It is the creative potential itself in human beings that is the image of God.
Mary Daly
Rhema Muncy, a young reporter from the Loveland Reporter-Herald came to interview me yesterday. In many ways it seemed more like a casual chat with a new friend than it did an interview. We talked about many things: my handmade journals, my artistic “journey”, paint-by-number Jesus, and Christianity. But, most of all, we talked about creativity—what inspires creativity, why it is important, why I think everyone is creative…stuff like that.
I continued to think about these things long after Rhema left, and one particular person who came to mind was Harold Pennock. I hadn’t thought of Harold in quite some time. He was the father of my aunt/grandfather of my cousins (I don’t know if that makes him a “great uncle” or anything…I’m not good at that kind of stuff). I remember one particular visit to Harold and Pat’s home when I was young. I discovered that Harold was a wonderful landscape painter. He painted beautiful Rocky Mountain scenes in his basement. And that’s where they stayed…in his basement.
I don’t think very many people ever knew that Harold was an artist. I don’t know that he would have even called himself an artist. I know he didn’t seem to want anyone to see his paintings, and he didn’t want anyone else to have his paintings, he just wanted to paint. For many years I felt like it was such a shame…what a waste of talent to not share it with anyone.
But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate his love of creating just for the sake of creating. The end product didn’t seem to matter all that much, he just felt the need to paint, so he did. Not to make anyone else happy, not to sell art, not to show anyone his talent. I think the only reason Harold painted was because Harold wanted to paint.
I guess you could say he was “compelled to create.” I do think it is an interesting phenomenon, the need to create only for the sake of creating. I imagine there are a lot more “basement painters” out there than we realize. Have you known any? Are you one?
Filed under: Art, creativity, thrift stores | Tags: Art, creativity, thrift stores
The key question isn’t “What fosters creativity?” But it is why isn’t everyone creative? Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? I think therefore a good question might be not why do people create? But why do people not create or innovate? We have got to abandon that sense of amazement in the face of creativity, as if it were a miracle if anybody created anything.
Abraham Maslow
The journal above was created as a thank you gift for Mary, a fellow thrift-store-maven from Ventura, California. Mary sent me this Halma game she unearthed there. The game is a little like Chinese Checkers (which of course, has nothing to do with China and isn’t really checkers). Anyway, there are no copyright dates or any of that nonsense…waaay before that I guess!
I scanned the unusual box image so I could use it several times. Then I altered it some for Mary’s journal. On the inside front cover I put a copy of the instructions. It kind of seems German…but if you know what language it is, leave me a comment.
One of my other favorite finds is a book of cheerleading motions from the 50’s. I included a page from it in her journal. This also shows some of the journaling cards I stash in the envelopes.
Of course, Mary loved the journal! But the coolest thing was one of the comments she made, “It’s like a piece of artwork that isn’t finished yet, you’re invited to add to it and finish it yourself.”
Maybe that’s one reason I’ve been so “into” making these things the last several months. I’ve always believed that everyone is creative, and I want to encourage that creativity. This is one way I can do that.
So, if you want to create in one of these wacky journals, just check out my etsy shop. And go create something!
Compelled to Create 
