make space.

many people think that "art" is only reserved for those who wear berets and whose hands are splattered with paint. those who spend hours every day in a studio with expensive tools and giant canvases. those whose inboxes are bursting at the seams with galleries beckoning them to display their masterpieces. 

but i believe we all {yes, even you} have creative gifts hidden inside. and we all have the ability to live a life of art.  

make space for creativity in your thoughts. 

your thoughts create your reality -tony robbins.

so much of the physical manifestation of art stems from the swirling of thoughts in our mind. beyond the grocery lists, appointments, phone calls, worries, and deadlines are colors and textures and words waiting to be gracefully placed on a page. we must carve out space for these lovely, creative thoughts in our minds.

a phrase that has become a mantra for me is "create before you consume." our minds can quickly become clouded with thoughts and ideas from other wonderfully creative people. (largely thanks to the internet, right?!) 

but i believe there is a special version of creativity inside of you that you don't need to hop onto pinterest to discover. this is one of the most terrifying but freeing parts of art for me. digging inside myself. not copying. but letting the inspiration come from within me. this means taking ownership of what you create-because it didn't come from another source. creating before consuming ultimately means having confidence in your own, unique creativity. it takes courage to be creative.

make space for creativity in your daily life.

did you know that even the way you plan your days can be art{ful}? that junk mail can be incorporated into a collage? and doodles are beautiful?! teresa, mastermind behind, right brain planner, has revolutionized the way i think of living a life of art. she has demonstrated that your creativity doesn't have to be compartmentalized. art doesn't have to be reserved for just an hour in the evening. in fact, what if you started making space for art in the way you put an outfit together, mixing textures and patterns and colors that feel {comforting} or {energizing} depending on your mood that day?! what if the way you arrange your lunch on the plate becomes a creative expression. and you snap a photo with your iphone accidentally while putting it into your purse, but it captures a piece of your day in the most artful way? (see below)

{my art journal was left open and i must have accidentally pressed the camera button. but i love how it turned out!}

your creativity doesn't have to be a fragmented activity, but it can be fluid and ever present throughout the day. as we make more space for creativity in our daily lives, it will inevitably emerge.

make space for creativity in your home. 

this is the most tangible way to cultivate creativity into your life. if you can't devote an entire room as a "stuido," then just start with a sacred corner. fill it with images and words that you love. start collections (sea shells are my newest love!). buy some inexpensive acrylic paints and cut out words from magazines that speak to your heart. (or just use the art supplies you already have laying around--crayola markers work just fine!)

the most important part about carving out a creative space in your home is that you don't have to go through the hassle of putting it away. this makes a huge difference in fostering an environment that is conducive to continual flow of creativity. this way, when you have fifteen minutes, ten of those aren't devoted to trying to find that paint color or canvas you put away in a closet. {i'm so grateful to have an entire room here as my creative haven.} i'll post some pictures in an upcoming post!

make space for creativity in your perspective. 

making space is all about choosing to see. andrea's outfits are just as much art to me as mandy's paintings. one way to bring creativity to your perspective is to take photos throughout your day of beautiful moments & objects. if you have the instagram ap, you can tag them like this: #thisisart #lifeasart.

start small. take some extra time to put on a fun shade of lipstick. dig through your closet and uncover a piece that you have been ignoring. and put it on display. stop and look at the sunset. set the table with placemats and all. even if you are eating alone. light more candles. go on a nature walk and challenge yourself to find three treasures along the way. buy an old book and rip out random pages and look for secret messages waiting to be discovered. {the possibilities are endless}.
    

i sincerely hope that something in this post has lit a spark inside you to make space for more creativity in your life. there is beauty and art around every corner. you have everything you need to {get started} or continue your practice of making the {space}.