The Lardner Report

Unleash your creative superpowers!

When The Creative Bug Bites — Let Him

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(Pic #1) Left: Living room wall yesterday. (Pic #2) Right: Living room wall today. Amazon box series.

It’s called answering the “artistic need.”

It came through like a brain-bending tornado. And I don’t know why it hit exactly when it did. I had been immersed launching a new small business this week, and felt a bit choked by the complexities of our tech and marketing tasks. I had promised my art partner that I’d stay focused on our business, and try to meet the deadlines in front of us. I felt the pressure and knew that at any minute the dam could break.

Suddenly, I felt sucked into a dizzying vortex. I became defiant, practically childlike in my need to express myself — NOW. It went beyond urge — it felt more like panic. If I didn’t start making art — in some form — I would blow. F**K my promise — I had to make something.

(Pic #3) Detail, Amazon box wall sculpture.

So I ran to the trash and rescued a load of Amazon boxes. I started ripping (therapeutic on its own) and then with absolutely no plan in mind, started squirting and splashing paint all over them. It felt so fantastic, I ripped more and splashed more. Pretty soon I had a multi-level cardboard structure in the house, (Pic #2) and while flimsy, it satisfied me completely. I know it’s not great art. But, as I share in my creativity workshops, that is 100-percent irrelevant. What matters is that I got to answer the call. I soothed a part of my soul and remarkably, came back the next day stronger than ever in my pressing work.

Many studies show that it is critical for human beings to create. The benefits of making art (in any form) are infinite. Art can: 1) Boost our brain function and our immune systems. 2) Improve our mental and emotional health, and 3) Help us process trauma, express difficult feelings, and work through stressful experiences. Case in point: During this year’s pandemic, sales of art and craft supplies jumped by over 200-percent.

It’s a basic human need, and one we should never ignore. Today, I had one of the most productive days I’ve ever had — and I know allowing art back into my routine enriched the hell out of everything else.

 

 

Isolation = Artistic Opportunity

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I parked myself in the middle of our overgrown garden and just started sketching.

Get creative and watch your life bloom.

What a week. Separation from friends and family. Work halted. Eateries closed. Theaters dark. Gyms shuttered. And worse — no accessible Godiva Chocolate.

Kidding aside, I’ve heard from friends — especially those who live alone — that this kind of quarantine is threatening their mental health and sense of social inclusion. In short: many are anxious, panicked, lonely and sad. Science backs this up, as the second week of Coronavirus challenges our bodies and our brains. The CDC says extended isolation can lead to stress, insomnia, depression and even hallucination.

One solution? Make art.

Take 10 minutes. Grab a pencil, your kids’ crayons, or a felt tip marker. Smash a cardboard box, and make it your canvas. The supplies don’t matter. The exercise is about relieving you — even for a few minutes — of the fear that exacerbates our anxiety.

Try making marks, slopping paint, or ripping paper. See if you don’t feel a sense of joy — even accomplishment — in the middle of a tense day.

Sit yourself down in your garden — or if inside, in front of a window — and spot something that speaks to you in some way. See it, put it down on paper, and leave your self-criticism somewhere else. It’s not about the product — it’s about the process. If you totally let go— and just create — you just might find this to be an inspiring daily exercise.

For me, the beauty is truly being in the moment. When we stop, sit, and just draw — we get to make something from nothing. By doing that, we birth an idea and see it emerge from a blank page. Whether we keep the end product or not is irrelevant. It’s making it that matters.

How does creative expression reduce stress? Experts say typically artistic work requires focus, and this prevents us from being preoccupied with our uncertainty. In this way, creativity acts much in the same way as meditation.

To express an artistic vision you don’t need special supplies, you don’t need training, you don’t even need skill. You really only need two things: the desire, and the time. A global pandemic just handed you the time.
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