Whenever someone says to me, “I’m so not creative” or “I haven’t got a creative bone in my body” as happened again recently, I wonder how that narrative first emerges in a person’s mind and why it takes such hold in the stories they tell about themselves.
In life, we all make creative choices every day, from what to wear through to how we can best navigate a difficult situation. Although my sister would say that her wardrobe is purely functional (as a busy mum, how could it not be?), we can underestimate how much creativity is deployed in our everyday lives.
The painting accompanying this post commemorates a Naval Officer’s career at sea. In creating this commissioned art, I needed to hear his story and to appreciate the story of each ship in order to do justice to that particular time and place. I painted these beautiful ships as they appeared at the time he sailed in them.
We are defined by the stories we tell about ourselves, and about the places, things and people around us. Try telling a different story about your creative choices today. At the very least, cast a glance around the spaces you inhabit and appreciate them. These spaces tell the story of a life that you have created.
Dr Megan Spiers 