I’ve been working on some art for Mindy Lacefield’s Neat Stuff E-Workshop and having sooooooooo much fun exploring my creative experiences from my childhood. Neat Stuff is an art journaling class in which Mindy is taking us on nostalgic adventures into our past. We are exploring those creative nuggets that have maybe been laying dormant for awhile and then bring that into our art.
I used to love to draw as a child. I spent hours replicating other drawings, especially the Peanuts gang. I had forgotten about this and have not drawn Snoopy for probably 30 years. I got out my journal and pens and whipped the above Peanuts characters out in about 15 minutes. It was still there. How cool is that? (I think I always loved drawing Pig Pen the most because there was so much room for error.)
Another drawing that made it’s way into my memory was Winky.
I remember painstakingly drawing these little creatures from advertisements. First, I’d trace, then I’d do my own, over and over again. It had to be perfect as the ad said that winners would get scholarships to art school. Well, I never made it in. But, at least I could draw Winky.
I don’t think I drew much creatively of my own. The images always came from elsewhere, cartoons, photos and other’s work. This made me think about my need for perfectionism and fear.
One of our writing journal prompts for Neat Stuff was “When I was little, I was never afraid to. . . ” I had trouble with this prompt. Not because I couldn’t not think of anything to write, but because I think I was afraid of everything! (maybe not afraid of climbing trees – I could use that.)
I will keep digging into “fear” later on, but my hope through some of the online art courses I’m taking, is to develop my own creative style. I don’t think I’ve discovered this yet. I know every artist takes a bit from here and a bit from here and makes it their own. No one wants to be a “copy” of another artist. I know I don’t.
We’ll see what evolves.
At least I’m in bliss when I’m trying to get there. 🙂
Shari
Islands of My Soul 
Amazing to think about what may be underlying our creative styles, i used to love making things using card and sellotape. i wondr whether ive still got the skills. haha. lovely post!
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Love the process of digging into childhood! Still a little tricky for me, but I do think there is so much there that affects my writing. I really loved this line–“This made me think about my need for perfectionism and fear.” Um, yes. Me too. There has been so much perfectionsim and fear in my life, and it’s so nice to finally see that. Love your blog!
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Being a child in the 50’s was magical. The stretch of your imagination was your only limitation.
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