I have a theory that we have unlimited,

untapped artists just waiting within our souls,

asking for us to tune in and explore them.

I believe that we are all poets, painters, photographers,

chefs, dancers, teachers and musicians.

Our souls are waiting, drumming their fingers patiently, urging

us to pick up a paintbrush, camera, pencil—to dive into our

sweet expression.

Sometimes we don’t make enough space to graze the surface of

our creative expressions. Sometimes we do but then undermine

them ’til we are black and blue out of fear of rejection and forget

it thrives within us.

The ability of people to invalidate their creativity astounds me.

I visited a friend’s loft the other day that had abstract paintings

draped on the walls. They caught my eye and I asked for the

story behind them. She laughed, smiled and said she had

painted them. Immediately she tried to brush off the

compliment and her work by saying “oh it’s just a hobby, I’m not

a painter.”

But there they were. All of these pieces of art, that she had

created. All of these paintings she had formed from her own

divine creativity.

So, what makes us an artist?

Do we have to make money at it? Do we have to be famous?

Acknowledged on the cover of a magazine or hung in a gallery in

downtown New York?

Where along the lines of creating art does one finally accept that

“I am an artist.”

We are so scared of saying those four words out loud.

We all have self-doubt and insecurity when it comes to leaping

away from what we know and pursuing something outside our

comfort zone. Especially when creative outlets could and

probably should evolve into careers. But we try reasoning with

ourselves, saying that it would be silly to walk away from a

respectful job in law after seven years of school to pursue

making bedside tables out of washed up pieces of glass, worn

and weathered from the sea.

By shying away from your gift as an artist, you are denying the

entire universe of seeing your spirit lit on fire with divinity.

Next time your self-doubt tells you that you’re not good enough,

or your talent is just “for fun”, tell it that it’s fired.

Art is the most raw, untouched, vulnerable expression of who

we are. There is no sugar coating when we create. When we are

creating, we must dive deep into our spirits and let our light and

darkness, our entire being, flow into our art.

“Artists are some of the most driven and courageous people on the face of the earth. They deal with more day-to-day rejection in one year than most people do in a lifetime. Every day, artists face the financial challenge of living a freelance lifestyle, the disrespect of people who think they should get ‘real’ jobs, and their own fear that they’ll never work again. Every day they have to ignore the possibility that the vision to which they have dedicated their lives is a pipedream. With every passing year, many of them watch as other people their age; achieve the predictable milestones of normal life – the car, the family, the house, the nest egg. But they stay true to their dream, in spite of the sacrifices. Why? Because artists are willing to give their entire lives to a moment – to that line, that laugh, that gesture, or that interpretation that will stir the audience’s soul. Artists are beings who have tasted life’s nectar in that crystal moment when they poured out their creative spirit and touched another’s heart. In that instant, they were as close to magic, God and perfection as anyone could ever be. And in their own hearts, they know that to dedicate oneself to that moment is worth a thousand lifetimes”.

~ David Acker

And before you take that leap someone should tell you this;

embarking as an artist does not mean that there is a continuous

flow of art you will create each day; some days we create,

create, create, others we will procrastinate in circles and retire

our empty pages tiredly.

Those days where we feel parched creatively does not take away

from our credibility of being an artist. Creativity has an ebb and

flow and cannot always be called upon at the drop of a hat. So be

patient with yourself, forgive the days you cannot muster words

onto a paper or a pencil onto an unfinished piece of work. Van

Gough, Leonardo De Vinci and Picasso have also woken up, and

basked in uncreativeness.

Creativity does not hang out in our pockets, we must cultivate it

ourselves, muster it up by climbing mountains, smelling wild

flowers, having coffee with a stranger, embarking upon

challenges that push our spirits deeper into the world. These are

the things that draw art from within us.

If you’re a painter. Paint. If you’re a writer. Write. If you’re a

filmmaker, make films.

Don’t be afraid. Don’t be daunted. Show up for that thing that

you love, hell bent, full throttle, fearlessly. You owe it to yourself

and this planet to do so.

When we can embrace our creativity with pride, and show up for

ourselves and the things we are wildly passionate about we

become an asset to ourselves.

Own your brilliance. There is nothing sexier then you showing

up authentically for yourself.

If you are met with any judgment or shame along the way, from

others or yourself, bash on- bash on regardless. You have

enough sheer stubbornness and love inside your soul, to show

up anyways.

Like elephant journal on Facebook.

Assistant Editor: Paige Vignola/Editor: Bryonie Wise

Image: Wikimedia