Creativity comes in many forms, and not surprisingly we all have a something that we have a talent for.  And although we may not be world class in our creative talent, we do enjoy it’s pursuit.

I always loved to draw, not that my work was anything special, but it was something that I enjoyed.

As a boy I was drawn to the iconic photographer – Ansel Adams and his classic monochrome works from the 1930’s and 40’s.

His work captured my imagination on so many levels.  To this day I’m still unable to suitably describe the sense of nostalgia that his works elicits in me…. strangely a deep sense of longing. ❤️

In my early 20’s his work inspired me to experiment with my own creativity.

However, before I could start, I had to get past the mental model that art is for kids, and that “being an adult” meant that there was no time for this type of frivolous play.

I really had a lot to learn about life…

Interestingly, around this time I began dating a local, well-known artist who encouraged me to experiment with silk screen printing.

My first creative endeavours were t-shirt designs which soon morphed into a side business of creating one of a kind silk screen printed t-shirts and tank tops.  I even began selling my work at the local markets each weekend, plus doing commission pieces for various people and companies.

I was hooked with the process of art and design from the very beginning!

Over time my work evolved into sketching and pencil drawing, and then into watercolors and oil paints.

Even when I moved to Canada I continued with my creative pursuits and staged several exhibitions of my work.  Mostly, painting, drawings, sculpture, and jewellery.

As with most new parents when Zach and Sam were born, I placed my creative pursuits on hold.  I wasn’t to know that this hiatus would last well into their teen years…

However, once I reconnected with my creative side so did my daughter Sam.  She also has a passion and love for art and design, hence her penchant for architecture.  In her spare time, she often paints and draws just for fun. 🙌🏼 ❤️

I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

My foray into photography began innocently enough with me taking photos of the kids with the simple point and click camera we had at the time.

Never in a million years would I have thought that I would develop such a passion for photography.

I acquired my first Canon camera at a Duty Free in Hong Kong on one of my many trips with work back in 2012, and since then I’ve literally had a camera with me in one form or another non-stop.

Five cameras’ later and over 400,000 photos, it’s been an incredible experience capturing the world around me.

My investment hasn’t only been in camera equipment (yes, it’s an expensive hobby), but also in storage for my photographs.

Today I have 10 Terabytes of storage, which is the equivalent of 10,000 gigabytes.   To put this into perspective this is approximately the size of storage you’d need to house 22,000 episodes of Game of Thrones.

Every time I pick up a camera my mind goes to Ansel Adams and whether today is going to be the day that I’ll capture the light like he did – such silvery tones.  This is always my goal by the way…

Recently with the purchase of my new home in Australia I tried my hand at interior design which I enjoyed immensely.  So cool to have a blank canvas so to speak and choose all the furnishings to create your own, personal vibe. ❤️

My life is currently full of my creative pursuits.  With my weekly essay, the OneLife podcast series, in addition to my photography I have a full range of outlets on the go. 🙌🏼

I believe we all have some creative skill and talent; the challenge is finding the one or ones best for you.  It took me a long time to discover them as my tastes and mediums have changed considerably over the years.

It’s all about experimenting and not worrying about the outcome but enjoying the process and journey for it to be truly fulfilling.

As with most things in life when the timing is right, your creativity will become apparent, and opportunities will present themselves.

Take a moment to reflect on your personal creative outlets.  Is there something that you love to do that is purely creative?

Perhaps it’s playing the piano, maybe gardening…it could be any manner of thing and doesn’t have to be in artistic form.

Enjoying and nourishing your creativity is paramount to rounding out your life and living your best life. ❤️

An important lesson I’ve learned over the years is that I need to use a balance of my creativity in my life to be at my best.  Irrespective of whether this is in my personal or professional life I know that it is essential for me personally.

Until next week

Ciao!

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