"Dr Val Huet, CEO of the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) and Director of the Oxford College of Arts and Therapies (OCAT), participated in a debate on “What is creativity?” at the International Arts and Health conference in Bristol on the 20th June. Here is what she said...
"Creativity is a profoundly human attribute, that has the potential to make us joyful, elated, engaged as well as despairing, anxious, confused but never apathetic or predictable. However we describe it, creativity is not the remit of experts or specially gifted people and does not just happen with arts – science, gardening, cooking, etc., are all included – ordinary, everyday creativity is also part of what makes us human. Creativity is the act of giving shape even abstractly to something new, whether an idea, an object or a concept, which is then taken up and evolved by many others. It allows us to find and lose ourselves in a process that takes us to new places. It is always dynamic and never leads to a full stop. One of the aspects of creativity I feel passionate about is its relational quality."
This is definitely true for me. I had lost my creative path during an abusive relationship and consequently struggling to bring 3 kiddies up alone. What I needed the most was hidden behind worry and recovery. Ironically, my cancer diagnosis turned my life around for the better, because it made me prioritise the truly important things in life. Once I had had the life-saving transplant, I really embraced being creative; it was as though I was ravenous for the ways it actually filled me up, on all levels! Not doing anything creative became a weird concept. Through being creative I met other creatives, of all kinds. I also went out searching for other creative people! Artists, writers, musicians, storytellers, organisers, seamstresses, crafts-folk, people who make, fix, mend, design, dream up... and that took me towards meeting people who wanted to learn, to make, to discover new skills. Being creative, and being able to facilitate situations where others could be creative, nourishes me, and as I make, and create, and teach, I learn - about myself, about others, about the world, about concepts, about courage, and how being creative is not an innate talent, not something I can do, but which I cannot - it is about showing up, and working hard, and if what you do you love, then the hard work makes sense, it nurtures you, and everything flows naturally 
Here is the link to the whole article : http://www.baat.org/About-BAAT/Blog/126/Creativity-Offers-People-a-Path-Back-to-Themselves-and-Importantly-to-Others
h
❤️
No comments:
Post a Comment