I don’t know what the Merriam-Webster definition of being ‘A Creative’ is. I’m going to define it by what my gut tells me because that’s how creative people do things.
What is a Creative
Being a creative means that you have an artistic side and like to create artistic things. Artistic things can go in so many different directions; from music to poetry to graphic design to landscape design.
I could never touch on how many different types of creative people there are.
Creatives often have a side that connects with emotion. I wouldn’t be surprised if many creatives have an empathic nature.
Empaths can ‘feel’ emotion in anything; from a bird flying by to a hostile person honking in traffic.
The sad part of being an empath, and possibly a creative, is that emotions are felt on a much deeper level.
I don’t think all creatives are empathic, however, I believe many are.
Another part of being a creative is wanting what you create to be perfect. It’s not done until it’s perfect. There is always room for improvement. Especially if you are a creative.
I constantly see ways to improve things I created. Can the bed lines flow a little better? What if I use a plant that blooms later in the year? How can I hide that outlet?
These little tweaks are what make or break a landscape.
When I think of perfection I think of the Sistine Chapel. Did Michelangelo need to take it that far? As a creative, I know he had to.
Working on the sound of the band
Trying to get the music right.
-Eric Clapton “Pretending”
The sad truth is perfection doesn’t exist. However, that doesn’t keep a creative from trying to achieve it.
The Downside to Being a Creative
I can’t turn it off. I am always analyzing the best way to do things.
When on vacation I observe the way plantings are arranged in the hope of learning something new.
When I see landscape contractors doing jobs I notice how they prepare the beds and which plants they are using.
I love walking around arboretums. They are one of the few places you can see how plants look after much time has passed.
The Upside to Being a Creative
There are two moments I find extremely fulfilling.
The first is the final day of a project. When all of the decisions have been made and I look at my art and know that it was all worth it.
The changes to the bedlines look magnificent, the paving material was just the right choice, the stepping stones are placed to provide access while feeling natural.
I get a rush on the final day of a project for another reason. I see the appreciation on my client’s face and nothing makes me happier.
The second time I get a rush is when I return to a landscape after a week, a month, a year, or more and I’m taking it in. All of the details I’ve worked through can be appreciated.
The Ugly Side to Being a Creative
Burnout.
That’s where I am now.
It stinks.
I’ve been working through a problem for months. It has nothing to do with being creative but it’s affecting my creativity.
I’m tapped out.
My intuition has been seeking a solution to a problem greater than a bed line or plant selection. A problem for which there is no answer.
Hopefully, I’ll reach acceptance and start to move forward.
There are plenty of sunny days coming.
This too shall pass.
I wrote this post a while ago. Today I’m posting it so others know they’re not alone.
Comments
6 responses to “What It’s Like to Be a Creative”
Hi John, so sorry you seem unable to resolve your situation. My experience is that I must remember that God is in control and He is always the one who can take my mind and heart to the correct decision. Sometimes when we cannot decide, it may be that there is no “right or wrong” decision; it is simply a choice of our own preference. Hope you soon find peace.
Thanks, Judianni. I’m still working through this and beginning to find clarity. I like your concept of no “right or wrong” decision. That is what I am coming to terms with. Thank you for listening.
John, I could have written a lot of what you did, I am never happy until my maintenance looks perfect, because that is what I mostly do. When asked to do a landscape plan I pretty much panic, doubt my skills because I do it so seldom, but quiz the client extensively and usually come up with a plan they are excited about. I am much better at correcting and enhancing what other ‘landscapers’ have done. I do start each day with prayer probably like Judianni, even when it comes to landscape maintenance, mostly pruning. One line in a longer prayer, “I ask You today to go before me, to be my guide should situations make me decide what to do.” That prayer has even changed which client I go to first, which has caused me to be in the right place at the right time to be a help to an elderly client. So say a prayer and trust your instincts. From pictures of your work I have seen you have an excellent eye, and right on instincts. Perfectionists always question themselves; it is a curse to bear but lessened with prayer.
That was very inspiring Kay. I like that line of the prayer asking for guidance in deciding what to do. I believe, in our hearts, we know what to do. Sometimes it takes strength to act. It amazes me how well the day goes when I listen to gut/intuition, and how poorly it goes when I let someone else decide how I should do things or effect the course I have chosen. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for this post, John. I think there’s serendipity going on because I’m currently going through a book called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron with 3 other friends which is about unblocking one’s creative energy. We meet via Zoom at the end of each week to chat about our experience with it. I’ve been blown away at how powerful and revelatory it can be just after a few weeks. It’s like the ground of myself is shifting and opening up, light being shone in areas that have been covered over by shadow and stagnating energy for a long time. At the 3rd week you sent the post with the winter photographs and I thought that was amazing since my focus is on seeing artful views in pretty much everything, especially nature. Now this post. More shifting ground, inspiration, and even greater understanding. Isn’t life a marvel?
Yes Karen, life is a marvel. The more we focus on that the more we can get what’s inside us out.
One thing I’ve learned over time is not sharing ideas or concepts with people who aren’t going to understand or are generally negative in the first place. Posts like this one I don’t share with others, most don’t know this side of me. When I’m being ‘a creative’ I do my best to shut out the world and only listen to what comes from inside. With landscapes, I listen to my client’s needs and wants and interpret them. When blogging, I listen to my gut and put into words what I’m trying to express. For what it’s worth this was a very difficult article to write and post. Vulnerability and self-disclosure blah, blah, blah.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.