Sunday, April 19, 2009

Change it up a little!

It is a fact that most people I know who are creative in any way manifest their creativity in multiple ways. I guess that this quality just can't be contained!

When you are a creative person, you are not satisfied to just pursue one creative outlet - you are nourished by trying many different things.

As a member of Textures Craftworks, an artisan cooperative shop in Hamilton, I have been known as someone who has had her hand in many different things - I started out making jewelry from seeds, beans, tree bark, and all manner of other cheap and handy materials. I also did a line of humourous greeting cards, had a line of painted floorcloths for a while, and created various little characters out of old corks! The flying nuns and little Elvis-es seemed to be most popular. I used to work in the hotel industry, and I had people for miles around saving their corks for me, so I still have a large drawer full of those. I also created creatures from dried gourds, such as penguins, chickens, and cats.

I have also dabbled in needlework (needlepoint, crewel embroidery, etc.), taught myself to knit and crochet, and have done sewing, but that is one area I have never been drawn to. Must be why I no longer work in Theatre doing wardrobe! And speaking of Theatre, I started my professional career as a special effects makeup artist.

I say "started my professional career" because I didn't stay there for long before moving on to other things. Have often wondered if I was a "flake" because my career took so many twists and turns, and I have done so many different things for a living. I currently work as an administrator in a university P.R. office, and I think I have finally found somewhere I can stay for a while. Although the main part of the job is routine, there are so many variables each day that you never know what you will be asked next, and this seems to suite my creative bent.

Over the years I think I have come to realize that the creative person - and I do consider myself that - needs to keep exploring new vistas, and changing things up to keep life interesting. Whether it is in my "day job" or in my "creative life", I now know I have to keep exploring new outlets. Just not sewing.

All the creative things I used to do at Textures 10 years ago when I became a member of the group have since fallen away. I have developed skill as a jewelry artisan over the last few years, and have been working more and more with traditional jewelry materials like beads, crystals and stones, and I still enjoy making jewelry.

However, I have started thinking lately that it is time to try my hand at something new again. In the last week, I have put my brushes to canvas and have finally started filling in the big blank canvas that has been parked over my couch for the last year. Who knows where this may lead? Just not to sewing...

2 comments:

Gloria Hildebrandt said...

Interesting to read about your creative spirit. That's something I appreciate in others and want to celebrate in our magazine, Escarpment Views. Perhaps we can do something together in future!

Sandra R. - Member artisan said...

It's always encouraging to be appreciated! Thanks for the feedback, and I would be happy to contribute wherever possible!