Free Play

"Joyous Struggle"  24x38" 

"The artist's life cannot be otherwise than full of conflicts, for two forces are at war within him--on the one hand the common human longing for happiness, satisfaction and security in life, and on the other a ruthless passion for creation which may go so far as to override every personal desire...There are hardly any exceptions to the rule that a person must pay dearly for the divine gift of creative fire."  Carl Jung

Now that is a statement that will rock your creative world!  Is it any wonder so many wonderfully talented creative souls go through such torment trying to make a living in some job or another while their hearts cry out for meaning, purpose and creative expression.  This has been the topic of discussion with my sister, Kellie and I since she found herself unexpectedly unemployed and bringing to the forefront this conflict between needing work but desperately wanting creative expression.  It's a battle many are or have faced, can I make a living with my art form and if not then what kind of work would allow me the emotional, mental energy after the work day is over to create?  Sadly, this is a question that has no easy answers in this day and age.  I watch my younger sisters, under so much stress, often trying to do 2-3 peoples work load in one have nothing left over for the things that they love, that feed their souls, that make life worth living.  It's a hell of a thing.

24x36 still in progress

Rice has written about this a number of time on her own blog in her books,  and at Create Mixed Media.  So have numerous others who faced down this same challenge and make some dramatic life alterations.  Books have been written, discussions abound, but the long and short of it is, there are no easy answers for the creative heart.

"In the creative life we pass through at least three stages: innocence or discovery, experience or the fall, and integration or rejuvenation or mastery. Birth, blockage, and breakthrough.  In our original state of innocence, creativity evolved out of the child's primary creative experience of disappearing--pure absorption in free play.  But eventually we experience life's battle, the long list of evils that seem to come intrinsically woven into our existence on earth, as well as internal impedimenta of fear of judgment. Sometimes before we can reach a breakthrough to clarity we live through a dark night of the soul..." Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch

The ability and longing for creative expression is a high power gift.  It has great value to the individual and to our world.  It has to, otherwise why would unseen forces work so hard to crush and possibly obliterate it from our lives?  So fight the good fight my creative friends, nourish your spirit and find room in your life somehow to release your gift to the world.