Art, Women, and Creativity

Women have been given the greatest gift of creativity there is-the capacity of creating and having a child. Even if a woman has never had children, just the biological possibility, is life defining.

The theory has often been that artists create their best work when they are young and after that "peak" in their career, their art becomes stale and predictable. The assumption is that an artist's work is the most important early in their lives. I would beg to differ, especially when it comes to women.

I have a theory that women come into their own as artists later in life, after the possibility of having children has passed and while the potential of having children is beginning to diminish.

Because of the biological ability to have children, women understand intuitively that creativity is a life long process, not a destination. The tremendous urge to create is still there after the capacity to have children is gone.

The passion and drive to create is combined with the wisdom learned from life's inevitable lessons. Women frequently find that their "artistic voices" become more confident and self-assured later in life. That is why women often come into their own artistically in their 40's, 50's, 60's and on up; Georgia O'Keeffe, Louise Nevelson and Grandma Moses are three examples.

This is not to say that younger women do not create great art, they most certainly do. For younger women creatively your best years are still ahead-very good news and definitely something to look forward to.

Women who have created during their earlier years have an advantage for two reasons:

1. A woman who has been creating continuously doesn't have to play catch-up in regards to the technicalities of making art. She has already spent years learning her craft.

2. "Artistic creativity" is like a muscle. If you haven't used it, the muscle atrophies, and it takes longer to get " in creative shape".

If you are a young woman and struggling with how to balance work, family, friends and the multitude of things that make up life, don't give up your ability to create art. You will be way ahead of the game when you get older and it is my very firm conviction that the best years for creating art are still ahead!

Mary Baker © 2005

Mary Baker is a contemporary realist painter, whose studio is in Newburyport, Massachusetts. This New England city, north of Boston, has been the inspiration for the artist's realistic oil paintings. Mary Baker is a professional artist and has shown in New York art galleries. Mary's art work has passion, depth and beauty, capturing moments in time that many people pass by.

Mary hopes that if you have a vocation in the arts that you will share your artistic gifts and artistic voice and be delighted that your art brings much needed beauty, depth, wisdom and integrity to the world.

You can visit Mary's website, Mary Baker Art and see her beautiful paintings at http://www.marybakerart.com, as well as read her many comments on art, artists and creativity.

---

Astrology Signs and Planets Reveal Who You Are

But people are starting to take a new look at... Read More

Mythology and Parables in Modern Communication - Part 1

Today there is a growing need to examine all our... Read More

Birthstone Jewelry Beliefs and Celebrity Birthdays

Wearing birthstone jewelry is very popular today. Not only is... Read More

When We Was Kids In Chicago (Part 2)

From an early age my Mother sent me to the... Read More

The Beothuk

Canada is an emancipated country in the relative scheme of... Read More

Man and His Machines

A woman creates life from her womb, and man tries... Read More

African Americans: Get the Winning Edge

Everybody wants an edge that will give him or her... Read More

Learn How to Solve Problems With a Feng Shui Mirror

A mirror, when becoming a feng shui mirror, can be... Read More

Christopher Columbus

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: - It seems a mystery to most academics... Read More

The Birth Of Eskimo Inuit Art Prints

Unlike Inuit sculpture, art prints from the Canadian Arctic are... Read More

Last Chance to See: Grove Mill, Mitcham

Grove Mill, Mitcham; where in 1934 many of the iron... Read More

Jewelry and the Darkside: Fashionable Gothic Jewelry

No, by jewelry and the darkside, we are not referring... Read More

The History of Body Piercings - Ancient and Fascinating Around the World

Body piercings have seen a resurgence of interest in the... Read More

Sun Tzu: The Art of War

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese text on... Read More

A Look At The Years of Celebrities Wearing Jewelry

As far back as one can remember famous celebrities have... Read More

How To Get Rich and Die Quick!

It is funny how web site promotion can suddently plunge... Read More

The Dating Game

Lord Renfrew, Disney Professor of Archaeology at Cambridge University states:... Read More

What Sets Chinese Painting Apart From Western Painting

Because of different instruments, materials and cultural background, Chinese paintings... Read More

A Look at the Heart of American Beauty

Sam Mendes' darkly comic portrayal of suburbia in his first... Read More

Sixties: The Decade of Rebellion

It is safe to say that in ... Read More

Shadows Boxing

Towards the end of Million Dollar Baby the character Scraps,... Read More

Creating a Virtual Art Gallery

To the online artist, it might seem a paradox, at... Read More

Sir Francis Drake

FRANCIS DRAKE: - It is my perspective that history has... Read More

Spain´s Flag - A Red And Yellow Beauty

Spain´s flag (the national one) is as colorful as the... Read More

Feng Shui Horoscopes

A great tool to help you find out more about... Read More

Are You Embarassed by Your Civil War Uniform Impression?

"Authentic," "authentic," "authentic" is all you hear if you are... Read More

Cant Afford Illness in America

I had become too sick to live in America.Even with... Read More

Your Stars 2

Leo Some tragic news hits you hard and makes you... Read More

How I lost A million Dollars In A Bank Robbery

The Million dollars was my life-savings earmarked for prime the... Read More

Paul Hamm: Did He Deserve Gymnastics Gold in 2004?

What was the controversy all about?In the 2004 Olympics, an... Read More

Amber Mysteries Revealed

Amber, the gem of a stone that's not really a... Read More

Conceptual Art: Who Appreciates It?

Art is sometimes overwhelming. Life as a whole can become... Read More

Precious Stones v.s. Semi-Precious Stones

Stones have been worn by both women and men since... Read More