The drawing you see here was done by a boy in his early teens, in the mid-1950s. Not so unusual in itself—countless boys have made similar drawings of rock bands. But what earned this drawing a place in a museum was the particular young artist who created it: James Marshall Hendrix, born Johnny Allen Hendrix, known to most of us as Jimi Hendrix. I learned of Jimi's early artistic leanings on a recent trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, where the drawing is displayed. According to the accompanying text, Hendrix once dreamed of being a commercial artist. His father recalled that Jimi never had art lessons, but "he had a good hand and his ideas and imagination." No kidding. Jimi's good hand, ideas and imagination, applied to music, were nothing short of mind-blowing. Kinda makes you glad that commercial art thing never panned out. People like Jimi Hendrix, whose creativity crosses boundaries—from visual to verbal to musical to culinary--fascinate me, and like anything, once you start looking, examples are everywhere. I found another at Rock Hall, in an exhibit on Graham Nash and his passion for making music and art—from his early days as a founding member of the Hollies to his years with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, to his later work as solo artist and photographer. Like Hendrix, Nash traces his interest in visual arts to childhood, when photography captured his imagination. Later, he not only made his own photos and experimented with digital imaging, he also collected photographs and other artifacts from the intersecting worlds of art, rock music and politics. I had never thought of collecting as a creative outlet, but a quote from Nash in the exhibit made it clear that he does. Unfortunately I didn't write down the quote (blame sensory overload and the approaching lunch hour), but it was something to the effect that he tries to engage in some creative activity every day; if he's not writing a song, he's making photographs or painting or collecting. Not a bad way to live, whether or not you consider collecting a form of creative expression. (And I admit, after reading Nash's quote, I'm trying to look differently at Ray's habit of coming home from every trip to Harbor Freight with yet another free tape measure. That stash of nearly forty tape measures in his workshop is not a sign of hoarding, it's creative genius at work.) Turns out, it's not just my husband and rock stars who practice crossover creativity. Many poets and authors regularly mix media. For example:
Reading about all these multiply-creative people absolves my guilt (if I ever had any) for leaving my writing desk and walking into the woods with my camera or hauling out my collage-making materials. These excursions into other art forms aren't procrastination or dilettantism, they're simply alternate ways of expressing myself. And while I'm exploring those alternatives, maybe I'll swing by Harbor Freight and pick up a few tape measures to add to Ray's collection. It's a creative thing. What's your creative thing, and how can you step beyond its boundaries?
11 Comments
Thank you for pointing out the connection for creative people to allow themselves other outlets for their creativity. Red Skelton comes to mind. He was such a funny slapstick performer, but he also created gorgeous paintings of clowns. I like to write, but I also enjoy taking photos of nature. I even consider writing my blog as a creative outlet by putting together the words and graphics. I think your blog is so well done combining the information and the images. Would you consider the blog as a creative outlet for you? It's a far cry from memoir or scientific papers! Some day I'd like to take a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame filled with nostalgia.from the glory days of rock and roll.
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Nan
6/15/2016 07:51:26 am
It is interesting how many performers are/were also painters: Tony Bennett, John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell (whose 1969 painting of Graham Nash is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exhibit mentioned above), Dennis Hopper, David Bowie, Johnny Depp, Anthony Hopkins, Janis Joplin . . .
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Laura Bailey
6/15/2016 08:00:42 am
I reduced my day job hours to part-time to pursue creative writing more seriously and started acting as well as writing more. I found that acting really stole time from the writing and drained my creative energy. I gave it up, as much as I liked it. I really admire people who can pursue multiple creative outlets. Now I cook. I can zone out while cooking. I'm not a "good" cook - I throw things together from cans and ingredients from my garden or frozen veggies while listening to audiobooks, and if I like the way it tastes, great. If not, that's okay too. Cooking doesn't require the same concentration as memorizing lines, so it's not taxing. I find it really fills that other creative need, and allows me to relax.
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Nan
6/15/2016 08:36:13 am
Interesting perspective, Laura. I guess it can work both ways -- multiple interests can be energizing or distracting. I find cooking a relaxing mental break, too.
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6/15/2016 09:06:31 am
I love to write. But there have been times when the words were not flowing for me. That's when I find another creative outlet to motivate me. I design book covers, marketing banners, paint with watercolors, or play with my stained glass. I've dragged out the sewing machine, the jewelry making kit, my embroidery tools, and so many other forms of expressing creativity.
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Nan
6/15/2016 01:07:14 pm
It doesn't surprise me that you are a crossover creative, Susan! I'd love to see some of your watercolors.
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Nan
6/15/2016 01:09:30 pm
I found this to be true of a lot of scientists, as well, especially with music. When I was an undergrad, deep into biology stuff, my other outlet was dance, and I ended up taking enough classes to qualify as a dance minor!
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Nan
6/28/2016 08:18:20 am
I didn't realize you had given up photography, Michelle. Maybe you'll get back to it one of these days? I think one of the reasons playing around with photography appeals to me is that I'm not trying to perfect it, at least not to the extent I try with my writing. I am trying to get better at taking pictures, but it's really just for fun and for a break from writing.
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Cris Trapani
7/3/2016 10:39:48 am
I love what Allende writes about beading and writing. I totally get it. I do off-loom beadweaving and knitting and find they connect in the exact way she mentions.
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Written from the heart,
from the heart of the woods Read the introduction to HeartWood here.
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Nan Sanders Pokerwinski, a former journalist, writes memoir and personal essays, makes collages and likes to play outside. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, Ray. Archives
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