Creative Bucket List

A few years ago, I wrote a post on my creative goals at the start of a new year. In it, I included three goals I wanted to accomplish that year. I sometimes referred to it as my creative bucket list. Well, I didn’t accomplish any of them that year. Or the year after. I did, however, do one of them earlier this year. That’s how goals work. Sometimes you can’t control the timing of them.

Taking a class on glass has been on my creative bucket list for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been fascinated by the artistic process of creating a glass piece. There’s just something about the transformation that takes place when you start with a raw piece of material and shape it how you want. In the end, the magic of glass isn’t revealed until after it’s cooled and you can see how it turned out.

This spring I had the opportunity to experience this firsthand. Someone forwarded me a special offer from the Glass Bubble Project. The same place I had initially intended to take a class. I figured this was a sign so I jumped at the chance.

I am not a kinesthetic person – ok, I am uncomfortable doing anything physical – so this class was a real challenge for me. It was also extremely hot near the oven, which made it more uncomfortable. But what I learned long ago is to lean into the things that make you uncomfortable, because it will challenge you and especially challenge your creativity.

With that said, in the middle of the class, I said to the woman next to me that my next creative exploration would be trying my hand (literally) at the pottery wheel. Well, unlike my previous creative bucket list item, this one took a rather short time to accomplish.

Several months later I saw an online posting about a pottery wheel class that included wine at Art House, and I signed up right away. I invited a few friends, who I knew would enjoy it too. We had a fun time in this casual environment. And like my glass experience, I realized how uncoordinated and uncomfortable I am doing physical art work that requires my entire body.

In the end, I am proud of myself for doing both of these activities and not only crossing them off my creative bucket list but also leaning into my fears and challenging myself to grow and see my creativity in a new light.

What’s on your creative bucket list?