111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 17: Creating art through writing
We create. We move. We inspire. We are artists!
Through my time participating in writing groups, I’ve noticed that many newbie writers start off with, “I’m not a writer, but…” then proceed in sharing with us material that disapproves their original claim. If you write, you are a writer. If you create art, you are an artist. I consider myself a “Creative Writer” because I seek to stress the creativity aspect. I create stories, characters, and prose through screenwriting, playwriting, and novels.
Our choice of words and their arrangement may not appear in any art gallery, but writers are artists all the same. We paint scenes, sculpt characters, and create worlds just as our fine art counterparts. Yet, how many of us consider writers as artists? Does the general public? Do we, the content creators, bestow that label upon ourselves? I proudly wear the “Writer” sash but top it off with the “Artistic Spirit” crown. (I’d absolutely wear those, by the way, if such a thing existed!)
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 95 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
Kelly Deeny 