Photos by Olivia Bauso
We don’t have to be master artists to live creative lives, we simply have to explore our imaginations and take the time to invent, discover, and dream. September 14th has been dubbed national #LiveCreativeDay and in honor of this, we've asked a few of our teachers to share what living creatively means to them.
Lauren Harrison (Flower City Bitties)
"Living creatively... To me, this means thinking beyond the ordinary and letting your mind explore the world around you. As crafter, this means seeing mundane or simple objects and transforming them into beautiful pieces of home decor or organization. It means taking risks and using materials in unexpected ways. Recently I saw an old medicine cabinet on the side of the road. My husband was confused, as we don’t need a medicine cabinet. I explained that this salvaged treasure was going to transform into our next coffee table. This is what living creatively is, in my world."
Corinne Fallone (CAF Creations)
"Living creatively is a like riding a roller-coaster. There are highs, lows, twists, turns and lots of bumps along the way. For me, living creatively is about doing what I love and inspiring others to do the same. I take so much pride in sharing my heart on canvas and improving my techniques every chance I get.
My favorite part of my creative process is when my intuition takes control. There’s a rare, beautiful moment that happens when I paint where my inner critic goes away and my paint brush steals the show. When I paint, I completely zone into the canvas and lose myself in my work. It’s such a fulfilling feeling. I love living creatively because it opens the hearts of those who are hardened. Art evokes emotion, unites our community and brightens our world. I'm proud to be a Rochester artist, teacher and motivator who makes the world a little happier one painting at a time."
Rachael Gootnick (Just Terrific)
"Living creatively means being constantly inspired by the world around us. It's having the ability to see life as art, and to witness the way the world presents its beauty to us. I celebrate creativity everyday; to me, it’s a lifestyle, a profession, and a passion. Living a creative life allows my mind and my heart to be open and ready to accept the inspiration of the every day. Understanding that the simplest and smallest parts our world are also the most beautiful, is essential to living a creative life. Translating the daily inspiration into a physical form, like a miniature book, is one example of how my life is guided by my creativity."
Sara Gotowka (Luna Fiber Studio)
"What does living creatively look like in my life? Cooking a make-shift tight-budget meal with friends, cultivating succulent babies from a broken jade limb, making a mix-tape for my bestie when she’s going through a break-up, building a shelf extension when you can’t afford to rent a bigger space, braiding my boyfriend’s hair, organizing paperwork with colorful post-it notes, growing tomatoes in my back yard, cutting and arranging wild flowers from the side of the road. Creativity thrives with limited resources. Art knows no boundaries. You can find opportunity amongst challenges. You can find beauty in the mundane."
Courtney Craig (Courtney Craig Textiles)
"Living creatively for me is all about the things for which I surround myself. The people and places that I gravitate toward are typically the ones that inspire me to work creatively and enjoy life to the fullest. The hours spent working with and learning from innovative makers & designers that I'm fortunate enough to work with every day; my inspirational friends; the use of different textures; and a multitude of mediums afford me the opportunity to continuously grow creatively. One of my favorite quotes that keeps me centered is, 'You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside.' For me, this quote embodies how I choose to live my life and, in turn, the process in which my creative works come to fruition."
Brandon Kelloway
"As an individual who brings creativity into everything I do, living creatively really comes down to finding solutions. Every aspect of creativity is motivated by the desire, determination, and vitality that comes with finding the perfect solution for something. It could be something as simple as organizing my work space, or something as substantial as maximizing profits for a client. Regardless of the circumstances, creativity isn’t necessarily what I do, it’s the mantra by which I live—the underlying process that unfolds when I make decisions, tackle challenges, and engage with people in my life. Creativity is the way I think and how I commune with the world around me."
Share with us how you live creatively by using #LiveCreativeDay and tagging @rocbrainery on Twitter and Instagram. We'll be going live with some of our teachers throughout the day on 9/14 as they get creative- LIVE!