Make Good Art...where "Good" = For the Sheer Joy of It

Hello beautiful people...

This episode comes to you from me and my Special Guest contributor, my ancient bunny, Oscar!

If you listen closely, you might hear little clattering sounds in the background. This is Oscar sharing his own special creative magick which consists of skipping about and running circles around my feet to manifest his tribute of blueberries.

In my supporting role as co-contributor, I'm exploring my experience of feeling inspired to draw recently and to share my raw creativity with a dear friend. Whilst I am far from a gifted artist, there are times when the urge to mark the page feels strong and flows freely...and there are also times when the shadow critic inside cracks a binding tone of anxiety that tells me what I create, and the creative spirit that springs from my inner wild nature, are both rubbish.

The struggle with the inner critic is one that I see and hear often in my therapy practice and work with creative people.

It is often whispered by women who have listened for too many years to it tell them their dreams don't count and that only the needs of others, or work, or responsibilities, or [insert next here..] matter.

Perhaps you have heard this voice yourself.

Perhaps there have been times when you have paid heed to its suggestions that what you create isn't good enough.

Perhaps you have also told it to get lost and created anyway!

That takes huge courage.

I wonder whether you know that about yourself.

Today, Oscar and I share with you the wise words of one of my favourite authors, Neil Gaiman, from his 2012 Graduation Address at the University of the Arts London (which I mistakenly refer to as the London Art School...frightfully sorry about that). He says, amongst many excellent things: "Make great art".

To this, I would add: where 'great' means 'for the sheer joy of it'

It's a truly delightful speech and well worth the first - or even umpteenth - listen whenever you feel that what you create sucks and what you want to feel is that who you are is utterly good enough.

With much joy and love,

Melinda and Oscar