I’m what you would call a muse. All I ever seem to do is inspire others to create things, or at least support them on their journey. I’m a bum’s enabler in a way. I am surrounded by magnificent people and for years I have told myself that the fact that these human perfections deem me worthy of being their friend it is good enough. Those thoughts of course are countered by my inability to start any kind of project. I believe I am incredibly full of passion and that is one thing I am extremely proud of. The Greek would ask about a dead person, “Did he/she, have passion?” and thank is truly beautiful. These days though all I seem to be doing is working and I use it as an excuse, saying I’m too busy to even consider making something. Most of the time I am, but sometimes I do get some windows of opportunity. On a resent visit a friend told me that she never thought I would take this path in life and that she always assumed I would do something creative. “But I’m only a muse,” I said to her and she countered that I just have yet to find my outlet. So how do I do that? How do I go from being so passionate to actually being creative? How do I find my outlet?
The world needs muses
Although you may feel frustrated that you are constantly enabling the people around you to achieve their full artistic potential, something you might need to realise is that you are contributing to their creative process in a huge way.
For me personally, I wouldn’t be able to achieve half of what I do without creative companionship and input from my small circle of friends. Without their support and team work, it would take a lot longer for me to realise my creative visions.
Behind most bands and artists is a team of people helping them to achieve their goals. For example a band doesn’t really only consist of the band members, other essential team members might include tour managers, graphic designers- even good cooks and strong coffee makers (believe me… these people are crucial!). Artists need gallery owners, art appreciators and collectors. Although what much of what these people do is not often considered ‘creative’, their input is incredibly crucial to the artist’s process and final outcome of any creative project.
Being a muse to your circle of creatives is something you should be proud of, without you they probably would not be able to shine as brightly.
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Famous muses: Gala Dali (Salvador Dali’s wife and muse) and Daphne Guinness (muse of international high fashion)
Famous muses: Gala Dali (Salvador Dali’s wife and muse) and Daphne Guinness (muse of international high fashion) Focus on your creative process
Something you might have to consider is that helping others can sometimes be a form of procrastination. Supporting others constantly can often make you lose sight of your own goals. In the past I used to run quite a few community projects that aimed to support other bands and artists and I would spend every moment of my time helping others, but I found that my own path as an artist suffered as a consequence. I remedied that by focusing more of my energy on my own creative projects, while still helping others within reasonable boundaries.
From passion to creativity
Although you may find it rewarding to be a muse to others, it sounds like you have a burning passion inside yourself to output something creatively. You ask ‘how do I go from being passionate to actually being creative? How do I find my outlet?’. I think you need to ask yourself ‘what am I truly passionate about in particular?’ If you woke up in the morning and could do anything you wanted, what would it be? Maybe you really love baking cupcakes, organising parties or cultivating bonsai. The possibilities are endless and don’t need to be confined to what is generally defined as ‘creative’. You need to identify what particular passions you want to explore creatively and then nourish those skills.
Perhaps you’ve always had an interest in jewelry making, but never had the chance to indulge in the practice. You should enroll in a silversmithing course at a local community college or art school to learn more or go to the library to find some ‘how-to’ books about the craft. Immerse yourself in it and see how far you can go. You don’t really have anything to lose if it doesn’t work out, but if you don’t try… you will never know what you might be missing out on.
You need to take the time out for yourself and explore your own passions. Taking that first creative leap is a challenge, but what have you got to lose? Being creative can be difficult and is not always pleasurable, but it is incredibly rewarding and you will not regret taking the plunge.