Since I am an artist, I thought this resource section on Creativity would be easy to put together -  but it has been the most difficult one. I am thinking of creativity not so much as an exterior activity aimed at an audience, but as an interior exploration that leads to a conscious, considered expression of what the artist understands about reality. Seriously searching for that authentic “voice,” for anyone who has a talent, is one road to self-knowledge and self-understanding.

Truly creative artwork isn't an accident. It isn't just decoration, or a factual copy of something natural, or "borrowed" or collaged from someone else's work. Real art doesn't tell you what to think, like propaganda, or scream, "Buy me!" like an ad from the pages of the latest art trend magazine. Since, when it succeeds in its aim,  it is nothing less than an expression of the deepest understanding of the artist, real creative art has a certain substance and meaning which can be understood, though perhaps not in a linear way.

Excellent technique is necessary in order for the artist to have the tools to express her understanding. And substantial understanding is necessary to give meaning to technique. So, developed together, the two form a kind of upward spiral, each reinforcing the other.

To create in this way, one has to focus a lot on technique, because mastering the technique is the foundation for expression - but at the same time always keeping in mind that expression is the aim.

So the beginning of the creative artistic venture is simple - one has to master the necessary skills in the field one has chosen. There is no one right way to do this. Any book, any class that increases one’s knowledge and proficiency is worth exploring, and you can learn something even from a bad book or a bad teacher. One has to be both open-minded not to miss an opportunity, and also on guard against distractions; to keep homing in on what is really nourishing the self and avoid wasting time once one sees that something is not what one needs.

Finding a teacher or mentor to work with can be a gift if the teacher has the insight to help you find your expression, or it can be a trap if you are not encouraged to think and feel for yourself.

As one's understanding deepens, the substance and value of what one can create also deepens, so personal and artistic growth reinforce each other in a beautiful way.

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