Why ceasing to be creative is a mistake

a post by Matt Davis for the Big Think blog

Even drawing stick figures has its benefits.

• Many of us stop making art at a young age, convinced, perhaps, that we just don't have the talent for it.
• This belief, however, may be wrong, and the benefits that producing art can bring aren't contingent on talent.
• Is creating art an activity that all of us should pursue? Can artistic skill be taught?

When we think of life skills, we usually think of things like learning to cook, becoming financially literate, learning to de-escalate conflict, or cultivating our emotional intelligence. We don't typically think of becoming better artists as a life skill. Indeed, artistic talent is seen as something innate — "Some people are artists, and some people are not."

However, for those of us who profess to have no artistic talent whatsoever, it may be that cultivating this skill is even more important than for those who have, allegedly, "innate" artistic talent. So, is creating art a life skill? What kind of benefits can it bring? And, crucially, can it be taught, or is the act of creating something limited only to the lucky few?

Continue reading

---