SO, WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT BEING CREATIVE?
a. Learning about God’s creation is inherent in
art activities. I believe God wants us
to be creative and has given us the potential to progressively become more like
Him. He created us for His pleasure, and we can create for ours and His.
Attention to detail may lead us to become more intimate with nature through
drawing, gardening, writing, etc., and to appreciate more the unsurpassed
greatness of our Creator.
b. Being creative
adds “spice” and excitement to existence. As the writer of Ecclesiastes so
eloquently expressed, life can be mundane and feel futile periodically. A person
does not have to be a professional artist to experience the thrill of creating.
c. Even small experiences in art benefit the
brain, especially valuable for children’s development. Continued experiences in
art cause continued progress. That’s what happened to me. I liked drawing as a
child, and I’m still at it, steadily improving. The creative experience of art
spills over into other areas, so that fresh neural pathways in the brain are
open, and new ideas are possible in any area of life.
d. Art experiences develop character. Patience
is a virtue difficult to learn and more difficult to teach. Art can teach us to
not give up, rework the first attempt, or start over, if we make the decision
to gain from the experience. Countless times I have reworked a painting, or
re-tried if the first attempt was unredeemable. Creativity requires
re-thinking, combining design elements into different arrangements, using
varied line quality and color. For example, using a large brush sets me free
from tiny detail too soon in a painting, and allows me to take advantage of the
spontaneity produced by the brush strokes.
e. Learning to see accurately is one of the
greatest benefits of art experiences. If we want realism, we must observe
details, edges, line directions, shapes, sizes, and colors. This requires
practice in seeing accurately to gain skill - also exercising patience. If we choose
“abstract” images, one still has to use art principles and elements skillfully.
f. Two keys are practice... patience... practice... patience. We need to practice the fine arts to learn eye-hand coordination, to follow directions, to think creatively in problem-solving,
and to make our environment interesting, stimulating, and beautiful. Patience helps us to understand that the learning process may not be instant.
g. Tests and studies have proved that the
production and study of the fine arts increase academic performance.
So, what do you think is the greatest value of art?
