Where Does Your Creativity Come From?

I’ve been writing, drawing, and playing musical instruments since I was a kid. It’s just something I’ve done. I never thought much about the why, other than I had a need to be creative. It’s simply something I do.

But recently someone asked me where my creativity came from. Were my mother for father creative? Were there any other artists in the family? I had to think about that for a few moments because I hadn’t thought about it before. I really don’t know about my biological mother – she died when I was very young – but my father didn’t have much inclination to be creative. He was into sports and not much else.

My step-mother, however, is creative. She’s done quite a bit of painting over the years. I have a handful of her paintings in my home. I also had an uncle who was a damn fine woodworker. But that seems to be about the extent of it. No full-time artists in the family, but a few who did creative things as a hobby.

So where does mine come from?

I think it was something that I sort of fell into by necessity. I spent a lot of time by myself as a kid. Alone time meant that I had to rely on my imagination to keep myself entertained. I’ve never been much of a television watcher. Going to the movies is expensive. My outlet has always been reading, both books and comics. Those were the mainstays of my life growing up, so I guess it’s safe to say that my creativity spawned from the things I immersed myself in.

I spent hours listening to music and reading, so eventually I began to write things on my own, play around with guitars and keyboards. Eventually, I began to develop some skill which, in turn, became a passion for me. Writing took the lead and I’ve never questioned where it’s lead me.

Do you ever think about this, about where your creativity comes from? Was is natural, something you inherited, or were you like me and developed your skills over time?

I’m curious about what other artists think about this subject. If you would, let me know your thoughts. Leave a comment below, send me a note via the contact form, or catch me on social media.

RB