I taught creative process courses for several years in a graduate program at the Sophia Center at Holy Names University. The thing I enjoyed most about teaching this course was that I got to share the things that inspired me.
Week to week, that’s all I did: bring in what inspired me.
So Corita Kent was a big part of my courses. Kent was a Catholic nun, a pioneering artist, and a profound teacher of art and creativity.
Her work spoke to my students and never failed to liven up my classes.
Here is a little of her brilliance (excerpts from her book, Learning by Heart):
“Work is often done by playing around. For example, when you set out to write something that must be finished and finely crafted, you can begin by playing around. Write anything that comes into your head or write about what you see around you or what happened yesterday. …playing around until something comes…”
“Art does not come from thinking, but from responding.”
“When we pursue a thing for love, we are free to fumble and make mistakes. The course of our work may not run smoothly, but we are open to possibilities, embracing everything we have contact with. Our vision is not narrowed by convention.”
It’s so freeing to pursue what our heart loves rather than what we’re told is valuable by the external world.