Forever Mystified by the Artistic Tide
Article By Cheryl Lavigne
Creativity happens when inspiration is manifested within us and we express it outward as an expression, an extension of ourselves. As an artist, creativity is deeply rooted in my identity. I share the belief, however, that creativity is innate in us all as humans. Children know this. The creations of a child’s imagination are very real to them. As children, we spend most of our time in this state of creative free-spirited imagination. Some artists spend their lives aiming to reconnect with this wondrous creative innocence. For others, it is a goal to simply practice some form of creativity every day.
“It radiates from within and moves through our bodies. ”
Artists refer to it as ‘the flow’. It is like an uplifting wave that we catch, and we stay with it for as long as it will carry us. It is a vibrational energy that propels us to move and to express it before it is gone, and when it crashes, we search for the next swell of inspiration. We know when it reaches us. We can feel it. It begins as a trickle of excitement that sends a spark to the soul. It radiates from within and moves through our bodies.
Creativity comes from a place that we try to understand, but we are forever mystified by it. Like a small and precious creature, we try to capture it and to keep a piece of it nestled within us. We absorb its magic until we can no longer contain it. We are compelled to set it free, to express it, to shape it, and to give it life.
When life became tangled, and when my sense of identity was a blur, I knew that my creativity was still there—it could never really leave me. It was waiting for the right moment. At times, I became angry with it and with myself, and it would not reveal itself, often for months at a time. In sadness, it would sometimes find me through the mist of my confusion, in the form of a doodle in the margins of my textbooks, in the embossed patterns on a napkin, or in the beautiful scribbling gestures of my babies as I joined them in making marks with wax crayons on paper. There it was. It had never left.
“For artists, creative expression connects us to ourselves, our goals, our visions, and to our highest potential.”
Inspiration is fleeting. For some, the motivation to create comes and goes and is relative to our physical and emotional wellbeing, our work-life ratio, and how and with whom we choose to spend our time. For artists, creative expression connects us to ourselves, our goals, our visions, and to our highest potential. For this reason, we give attention to the moments that inspire us, the ones that bring us joy and help us to find and hold on to the desire to live a fulfilling and creative life. It begins with establishing what we want for ourselves and determining what is important.
We often look to others as archetypes of creativity and inspiration, but I am careful to remain grounded in what I consider my own personal values and experiences; primarily, I place priority on my health and wellbeing, and they help me to cultivate my creativity every day. For me, that has come in the form of my daily journal and sketchbook where I come to practice gratitude, breathing deeply in silence, and allowing my mind drift to let ideas surface. In addition, I move my body every day, I get outside, and I choose to spend time with people who keep me elevated.
How do you cultivate creativity in your life?
- Cheryl Lavigne
Cheryl Lavigne can be found painting, drawing and taking photographs while out in plein air or in her little home studio based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She enjoys hiking New Brunswick’s trails and exploring fields, forests and wetlands that are off the beaten track. This kind of creative contemplation with nature has long been a part of her work and process.
Our Final Issue (Ever) Available Now
This issue is dedicated to BODIES: the physicality of the creative process, as well as concepts of access, agency, and belonging that are linked to our physical selves.