The ultimate source of artistic creativity & the secret to unlocking your creativity in art and staying inspired in the long run
Have you ever searched for the true source of your artistic creativity?
You've probably asked yourself this question many times before: what are the origins of creativity? And where does your creativity in art come from? If you haven’t found an answer yet, you should read this blog post. Because knowing the roots of creativity is critical to unlocking your creative potential and staying inspired in the long run.
Creativity in a nutshell
You were born with an infinite capacity for creation. Like a beautiful, uniquely sturdy oak tree, which can produce an abundant amount of acorns during its life time.
“The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird sleeps in the egg ...”. (James Allen)
Creativity is a seed that you can nurture to its full potential, or a spring with endless possibilities. And what’s more extraordinary, splendidly illuminating, and mind-opening than the word "possibilities"?
Creativity is a motor of self-expression. It is your capacity to make art, that is, to transform empirical reality into something different, unique, and meaningful. It is like a magic wand that makes everything possible.
Can we measure creativity? No, we can’t. A seed is exactly what it is – nothing more and nothing less. Can we predict the seed's potential before it sprouts? Can we know what possibilities it has before it grows? Luckily not. We know it's there, and that's all that really matters. The outcome lies in the art-making process itself, which comes before any assessment or measurable result.
Do you want to learn more about creativity in art? Read my blog article "Creativity in art: the ultimate overview".
The origins of creativity
There's a double answer to the question: "Where does this precious seed called creativity come from?" Creativity originates from both the mind and the heart. Paradoxical? Maybe. As much as life itself.
You can choose the source that suits you best. However, you must know that, if you'll choose to channel creativity through your mind, you'll sooner or later run into a brick wall. The wall could be a lack of inspiration or an artist block, a challenging reality of the anxious part of your mind and of its spinning thoughts. As we all know, the mind is an incredibly powerful but limited machine. We can't rely on it completely.
If you choose the heart as your vehicle, your creativity will soar. Because the heart is your creative Self, the inexhaustible source of everything, the channel that leads you to what you may refer to as God, universal creative energy, or pure energy of life.
The heart has the ability to see through and beyond the limitations of your physical vision. It can provide you with the sight of something that your eyes cannot perceive. The heart, in my opinion, is the ultimate source of artistic creativity. Without a shadow of a doubt.
Find out here how you can make art with your heart: a 5-step daily ritual.
Make art with your heart, not with your mind.
This is the next logical question: How can you connect to your heart? In other words, how can you get to the source of your creativity?
I've learned on mount Sinai a precious piece of advice from Eastern Christian monks: descend the mind into your heart. This is more than just a metaphorical expression. It is a practice that can bring the mind into the chest, the siege of the vital organ called heart. The good news is that you don’t need to be a monk to bring your mind into your heart. It also works for laypeople like you and me. It really can work with any human being. Adopt and keep to this practice.
“One sees clearly only with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eye.” (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)
Let me now linger a little longer on the relationship between creativity, mind, and heart, and briefly describe their mechanism.
When your creativity becomes entangled in the net of your mind, the inner critic, together with a slew of ghosts, anxieties, and dellusions, awaken bit by bit. Artist block pops up. A lack of motivation follows. And the process becomes a loop because the movement of the thoughts is often repetitive.
Sitting with your mind leads to you acting as a controller. However, the more you try to exert control over your creative acts, the stronger your resistance becomes. As a result, you're trapped in a vicious circle. Does this sound familiar to you? I've been there many times before, and I've tried for a long time to find a solution or an exit to this problem. One day, I gave up the effort and opened up my heart. Yes, I merely chose an opening rather than a conclusion or a dead end. I embraced the realm of possibilities and tamed my mind.
You can set your creativity free if you choose to follow your heart. Your artistic expression becomes less critical and more spontaneous, intuitive, and personal. You grow more creative and more self-confident. And you begin to cultivate an attitude of allowing creative energy to unfold rather than wanting it to move into a precise direction or towards a measurable goal.
You no longer have control over your creative process. You go with the creative flow and allow artistic creativity to unfold. You're now a "Mitmacher" (German), literally, a "co-maker". You also have a new knowledge of your mind and a stronger relationship with your heart, which is the ultimate source of your creativity. Because you've deconstructed the illusion and discovered a powerful way to make art: the way of your heart!
It’s like embracing the immensity of the ocean and plunging into its deep waters rather than watching its surface from a distance through a narrow window, isn’t it?
Turn inward. Live from your heart, not from your mind.
Wonder, find, transform, enjoy. Then offer in return.
Make art with your heart. Always.
Thank you for reading till the end.
If you’ve got something to add, please comment on this blog post below, drop me an e-mail or pm me on Instagram @the_pointless_artist. I'd love to hear from you!
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Recognise your pointlessness, and keep creating!
From Germany with love,
Bianca Vinther
What to read next
Curious about the way of your heart? Read my blog article "How to create art with your heart: a 5-step daily ritual."