Creativity is Hard.
It’s hard for me to identify with being creative. When I tell people i’m a fashion merchandising student they always come to the conclusion that I must be a unique and artistic mind oozing with thoughts akin to those of Christian Dior and Gianni Versace. Not quite. In fact, I don’t feel that way at all. I do surround myself with creatives though. I have friends in both the fashion merchandising and design programs, my roommate is an art minor, and most of my other friends are musicians. These are the people who are practically bursting at the seems with ideas and inspiration, not me.
I think when those around you are constantly ideating and expressing themselves through various mediums, it’s hard not to compare yourself. Creativity is an infinite resource, it will never run out; However, I think the tap sometimes releases only a trickle instead of a full on stream. These moments of creative drought tend to negate any past creative triumphs and leave one feeling bland and uninspired. I’m in one right now. My personal expression of creativity looks different than my friends and peers. I’m not designing and sewing beautiful garments, i’m not working with acrylic paints, and i’ve never once written a song. I express myself through what I wear, mood boards, slide decks, ideas, how I decorate my room, and overall aesthetic. The last one is the biggest for me, because how do I explain that I’m really good at curating “a vibe?” It sounds silly, even to me, and I know exactly what i’m talking about.
Best way I can describe it using the same creative energy that I described in my friends and applying it using color, visuals, tone of voice, feel, and mood. It’s like a big bowl of creative soup that I strategically pour into my assignments and day to day life making sure each bite is perfectly balanced. It may not always be tangible to others, but for me its all-encompassing. I feel it, I know it, I understand it. It’s a powerful tool, one that doesn’t restrict me to just one medium. You can see it in action right now as you’re reading this blog post. I designed this website using carefully curated colors, fonts, and photos. The layout was designed with the intention to lead you across the site. My tone of voice while writing this is intended to make you stay and lean into what i’m saying. It’s all creative!
What i’ve found is that creativity or even art does not need to be some grand opus that is easily distinguishable as being so. It’s the little things. Arranging your bookshelf, picking a font, writing an instagram caption, and queuing up a song for your morning drive: it all comes from a place of inspiration.
