Creative Flow, as most artists know, can either pour forth or slow to a trickle. I find that I am most artistic when my creative flow runs at a steady stream. Staying tapped into that flow is the obstacle. Getting older has taught me to be more sensitive to what inspires my creative whimsy and equally what drains it. I grew up with a very creative mother. I danced my entire life which was one source of creative energy. Before moving to Florida, I owned a dance school in which I taught others how to express themselves creatively through movement. I have been guilty of letting everyday life get the best of me and robbing me of my creative energy. Reflections of childhood always get the creativity flowing. I grew up with the sound of my mom's sewing machine humming at the table, a steady supply of hot glue sticks, and many weekends alongside my mom at the fabric store. If my mom wanted something and couldn't find it, she'd simply make it. I grew up with creative sources through the women who influenced me and the diversity of a big city exploding with museums, art festivals, quilt shops, and bakeries galore. But now, I am almost fine tuned into what specifically gets my creativity flowing; first and mostly, the BEACH. The beach is a sure fire way to get me going----Maybe it is the mental escape, the rush to the senses that leaves me feeling refreshed and focused. Secondly, childhood memories, a charming boutique, vintage craft books, and my daughter....always my daughter. She is my sweet curly-headed muse. This summer, I plan to let the creativity flow even if it means letting the laundry pile up or the shelves grow a bit dusty. I am putting the artist and the writer within me first!
----Sealed with a Kiss, Kirsten
S.W.A.K.
