I am a Creative

I am not an artist.

Could I be called an artist? Probably. But that word feels too narrow, too loaded. It comes with questions I don’t want to answer: What’s your medium? Do you have a portfolio? Do you sell your work?

I’m not a creatrix. I’m a creative.

I don’t have one medium. I play guitar. I sing. I write (music & words). I draw. I paint. I crochet. I work with mixed media—markers, pencils, fabric. I create in many forms, none of which fit neatly into the “Artist” box.

I’m in an in-between space with my creativity. Maybe I’ve been here for a while, but it’s only in the last four years that I’ve intentionally nurtured this part of myself. Before that, my creative side sat dormant, set aside for career and practicality. The past few years have been about recovery—first of self, then of creativity.

Progression as a Flaw

I used to think I should be “further along.” That by now I’d have a vision, a practice, a rhythm to my creative practice (productivity?!). Instead, I feel adrift creatively not because I am stagnant, but because my definitions & expectations are all out of whack. I live on my sailboat, and have been working through The Artist’s Way on my own. I’m nearly at the end—two weeks left, after lingering on “Recovering a Sense of Autonomy” longer than I expected.

But the last few days of reflection, something shifted. My perspective flipped. I see now: I am a creative. Not because of any amount of output or productivity, but because of how I engage with the world.

Liberation is the Way

“Artist” feels too small. It implies a single focus—painting, drawing, selling work, a polished portfolio. That doesn’t leave room for music, writing, or fiber arts. It doesn’t reflect how I create.

So I’m starting fresh. Beginner’s Mind. Back to carrying a notebook everywhere. Back to seeing inspiration in front of me. Less screen, more pen and paper. More play. Less pressure.

Small outward changes, big inward ones. More artist dates. More time spent creating for the joy of it. Less (no) beating myself up for not “being an Artist.”

I am a Creative.