Slice of Life Tuesday: Self Taught Creating

Fortunate Genes

I consider my family both unusual and fortunate in that we are all capable of self-teaching.

From building furniture to growing a fruit orchard, or building a house,

From creating jewelry, games, and wallets on a CNC machine,

From learning water color painting in grad school, to composing music,

From origami to colored pencils to acrylics and oil painting,

From gardening, sewing, jewelry making, and writing to

where we are today – We are all self taught craftsmen.

Yes, We are Fortunate.

Fortunate to have curiousity,

Fortunate to have intellect, and

Fortunate to question,

Fortunate to have resources,

Fortunate to be brave enough to seek answers,

Fortunate to put ourselves “out there” without hesitation,

Fortunate enough to fall and get back up .

Fortunate to try again, and again,

And, fortunate to have support.

Creativity Begets Creativity

Each of us needs to craft.

I suspect we craft for different reasons, but

the need for each of us to create is

seriously strong.

What stimulates this need to be a “smith?”

– a person skilled in creating.

Desires

A desire to be more,

A desire to learn,

A desire to contemplate how “it” can be done better,

A desire to fix,

A desire to commune,

A desire to share,

A desire to find one’s niche

in our family and

in society.

Creating begets creators

I believe we are more human when we create.

We touch our inner selves and bring forth prior

knowledge and experiences to something new,

Something we made.

Something that is ours.

Truly, how could one not learn to create when

Exposed to creators?

It would be difficult to not be drawn in.

And so, each found his own way to create.

A way right for him.

A way right for me.

How proud I am to have a

family of thinkers and creators!

© Charlie Labuzzetta, 2021

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday. Thank you to TwoWritingTeachers.org for creating and hosting this supportive forum for writers of all abilities. I have been a participant since early 2017.

6 thoughts

  1. I wish I lived close by to be able to come to the craft fair to see this amazing work. It is wonderful to have a creative family. Creativity is an asset in my family, too. I grew up with a father-artist and mother-pianist. Is Charlie your son? His artwork is wonderful.

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    1. Thanks, Margaret. Do you go to craft fairs in Louisiana? I am sure there are many people in your area who pursue creative interests and it sounds like your family has those connections, too! Charlie is my oldest – he’s a year away from a PhD and is a consumate pianist but recently took up watercolor painting. The mountain painting and the angels landing pieces are his – he just started drawing this past year! Ben is my youngest and is earning his living as an artist in St. Paul, MN. He primarily paints in oils but also does acrylics and colored pencil drawings. He started working on his art in 2nd and third grade with drawing and origami. Matt, my middle son, uses technology to create. He designed the necklace and uses a CNC machine to cut out the bezels and also a modern wallet he designed. He’s self taught on the CNC and 3D printer. Thank you for your kind words. I realize that we are forutnate to have resources with which to allow ourselves and encourage our children to create, but I also think the desire is inside each of us and if all we had were a set of colored pencils, a needle and thread, and a bunch of old wood, we’d still be creating!

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  2. First of all, your handiwork is absolutely beautiful. You know, I found myself scrolling through the many creative outlets you and your family have across so very many materials and domains. There is something to be said for allowing ourselves to express ourselves through the talents and gifts we have. There’s also something to be said for the wonder and joy that comes with learning a new skill, a new craft. Hopefully we never stop learning, growing, creating. Thanks for this post!

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