identifying her as Sheila Johnson, Artist. Sewing, painting, writing, doll making, and quilting are a few of her interests, but like most of us, she pushes them to the edges of her life, fitting them in around the “more important” things that fill her days.

Only when the need becomes overwhelming does she start a project. This time she turned to the canvas and made a tiny mixed media piece out of the parts of flowers. First, she rubbed in the yellow pollen from the center of a flower to create a sunny background. Minuscule blossoms became stars in the sky and a dried leaf turned into a bird. She coated the whole piece with acrylic to preserve it. Although she only spent about an hour on the project, it brought her a new, positive outlook and renewed energy.

I’ve heard similar stories from others and I could relate a few from my own life. We were all born creators, and our creative impulses will not go away if we ignore them. They will remain at the periphery of our consciousness nagging us until the day we die.

© Copyright 2007 Dixie Darr. All rights reserved