Today I make yet another stop in my quest for creativity and I hope you’ll join me in welcoming //Mitsy, from ArtMind//. I remember I discovered Mitsy’s work early in my Etsy frenzy and I was amazed how delicate, yet powerful her creations are and how a little piece of her soul shows through from her “feelings”. Then I found her blog and read all the archives in two days and one night, this is the powerful impression her ceramic work had on me.
After this short introduction you might understand better why I am so very pleased and excited to have her take part in my little project, {take 5 for creativity}.
I’m Mitsy, 39 (soon to be 40) and maker of all kind of ceramic (and other) things. My hands are always busy and usually my mind is too. I love to laugh which is contagious.
What is talent? What is creativity?
Talent for me is a discovery and after finding it, making the most of it. I believe that we all have many talents but the secret is to find what talent your heart lies in and focus on that. That may take years, sometimes even decades. It even may be painful as you get confronted a lot along the way but once you find it, it’s the most beautiful thing there is. Talent is a feeling that comes from deep within you. It fills you with happiness and it radiates the same thing and when it moves people, I believe it’s real. Be it music, art or any other form of creating. Talent can also be a characteristic that you possess: kindness, joy or caring for others… it is equally beautiful even though it’s less ‘visible’. Creativity for me is sharing your talent in the best ways you possibly can.
Does creativity need limits?
I try not to limit whatever pops up in my head. The crazier the idea, the better I like it. 
The limitation is usually needed when I’m at the finishing phase of a certain creative project. Sometimes I tend to get carried away just a bit too much and then I usually don’t do much good to the project anymore.
How do you fuel your creativity?
Up until now, I quite often fueled my creativity with feedback from other people. I’ve always enjoyed discussing creative processes & working on my own now makes it sometimes really difficult to keep the fuel up to a certain level. It is hard to be honest. I do blog about my work in progress and that way I do get feedback often but it still feels different to the face to face & often interacting conversations.
When I have an idea in mind, I try to make what’s in my head. When I discuss my idea with other (creative) people, then I often get instant firework as the enthusiasm or interaction on the idea makes my fuel levels rise way up high. It’s forces you to look onto your idea in a different way and new ideas pop up and make exciting things happen.
My ’99 feelings’-project is a very good example of this. I posted a picture on Flickr every day and I got lots of feedback and new ideas sprouted from all the interaction. I love it when that happens.
What do you need to create?
I need to create, period. Or better, I need to create, exclamation mark.
It is the one thing that makes me truly happy and over the years, I’ve learned to follow my heart instinctively so I’m creating much more and it’s proving to be very effective on the ‘happiness scale’. It doesn’t really matter whether I create ceramics, blogposts, tutorials… as long as it’s something that can be enjoyed by others too. I find it very fulfilling to know that perhaps one of my projects moved someone to try it too. That really is the best reward ever. Not that I need a reward of course but it makes me even happier.
What is your advice for people who (try to) create?
Listen, look and learn. Creativity is hidden everywhere and it usually comes out when you least expect it. Don’t be afraid to try and dare to fail as that will make you grow as a maker and an artist.
This is it. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and you’ll stop by Mitsy’s to say hi. You can find her on //her blog// and in //her Etsy shop//. Studio photo are from Mitsy, of course, and the three feelings are my favorites from her shop, clicking on the image will take you right to the Etsy listing.
Have a creative day, everybody!
