By: Amanda Sabo
Hello All! My name is Amanda, and I’m a studio assistant at Ignite Studio. If you consider yourself to be inartistic or uncreative, this is my invitation for you to join me in growing our abilities.
Since I wasn’t an art major in college, I wasn’t able to take any art classes, which has been a major regret of mine. Because of this, I learned to repress the creative and artistic impulses of my youth. Over the years, I have channeled my abilities into other parts of my life, like writing and teaching. When I finally recognized a renewed desire to paint, draw, and sew, it was thwarted by lack of materials first, then lack of talent second. I was out of practice for too long.
Cut to March 2019, when I first visited Ignite. The space was (and still is) beautiful! I loved its openness and natural light. I took a tour and couldn’t believe all of the opportunities there were to create and to learn to create. I felt so lucky to have the materials and resources in the adult kit library and to have access to a sewing machine and Cricut. My enthusiasm for the space never waned; even so, I didn’t find time to take advantage of what Ignite had to offer. Being in the nascent stages of re-learning creativity, I was overwhelmed by the possibilities provided by Ignite. I didn’t know how to use many of the artistic mediums available and was self-conscious about doing it wrong. Simply put, I was afraid. I missed out on four months of practicing creative expression because of fear.
Luckily, my fear didn’t stop me from applying to work at Ignite Studio. Now that I’ve had time to settle in and learn the ropes, I am turning my attention to my real fear: that I’m not artistic enough or creative enough. It can be difficult to refrain from comparing oneself to others, and some of my coworkers are artists in every sense of the word! They went to art school, and they’ve had their work in galleries. They find time in their busy schedules to keep creating and keep learning. They keep their artistic advantage by practicing their skills. Instead of comparing myself to them and making myself feel crummy about where my abilities stand, I’m using their passion and knowledge as inspiration. Those of you who likewise believe you’re uncreative or inartistic, follow my lead and allow Ignite and Ignite’s staff to inspire you to get creative!
So what are some things you can do to get started investing in your creativity and reinvigorating your artistic ability (we all have artistic ability; maybe, like me, you’ve simply forgotten to nurture it)?
- Make an inspiration board. Pinterest makes it easy!
- Get your feet wet by checking out a kit from our kit library that you remember doing as a child. Colored pencils or watercolors are a good place to start!
- Pick an art kit at random to see what mediums you enjoy. Just like your mom always said, “You never know until you try it.” Ignite’s kits have all the materials you’ll need to get started, most even include reference material to jumpstart your ideas.
- Try one of Ignite’s events! Learn to use the Vinyl Cutter, Laser Engraver, or 3D printer. These classes are great because they are free to take, they build community, and they can get you out of your comfort zone, a terrific jumping off point for creativity. (Tip: Book out into the future. Classes fill up quickly.)
- Get to know our Maker-in-Residence Brittany Kugler. Brittany is a costume designer and has some of her creations available for your inspiration.
- If you’re not quite ready for the above suggestions, come to a drop-in activity or color one of the coloring sheets we have out. I’ve done both!
