The One Thing Creatives Need...Space

“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”
― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

Perhaps it was the way Professor G. shut the door on me when I ventured to knock and seek advice in reference to grades that seemed to be gliding across a thin sheet of ice.  Or the way she allowed all of us to just squirm for the remainder of our assigned two minutes if we could not fill up the whole time with our Virginia Woolf insights.  In fact, it might be the way during one of those moments in class that I fancied myself witty the day Professor G. repeated a word I used out loud luring me to repeat it again.  At that point, she got up from her seat and in front of the other students, wrote the word down on the blackboard only to highlight the fact that it was not a word and therefore not welcome that day in class.   That particular day was within one of my spring semesters at Trinity College, yet the room felt like it was about 100 degrees in the middle of August.

All of these incidents may in fact be the reason why I loathed Virginia Woolf and did just enough to complete the assignments of that miserable class.  However, over the years, I've noticed fragments of what I read of Virginia Woolf's life and literature kicking around like specs of shiny glitter encouraging a level of curiosity.  A Room of One's Own and the importance of Woolf's insights in regards to nurturing artistry (specifically among women) is something that I can't deny as one who lives to create.  

The concept of having the physical space to create is one that has become increasingly important to me but arguably it is something that is key to all creatives who wish to live at all.  Think about it for a moment:

• How does current space or environment contribute to your detract from what and/or how you create?
• Imagine that you were able to have your own space if you don't already (regardless of exact size), how would it change the way you arrive at the want or need to create (either artistically, professionally, in the world, etc.)? 

Perhaps your space is a studio, a room, an apartment, or an office.  I have had different arrangements of some of these things and I noticed that whether it was a room, office, or my own apartment, the space acted as a cocoon that fed the creating.  Whether it was writing a poem, dancing, or attempts to nurture new ideas for various professional endeavors, the space played a key role in allowing creative growth.  For example, I have noticed the difficulty in producing intimate written work in the realm  of the random public versus forming the words with ease within a consciously created environment.

Thus, some of Woolf's writings did serve me well, but I would make a slight adjustment to the opening quote, “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”  I would say that in order for an individual to create anything, they must have a space of their own.

What are you doing to feed your wild, creative self?

Each moment and each  day is an opportunity to taste your wild self through your creative life.  What are you doing today,

Right now,
to free your wild,
creative
self?

To Boldly Go....What We Can Learn from Leonard Nimoy

Leading a creative live is fulfilling but there is a small price to pay.  The reality is that everyone around you may not understand all of the creative lives you currently lead or will ever lead.  Actually, I can promise you that this will be the case. 

"Being known in one area of the arts and wanting to move into another is complicated. In a certain way, you get attention because of who you are, but you also get a certain amount of resistance."

Leonard Nimoy in a 2004 interview with The Republican

 

Leonard Nimoy, famously known as Dr. Spock on the original series Star Trek is a perfect example.  Shortly after his death, there were many quotes, articles and commentary that exploded all over the internet and of course on social media.  Many posts with the comments, "I did not know Nimoy was a photographer." 

 

 Nimoy wasn't just any photographer, but one with great depth adding another dimension to our perception of the human form through his artistic endeavors.  As I saw some of the comments I even recalled out loud to myself,  "Oh yes, that's right, he was a photographer, I missed his exhibit that was held in Northampton.  What a life!"  Yet images of my childhood filled with remembrances of Dr. Spock easily flooded my brain.  Nimoy commented on the complications of moving from one art form to another and some of the constraints within that, especially from the public who may place you in one role.

Some of us may never be a character such as Dr. Spock or be bold enough to explore various fields of talent like Nimoy did.  However, his existence is encouragement to not only explore and adventure, but to be different creative and artistic selves regardless of the box that many may create for you.  Think about all of the different imaginings that family, friends, partners, lovers, and most around you may envision your creative life different than what you see or live?  Or can you recall a time when you shared information about a favorite hobby or a passion, and someone who thought they "knew" you was surprised and/or continued to only remember you within the narrow space that they carved crafted for you?

Here is my point and what I want all of us to draw from how Leonard Nimoy lived--be audacious and and don't feel compelled to just be or choose one thing in your professional or creative life.  Cultivate many selves in our life as opposed to forcing the premature death of your other selves (creative, professional or otherwise).  

Approach your creative life and passions with a wild adventurous spirit regardless of whether or not others around you will understand it.  And if you decide to place that creative exploratory upon a shelf in the mythical land of someday, just make sure it is not because the life of that passion imposes upon someone else's vision for you.