Creatives on SR
 

Just wondering how many of us there are. I often think it fueled my drinking in a way. Painting is so emotional for me, I can get overcome by emotion and escaping into a bottle seemed like a good idea once upon a time. Also, there is the whole myth of the tortured addictive artist.

So how many of us call ourselves creatives...you don't need to be making a living at it, just doing it:)

And just to share...one of my paintings:)

[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/z...ryea/final.jpg[/IMG]

Beautiful painting, you are very talented.

omg that is awesome!!!!

Yeah I'm creative, however I'm a burnt out production artist/graphic designer...ugh

I play guitar/harmonica and sing... In the style of Rev. Gary Davis a la Ramblin Jack and Jorma Kaukonen... The blueses...

I sound better sober, though I didn't know that before ... LOL

I actually used to paint, draw and write. Gave it all up for booze. Started drawing again but painting is my first love - it is just too expensive and I am short on studio space.

Beautiful picture LaFemme.

I used to feel creative when I was drinking/using, but I never had the courage to actually try to paint, or draw, or play an instrument (I'd just rearrange the house or do some landscaping).

...but now that I'm sober, I'm learning to play the guitar, but if that doesn't stick or I just don't like it, something tells me I'll continue to learn new things and have the courage to try.

Another benefit of sobriety.

Kjell~

Sorry to see engineering isn't included in the choices, and I don't think my photographs are creative, just well framed. My mother liked my photos, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't sell.

I'll have to vote "other".

You are truely an artist LF, is that airbrush work? Simply interested from an egineering standpoint. Ha!

What a beautiful painting... and the eyes of ages in one so young!

I'm a writer, written a few books... written some aspiring but ordinary poems, historically

with the help of the those two liquorary gentlemen, Jack Daniels and John Walker.

Love the poets of the Beat Generation and Dylan Thomas.

Love music and play the guitar.

Just as a PS: Since I stopped drinking, I have absolute writer's block.

LaFemme-that is beautiful! I write (in case my name didn't give me away). I am also an art fanatic.

What a great thread to start!

That side of me was, I also thought, fueled by my drinking & I've got that whole Tortured Artist Manifesto in my head as well.

And after a year (on the 6th!) of sobriety, I still struggle with some of the mediums I previously expressed myself in fluently. Part of it my head is still tangled & re-learning how to do things sober, I think. It's like my rhythm is all off.

My interests/hobbies are music, sketching, painting, photography, & writing. I've got the music & the photography coming back to me... haven't had the nerve to tackle the sketching or painting yet while clean. And the writing is just.... ugh. Not there. The words use to flow out with passion & zeal & writing was like breathing for me. That hasn't come back yet.

But the music was slow to come back too; that only just clicked maybe 3 months ago, really. I mean, to where I feel like I'm kinda almost in the Realm I used to take for granted musically~~ even my photographs feel 'off' to me sometimes, still. It bothers me, worries me.

I've discussed this with a Recovered in Australia who besides being a musician is also a luthier & he says it comes with time, the realization that what created the flame in the first place is still there, inside, & it takes drawing on other Muses to pull it out. And that the trade-off for that burning, soul-wrenching GRIP of passion zeroing in & taking you by the scruff of the neck suddenly being subdued is sanity & clarity & peace inside & that it's worth it.

Tortured Artist me has a running internal battle about that, but not giving up. : )

OMG...I am sooo sorry! I forgot to include music...I was looking at the poll list and thinking...What am I forgetting...lol...deepest apologies...I can't paint without music so I am really sorry:)

I would love t see other visual artists work. Or if people want to share writing. I think that would be cool:)

Ste...I paint in oils, with brushes:)

1096...what's a luthier?

I think I was also a bit scared of the art when i got sober, because I didn't want to be a tortured artist and derail my sobriety.

The most creative I had been recently is designing football plays, and I just started trying to learn the harmonica.

I have never been musically inclined and really have no 'artistic' talent for painting, photographs or writing, however,

for many years now I have 'rehabilitated' rescue dogs that were deemed not rehomeable and horses with severe problems. I have taken great pleasure in bringing these animals around so they could have 'forever' homes. With the horses, it is more working with them and their owners to change bad habits and calm the animals down.

I do believe it is an HP given gift. My friends, both A's and Normies have a nickname for me ................... "Dog Magnet". roflmao It's true too, even the meanest dog, will look at me, sort of nod and come and sit by my side.

So, I do believe it is a gift and talent and I use it to this day. I work with 4H youngsters a lot and it gives me a lot of joy and a sense of accomplishment.

I did vote 'other.' lol

Love and hugs,

Nice...I love rescues...would like to foster some myself...all my pets are rescues, I wouldn't have it any other way. =)

Laurie! That is an amazing talent:) Can I send my dogs to you for training!?!?!

I write poetry and various random ramblings, I like to call them :) I share with few, as they are so raw, full of emotional and so very personal. I found myself writing MUCH more often when drinking or high. Sadly I've had writer's block...for 2 years :( So I am focusing on organizing all of it to compile a couple of books to publish as ebooks at some point.
-Jess

I love photography...black and white for nature scenes, and love taking pics of animals!! their gentle little souls are easily captured! :)

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!