I once heard John Waters say that when he needs inspiration he makes a visit to the corner of Ash and Baldwin. Seeing how that’s just a few blocks away from my crib I took a walk over one day to see what it was all about. When I got there all of the muses must’ve been on a lunch break because I personally came up empty handed. So I thought “what the hell?” raised my eyebrows and kept walking. Of course I’m sure JW would probably think the same (with probably 10 fold the sarcasm) if he happened to drop in on my tiny, mundane 37th Street flat, or took a journey in my untidy little Yaris-all oases where I do my own creative summoning. Where some discover oil others come up dry. You say tomato, I say cantaloupe. Etc… What’s important is that we all find our own way of tapping the creative source.
I once read that Michael Stipe of REM didn’t listen to music for several days prior to writing songs for his next album. Some guys go lock themselves up in a cabin for a week looking to pen their next big hit, or construe next year’s best-seller. One thing that seems to help me find ideas is being in a new geographical location, or perhaps on a long drive. Sometimes in these places words and melodies seem to come more organically without forced effort. Other times writing can become a lot more methodical. I have to plop down on my bed, pull out my pen and notebook, grab my guitar and just hack away. As rigid and unromantic as that seems (and it does to me) sometimes that too acquires some great results.
On some occasions it’s the geography of my brain and heart that I have to vacation from for some of my best work. If I’m struggling personally with something I tend to freeze up more creatively. Yet if it lingers the stress will eventually rattle something loose, therefore expounding ideas that begin freestyling through my ethers. It doesn’t quite make sense to me, yet I seem to have personally verified this several times. Some of us do creatively thrive on pain and forsakenness, yet I think it’s only one of many roads to the source. Some go the way of intoxicants.Others do free-form writing that allows them to come up with ideas through sub-conscious expression, and/or confront personal obstacles that may be blocking the pathway. Some pray. Some meditate. I even know a brilliant songwriter out of New York that claims to bring herself to the peak of sexual orgasm, without climaxing, and then re-channels the energy into her writing.
Whether you’re an artist or not, I think we all harbor the gift of creativity. It seems to be required of us in all walks of life. I don’t pretend to know all of the secret passageways to this divine channeling, but I hope that I will keep finding new ways to lure concepts and ideas. Sometimes it’s “the looking for ways to look for ideas” that can be just as fun as the ideas themselves.
ADDENDUM: For anyone wanting more information on unlocking your creativity I would recommend “The Artist’s Way”, by Julia Cameron, to be a great start. I first completed it a few years ago and hope to explore it again soon.
**Damion Wolfe is a performing songwriter who has resided in Hampden since 1999.
Please visit www.damionwolfe.com for more info.
Saturday after Turkey Day marks the opening of the Miracle on 34th Street, and it also means the opening of the Little Gallery That Could. Just go to the Miracle on 34th Street, located on the 700 block of West 34th Street, and look for the Hubcap Christmas Tree. Therein you will find Jim Pollock who transforms his living room into the famous gallery known as the Little Gallery That Could. Averaging over 25,000 visitors each Christmas season, Jim Pollock’s Little Gallery is the most traveled gallery space in Baltimore during the Christmas season. Featuring his visionary brand of metal sculpture and works from guest artists Zachary Gifford & Renee Tantillo, this year promises to be an extraordinary show. The Little Gallery That Could will be open from November 29 through December 31st.
MVCAU Member Show