Creative Arts

Given that my reputation around here is as a photographer/singer/writing/web princess one might draw from such thoughts, a conclusion that I’m reasonably creative.  You may also draw this same conclusion, given my tendencies towards introspection, reflection, my messy room, my sensitivity to my environment, especially when it’s loud or busy, and/or my need to process my world by writing about it rather than talking about it or expressing it in some other physical fashion.

However, you may be surprised that creative was never a description I gave myself.

I thought I may be able to swing a knock-off of someone else’s work, a cross stitch where   I merely fleshed out someone else’s picture, or arranged someone else’s music for the voices I want to hear.  Interested in artistic pursuits.  But not creative.

Things change.  I no longer consider myself to not be creative.  I may even have lost a real coherent definition for such a thing in the mists of time.  But the thing I do know is that in the last 10 years I’ve become a lot truer to the person I am, creative OR technical, and I have a lot of appreciation for for artistic pursuits.

I blame this place.

Actually, it’s more than the place, it’s the people in it.  But basically, at SCA is where I learned the craft of singing, the life of Christian service and what it is to be a creative person in post modern culture AND in Christian circles.  This is something I can’t really explain to a basically non-church type audience… so let’s just leave that at that… and perhaps permit me to make my point.

SCA, its fearless leaders, the students, and the environment has been instrumental in releasing me to a) be me and b) to accept me.

I’m thinking about these things for 2 reasons.

One; In answer to Fi’s question as to why I was wearing my 2006 bridesmaid dress when I posted last night, it is the most gorgeous outfit I own and I had worn it to SCA’s inaugural, rather flash, fund-raiser event.  Had to look glam, girls… and, ooh, I totally did.  I wore my favourite shoes (which, incidentally, 24hours later, I’m still reaping the consequences of… toes hurt much?) and had a worthy number of positive comments.  It was so great to go and acknowledge the past work SCA has done and to look forward to the future; an alumni of great people committed also in artistic endeavour and to building a great, ongoing, resource where people learn great craft and skill but also great life.  I’m really proud to be a graduate in Arts study but also of this school.

Two; Because I’ve been doing a personal development course, one that takes a bit of a look at your ‘issues’ and helps to un-kink some of one’s unnatural responses to life, the universe and everything.  A week or two back we were asked to think about and discuss a person who had reflected to us feelings of value, acceptance and belonging.  This is significant for me because in my early years these things were rather lacking in my little corner of the world.  Not lacking because of any absence of love, but more from a parental ignorance of what their tender creative babe needed…  Anyway, a positive example of this kind of encouragement was sought by the facilitator and the first and most significant person who came to mind was Crabman (who has been featured before here 1 2). 

I don’t think we should underestimate our power to bring a person to life.  Without even being aware sometimes just the simplest things can answer some need in a person.  A kind word, a hug, acceptance.  I needed these things, and while I find them in my family, for sure, the balm for my need of a community that had space in it for me, just as I was, was applied by Crabman and this awesome school.

I hope that all of us have a teacher in our memories who lit us up in some small way, who went out of their way to make us feel valuable. 

Crabman did that for me. 

I hope, for my current and future students – I can do the same.