Art*ful*ly Made

 

What is Artfully Made? 

art.ful.ly: 

1. In a way that is clever or skillful and also cunning;

2. in a manner that shows creative skill or taste. 

 

i've always wanted a space that harnesses and fosters a community for creativity. Where we can share a love of creating, whether it's painting, crafts, podcasts, writing, photography, videography or something in between. We can learn, we can create without judgement, but also improve in our craft. 

 

I believe we all have something creative inside each of us. 

 

God is a creative God. He created everything in this world, everything around us, from the sky and ocean to the trees and animals. and us. He created us. He is the OG content creator, you could say.

I asked Chat GPT what it means to be a creative: 

curiosity + openness; 

embrace failure as learning;

persistence + resilience; 

critical thinking; 

problem-solving;

effective communication;

seek inspiration; 

practice and experiment; and 

learn from others

how can you be creative? 

broaden your endeavors; 

generate new ideas; 

listen to understand; 

embrace boredom;

exercise; 

make time for play; and

travel

but, something i've also learned, or have been reminded of recently, is that creating should be fun. yes, there are still deadlines and assignments to turn in with creative fields, but it's a chance to think outside the box. creative fields give a chance to think in color, rather than black and white, like accounting or financials. we can try things are different, a little out there, and still be authentic, real and honest to ourselves and everyone else. 

as a perfectionist, i've always had a hard time feeling like anything i do is ever enough. i can imagine a lot of people who are in the creative realm, struggle with that. because how do you measure whether a book is good or what makes a great song? your least favorite film could be someone else's biggest inspiration. art is subjective, it would seem. yet, we often chase the impossible and unattainable level of achievement or success in our minds. 

there is an art to the imperfection of our art. 

we're human, we don't have all the answers. we are each given special giftings, to share with others. to inspire, to talk about our passions and help others find theirs. 

so, this is the beginning of a beautiful creative journey. 

-Shelby