Just to add to this wonderfully creative post....there is a book called THE ARTIST'S WAY by Julia Cameron--it is fantastic for finding your creative inner self, which everyone has. She is an expert "unblocker", also......

Hi LaFemme, great idea and beautiful work as usual :)

I'm at nine months now, and my artistic/creative drive hasn't really kicked in yet. I'm not too worried though because I know it's in there and will reappear when it's ready.

Here's an old work print;

Murray

wow - lots of creative people here! I'm a painter for a living, and a borderline musician (!) - I sing in a select choral group, play guitar and piano.....

I'm going to try to post a painting here (crossing fingers):


http://i51.tinypic.com/2yuacdk.jpg

Wow, how cool to see the pic posts... some real talent in here. I write and I also like to crochet.. I'm an engineer, too, ste, and there's something about the math of crocheting that really turns me on. Here's one I completed recently

I oil paint. One of my most recent is my avi picture. I quit painting when my drinking started taking off around the age of 19. I did not pick up again until about 2 years ago that was at the age of 44. I got sober when I was 35 and it took me that long to even try to paint again. But I am certainly glad I did as i had forgotten how much I enjoyed it.

I had to be downing shots a plenty when I was writing, performing and recording music. When I quit drinking it took away from my desire to play music because it no longer accompanied drinking. Not much of a big deal as the fire had burned out long before anyway. The biz has a way of dousing the flames.

Wow! Awesome guys :)

Artsoul...I've wondered what your work would look like and you took me by complete surprise...in the best way possible...Its so cool the way you paint!

Murray...just do it! Take some bad photos for warm up or something...you are so freaking talented...is your dark room finished yet? Congrats on 9 months...its like being pregnant ...lol:)

Jess...maybe you should try the Artists way for your writers block?

Nandm....your avatar is lovely...very peaceful...I'm. Glad you've gotten back into it.

I think that's part of the reason I started this. I know the drinking stole the desire to paint from me...I went from being so consumed by my art that there wasn't enough time in the day to paint to having a hard time motivating to set up a palette much less paint..then id drink while painting g and let my brushes dry out.

When I got sober I wasn't sure if it was lost for good and I wasn't even sure I cared. Now its like the old days except I'm more appreciative because I know what its like not to have it in my life.

Nancy....I meant to say "WOW!" You made that?!?!?!

I work as a creative in the film industry, have also worked as a graphic designer & cook.

I was hoping I might see a thread of this nature at some point in time. Thanks LaFemme! It's very refreshing! I love seeing the artwork, too.....very nice stuff, to say the least!

My first love by far is music! I started playing the piano at age 5 or 6, but I gradually migrated over to the guitar by the time I was 14 and never looked back. I played music full-time as a living for 20 years before obtaining my first real day job, but I continue to play on a regular basis. For the most part, I mostly play jazz and blues, but I've been known to play many other styles of music as well. Of course, playing gigs is becoming a little more difficult as I approach 60, but as long as I can continue doing it, I'll be out there!

I also enjoy painting, drawing, sketching, doodling, you name it. I'm also an architect by trade (design custom homes), so drawing comes with the territory. I don't have many photos of the art work I've done other than architectural projects, but here's a painting I did of a still-life while in college many moons ago:

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h.../Painting1.jpg

I can't really say that drinking has had any kind of a profound impact one way or the other in terms of creativity over the years, but I think that I can safely say that the lousy economy in recent years has given me much more free time to drink. This could very well be a contributing factor as to why I'm now a member at SR.....LOL.

Anyway, thanks once again! This is really great to see!

Re:Creatives on SR
 

Well this is like starting the day with a stroll through a gallery—some really beautiful work posted here, starting with LaFemme's painting and right on down the page.

Really cool thread, LF!

(A luthier is a person who makes stringed instruments—guitars, violins, ukuleles, etc. I'm jealous of 1096's friend—that would be another amazing talent.)

I should probably vote for Nothing, and in a sense that would apply for the drinking period as well now, a post-drinking period.

I used to sketch when I was really young. Later I got into music (mostly instrumental)and eventually abandoned that. I think I have been a stunted writer since then.

I had a renewed interest in singing during the last year of my drinking and it spilled over into the first couple of months of sobriety. I believe I got even better after I quit drinking. I don't have any plans to pursue it "seriously," but it would be nice to be able to sing again. Over the years I have acclimated myself to how to time it so that I can be unheard by neighbours, but I think that option has run out for the time being. Maybe if I am inspired enough and if the money is there in the future, I can rent a "studio."

I think the desire to behave creatively and a drinking condition have a relationship. Not that one leads to the other per se, and not that a person can't go on to act out their art in sobriety. Just a relationship. Just like there is a relationship between drinking and the Inside for most people.

Hi,

I do poetry, but unfortunatly they're are never seen by anyone. Kinda duno wether or not anyone would want to see them either ha! They are very personal and have alot of anger, fustration and sadness in them...

Is that classed as writeing?

LaFemme... Seeing your avatar and the painting you shared with us... is that kind of a self portrait? Something in the eyes...

I used to write...and write decent. Even won some writing awards while I was in college.
I would drink while writing, it seemed to make my words flow easier and open me up.
Then I stopped writing, but didn't stop drinking.
Now I keep thinking about writing again, but don't know if I will have the same results without drinking.

Mark, I once read somewhere that all portraits are essentially self portraits in a way, so maybe:) It's actually a series I have just started...the little girl is the daughter of a Service member serving in Afghanistan...the next in the series is a little girl from Afghanistan, which is currently under way in my studio. They are actually large for what they are 20" x 30".

CheekyAngel...share a poem with us...I love poetry:) Used to write some myself...I took a creative writing program at Columbia and have about 125 pages of a novel finished...it will never be completed...lol:)

Hey, ya left us musicians out! :react

LOL. Seriously, there is a great book our shrink recommended to my husband specifically, but to both of us. I believe it's called The Fire Within, and it specifically deals with how many of the "greats" of literature, art, and music were either depressed, addicted, suicidal, or a combination of such. I wouldn't be surprised that there'd be a high number of creative types here.

Sunrise...I apologized about music...I'm so sorry, I knew I was forgetting something important...just goes to show my brain hasn't recovered yet;)

Ohhh... so a luthier is an engineer with strings!

Thanks R&A.

LaFemme,
I read somewhere, some time ago, the eyes are the hardest to depict. I believe it, I've tried. People talk about Mona Lisa's smile, I see it in her eyes. You are very talented, no caca.