5 Reasons Creativity Is a Practice

What if creativity isn’t something you either have or don’t have? What if it’s something you practice?

One of the most interesting parts of teaching art isn’t always what happens once class begins. It’s what people tell me before we even start. “I’m not creative.” “I can’t draw.” “I haven’t done anything like this in years.” I hear these things all the time, and I always find it interesting because little do they know… they’ve already done the hardest part. They showed up.

Lately, I’ve been meeting students who haven’t touched art in decades. They’ve spent years working, raising families, taking care of everyone else, building careers, and doing all the things life asks of us. And now, they’re finding their way back to something creative. Not necessarily because they’ve decided they’re artists, but because they’re curious. They finally have the time to explore something they’ve always wanted to try, or maybe they’re simply ready to see what happens when they give themselves permission to create again.

1. Creativity starts with curiosity.

One of my favorite things about being an artist is exploring and testing what art can become. I’m always looking at a material, a process, or an idea and wondering, What happens if I try this? What if I change that? What if I combine these two things?

That curiosity is a big part of making art. You don't always begin with a perfect plan or know exactly what the finished piece will look like. Sometimes you just have to start experimenting and let the process teach you something.

I think that’s true for creativity in general. You don’t have to know the answer before you begin. You just have to be curious enough to ask, What if?

2. Creativity grows when you practice.

We often talk about creativity like it’s a personality trait. You’re either a “creative person” or you’re not. You can draw, or you can’t. You’re artistic, or you aren’t.

But what if you simply haven’t practiced yet?

Drawing is a skill. Painting is a skill. Working with color, understanding composition, learning how materials behave—these are all things you can learn and develop. The more you practice, the more comfortable you become making creative decisions.

That’s why I love watching what happens during a class. The person who walked in saying, “I can’t draw,” starts making decisions on their own. The student who was nervous about that first brushstroke is suddenly layering color without asking if it’s okay. And then there’s the person who hasn’t made art in decades, looking at what they’ve created with that little moment of surprise: Wait… I did that.

That transformation is pretty amazing to watch.

3. Creativity isn’t about getting it right.

One of the best things about experimenting with art is that you are going to make things that don’t work.

And that’s okay.

You might put down a color you don’t like. A line might end up somewhere you didn’t intend. Your idea might look completely different once you actually make it. You might have to change your plan halfway through.

That isn’t failure. That’s part of the process.

As an artist, I’ve learned to look at those moments as information. Okay, that didn’t work. What can I try next? Sometimes the solution is to change something. Sometimes it means starting over. And sometimes the unexpected thing you created ends up being the most interesting part.

Creativity needs room for that.

4. Creativity is a way of thinking.

This is one of the things I love most about being both an artist and an art educator.

When I teach, I’m not just telling someone what to do and handing them a finished example to copy. I’m demonstrating. I’m showing a process, explaining why something works, talking through decisions, and sharing what I’ve learned from years of making art.

I’m showing and sharing, not just telling.

Then I step back and let students try it for themselves.

Because being an artist is about more than knowing how to use a particular medium. It’s about learning how to look, think, experiment, make decisions, solve problems, and try again.

That’s what I hope to share in my classes at Studio Agnew. Yes, I want students to learn how to draw, paint, print, and work with different materials. But I also want them to understand the thinking behind the process. I want them to become comfortable asking questions, testing ideas, and figuring things out for themselves.

I’m not just teaching a technique. I’m sharing a way of thinking.

5. Creativity starts somewhere.

I can say the same thing about my own business.

Studio Agnew didn’t just appear fully formed. I started somewhere. One idea led to another, which eventually led me to a studio, to trying new things, putting myself out there, and sharing more of what I’ve learned throughout my career.

I didn’t have every step figured out before I took the first one. I just kept experimenting, learning, adjusting, and seeing what came next.

And now I get to watch other people do their own version of that.

This week, a new student is coming into the studio who told me that taking art classes has been a dream of hers now that she’s retired. Think about that for a minute. She could fill this new chapter of her life with just about anything, and one of the things she chose was art.

I think that’s pretty wonderful.

She doesn’t need to become a professional artist. She doesn’t need to produce a masterpiece. She doesn’t even need to know exactly what she wants to make yet. She just needs to give herself the opportunity to explore something she’s been wanting to do.

And maybe that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned about creativity.

You don’t need a masterpiece or even a clear idea of what you’re going to make. You just need to be willing to explore, try something new, and see where it takes you.

You start. You experiment. You learn. You try again.

That’s the practice.

And the more you do it, the more you realize there’s always something new to discover.

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Studio Agnew is a working creative studio in the heart of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, offering art classes, workshops, and creative experiences for artists of all ages and skill levels.

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