Dear friend,
My family is one of the more inspiring things in my life.
My mom did crafts with me and my siblings when we were very young, and signed me up for art classes when she couldn’t teach me anymore.
My dad encouraged our interests and made sure we had the supplies we needed. He gave me my first laptop, so I could learn Photoshop when I thought I was going to be a graphic designer.
My younger siblings and I played pretend, in the backyard in the summer and in our basement in the winter.
My grandmothers taught me how to sew. When I was very young, one grandma had a basket full of scrap fabric and buttons for me to play with. When I was in middle school, my other grandma helped me sew a t-shirt quilt.
Families are great problem solvers.
My dad is an engineer.
That means if I have a problem and I say anything about it, he’s Going To Fix It. Even if it frustrates him. Even if he doesn’t know how to fix it right now, he’ll learn how to do it.
He just can’t help himself.
I know not all dads are engineers, but dads are often good problem solvers. Because of my dad, I’ve learned how to troubleshoot my problems and I’ve learned how to research.
Ironically, my mom is similar. She’s a lot less techy than my dad, but if I bring a problem to her, I will get a smidge of sympathy and a storm of ideas on how to solve it.
It’s how she shows love.
Learn from your family.
Being a creative person is rough sometimes. Especially if your family is not supportive of your artistic endeavors.
Let me tell you, though. Your family loves you. There are these things called “love languages,” which are ways people prefer to show you they love you (read about it here). One of them is that some people like to do things for their loved ones. Another is “quality time.”
If that sounds like your family, get them involved in the creative stuff you enjoy. Let them spend time with you helping you work on your projects. Ask them for their input when you’re problem-solving. (You might just find that you’ve helped them discover a new hobby as well.)
Sincerely,
R. J. Catlin
