To Simply Create...

In 2008 I was scouring for a new place to call home.  I had just finished my first year at SDSU, and was beginning my final year as a college student.  I was eager to begin the final chapter of this story, and was desperate for the 'perfect' roommate.  The first potential dwelling I visited neighbored a slough, simultaneously murky and enticing.  The second bedroom was vacant and waiting to be filled like an empty canvas.  Whitney showed me the apartment, and if I signed the lease, would become my new roomie.

She exuded eccentric warmth, and provided instant comfort.

Each wall was painted a vibrant color, and the entire apartment was full of life.  There was an instant synergy between us and within a week I called the slough my backyard.  Creativity oozed from Whitney's pores, and I could not help but be inspired by her undeniable desire to expressively compose.  Days and nights were filled with the constant challenge of pressing the artistic envelope, and surpassing the expected.  Her room was highlighted with various art projects far beyond my wildest imagination, and had spilled into the hallway, living room, and kitchen.  Throughout the next few months she taught me that art was about the process of creation and not about judgement of the final product.  It was the first time I had attempted any task without worry of the end result.

I write about this because the few months I lived there have inspired me to create without doubting the outcome.  In those whimsical days I never worried if what I made was ugly, uninspired, or comical because the process was undeniable.  In the moments I mixed paint and swept my brush across whatever canvas I had come upon, I embraced the simplicity of the process, and ignored the concept of an end result.  I realized you don't need to be good at a hobby, the only requirement is enjoyment in what you're doing. 

Chaotic Creativity...regardless of disorder, this is the way I love to create. 

Despite the end result (which I have no remote attachment to), I loved every second of creating this ugly and uninspired piece.

I am forever grateful for my slough loving roomie, Whitney, who exposed me to the glorious world of creation without consequence, and hobby without judgement.