Art is more to me than a paintbrush touching a piece of paper or a canvas. It starts from within. It starts with something, for me usually a feeling that you just need to get out. This feeling can at times be very hard to define, but I believe the common denominator always is the wish to touch someone’s heart, to speak to their inner core without uttering a word. Art can do just that. It speaks across borders, gender, race and religion.
The world often wants to teach that being creative should encompass all these rules and regulations and a certain way to go about things. My feeling is that some of the joy of creating has been taken away in doing so. And it doesn’t gel very well with my outlook on art. Art should be fun. It should make you let go, dream and fantasize about greater things or just make you be in the moment. It should move you in some way, stir up what’s been hidden within, but it should never make you feel as if you’re not good enough. I am not saying that art schools and so on aren’t any good, I’m saying that they’re not for everybody.
Do you have a wish of being more creative? Perhaps you have doubts that you aren’t good enough. I say you should go for it regardless of any self-doubt! Just try and sit down and start creating. Don’t focus on the end result, focus on the joy you get of being in the moment and creating something. Try to be in that moment and revel in it. Focus on how certain colors draw your attention and start with those. You’d be surprised what can happen when you just let go of all those “musts and shoulds.”
In my own work, when I truly let go without expectations on the outcome, this is when I truly flourish. It’s better than any therapy-session out there and it brings a sense of now to me. A feeling I can usually struggle with finding in everyday life, since my brain loves to think about a thousand things at the same time and what I should and shouldn’t do and what I can and what I can’t do. But when I create I’m just me, without any boundaries and above all I’m not confined into a box of shoulds and should nots. In short – I’m free.
I’m certain that we all have some form of creativity that wants to come out and play. So whether or not it’s arranging flowers, programming computers, painting or writing – just go for it! Drop all these doubts you might have, it’s time to listen to your heart – and believe me – your heart is screaming at you, you can do this! And I am too! You CAN do this.
With a wish that I might have woken up that little creative genius in you that has just been taking a nap.
Love, Ida
Now that you know all about how you could start being creative, I would love to share with you my personal way of creating art. I’ve selected a few artworks that I hope could inspire or move you in some way.
Since I often get a message that comes to mind when I’ve painted, I decided to share these ones exclusively with all you Harness readers.
“A Mind Full of Flowers”
“Don’t be afraid to love with every little corner of your heart. What you give, you’ll get a hundred times or more in return. It just might not come in the form you are wishing for. Embrace it regardless its shape or form. Love is beautiful.”
In this painting I had painted a beautiful background that I was really happy with (doesn’t happen very often). But when I continued on painting, something felt off. I then decided to follow my gut and paint the background black (even though I put a lot of effort in this background). Then the flowers were added.
I really enjoyed the end result, even though it wasn’t remotely what I had planned or thought. What I want to say with this, to myself as much as to you, is that it is ok to change your mind in the middle of something and choose an entirely new path to go down. Especially so if your gut tells you that something is off or that you should be doing something else instead. Just go for it! Don’t mind those feelings of fear, or worry about what others might say or think. Life is too short. You do you and let others mind their own business. A little leap of faith can make for a quite beautiful destination. You just have to have faith.
“Serenity now”
“Giving yourself the gift of being in the moment is the best gift you can give yourself. When you prioritize yourself and take care of yourself you’ll be able to be the best version of you and thereby giving more of yourself to others. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself, it’s self-preservation. Be in the moment. Breathe. Love yourself. There’s only one You and You are important.”
“Longing”
“To let go, to ask for help, to reach for change – these are all actions that require strength. They may hurt, but you are stronger for acting on it. The silver lining is almost there. Be true to yourself and know when you need to act on your feelings, be the powerful person you are and all will come together.”
Author: Ida Neckfors
Email: [email protected]
Author Bio: Ida is in her 30’s, living in Sweden with her husband and two small children and is currently on parental leave. She started painting during her teenage years as a way of coping with traumas in her life and then discovered that it was a fantastic way of dealing with anxiety and working through emotions. Her passions in life are all things creative and she loves to sing, paint and experiment in the kitchen. Her curiosity has taken her through several different areas of education, ranging from a College education in music where she studied in London, UK, to Public Health on her home turf in southern Sweden. In between it’s been everything from acting, pottery, languages and people to a whole lot of odd jobs here and there. The interest for people and helping them got sparked at a young age. So now the plan is to combine her passions of creating and helping people and start a new business in the future that is focused on both. Apart from selling art with soulful messages, she intends to offer classes in “Healing art” or “Creating from within”. Participants will get an experience in how you can create from within, from your heart and from your inner self and techniques in how you can access this loving place you have deep inside.
She encourages that we all find our own creativity, since the power it possesses can be astonishing. For more of her artwork you can follow her on Instagram @creating.by.light
Link to social media or website: https://www.instagram.com/creating.by.light/
