10 Comments
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Suzie-Q's avatar

Gorgeous Danny... and 😂

Cate's avatar

I aspire to the order you talk about. Seems beyond my reach . I do create everyday .

Kristi Bodin's avatar

I also need organization to create. If the environment is too chaotic, I tend to shut down or try to escape. Nice to know that I’m not alone.

Carrie Staples's avatar

Not me.

I can't part with anything. I collect the scraps from the floor, no matter how tiny.

Kate PDX's avatar

I have much Virgo in my chart, but I think I am tamed to the “double Virgo” level.

I resonate with everything, even part of the history though my mother’s love life was less chaotic. I sometimes think I spent more time ordering my 64-box of crayons (especially if a friend dumped them out, aaaack!) than coloring with them all!

At the end of every creative day (and I also do creative work for profit) I tidy everything up so that I feel a calmness and order when I walk into the studio. I also like to leave something half done in my project so that I don't have to "get creative" but I pick up where I left off.

I might disagree about "Creativity requires chaos." I prefer open-mindedness. Willingness to change courses. Generating more than one idea. But that may be because I am not a triple virgo!

Nancy's avatar

Hi Danny. I have the same compulsions, and I'm a Virgo too. However, I came from a stable, predictable background. Ah, sweet mystery of life!

Les Brandt's avatar

Hi Danny. Thank you again. I hope to be able to attend your session on dip pens. Are there nibs that you recommend?

Julie Wolk's avatar

Oh wow. I totally feel this 100%. I'm exactly the same way and from a similar chaotic, volatile childhood. I have to pause work when I feel itchy and order my art studio so I can then have the mental clarity to release and have the creative chaos. Excellent essay!

Tammy  Carson - TCP Art's avatar

Danny, thank you! Pulling memories are quite hard for me but this brought me back to ordering my crayons by color, my books, even reading all of each authors works in order of publication... since my brain shifted five years ago - my ordering of things has taken a big hit. I think now I can proceed 😊

Karen Hume's avatar

It is such a relief to read this essay, Danny. I've had art teachers tell me that I will never be an artist because I am too organized, too tidy. It took me some recalibrating to recognize that no, my love of organization is absolutely necessary to my creativity. When things are internally chaotic and overwhelming, organizing my external environment is the essential step to calming my nervous system and freeing my creativity.

Thank you for writing this, Danny.