Creativity, Processed

Learned Color Spectacular 2022 #4

As I write this, I'm a few hours past my 47th birthday. People deal with birthdays in different ways. For some it's a celebration of time well spent, for others they're merely a way of measuring out their time on this earth. For me, it's usually a reminder that I haven't done enough, seen enough, been enough and that by this point, I've got fewer chances in front of me than I do victories behind me. So birthdays tend to be a day of self-reflection¹ for me.

I am, of course, a Leo, which is the only astrological sign worth having. This image is from an 1824 collection of zodiac cards known as Urania’s Mirror. Each card had holes punched in it so the stars could be seen through it. Downloaded from Public Domain Review.

This year, the week's leading into my birthday saw the convergence of three ideas related to creativity and personal artistic expression: when practicing creativity, is it better to try the same thing over and over until perfection (of expression) is achieved or is novelty truly the only way to stave off the darkness? And then, why is it important to be creative in the first place and what sort of things count as creative? Finally, the artistic process is a deeply personal one, but also one worth reflecting on publicly, if for no other reason that to bear witness to all the different ways there are to be in the world.