scenes from st. paul & thoughts while being surrounded by creative people

Hope's journal. I love her work.

The Creative Connection Event (the conference in St. Paul that I attended last week) was sort of mindblowing. While I've certainly attended conferences of creative people before (it's hard to go to social media conferences and not be surrounded by creative people), this was different.  These are people who make things.  With their actual hands.  Every time I asked someone what their art was, they'd answer something like, "Oh me?  I don't do anything much.  You know, I take used coffee filters, and make baby clothes. But I'm thinking of branching out.  I've developed a way to take old car parts, and make running shoes and hair ornaments ..."

I exaggerate.  But not by much.

It could've been intimidating, but it really wasn't (and not just because one of the lovely women I met, Katie, actually took time out of her schedule and taught me how to sew a cute little bag).  Instead, it was really affirming:  being with all these artistic people was just further evidence that we're all wired to be creative -- some of us with paints and fabrics, of course, and other art supplies -- but you know what?  Also with software code. And medicine. And accounting. And architecture.  And yes, even law. 

It was a reminder that we all have natural gifts -- each and every one of us.  And when we identify and tap into this creativity?  Well.

There's just no telling where we all can go, is there?

Song: Where it's at by Beck