The other week when I was dropping of some creative deeds for #creativedeed365 project, I left several around the restaurant we were eating at.  I figured the restaurant was full so why not? My eldest son laughed at me and called me an “Art Rebel” like some kind of Marvel superhero. At the time he said it, I had to laugh too: there I was sneaking around public places looking for just the right spot to leave a creative deed for an unsuspecting person to stumble upon and perhaps make their day, maybe even inspire some of their own creative power to shine through.  Yes I felt like an art rebel for sure!

It also felt rebellious to be doing it without trying to take credit for it – quickly placing them in spots where others could find them but not while others could see me do it- anonymously. I am an Art Rebel!

Then I started thinking about the idea of being a “rebel”.

The Merriam Websters dictionary defines a rebel as: “A person who opposes a person or group in authority : a person who does not obey rules or accept normal standards of behavior, dress, etc.”.

While this definition is a little more extreme than what I mean by Art Rebel, one thing that stands out for me is the “does not obey rules or accept normal standards” part.  Not so much in the act of leaving creative deeds for others to find, but more in the way that I create these little creative deeds. Like my usual process they have been spontaneous, intuitive, and free-flowing without a particular plan to them other than following the constraints of the cue card I use as a base. I add a message, but don’t make my art around the message instead the message finds a voice in the art and once I see this I add the verbal rendition of this message in. Sometimes I use quotes that I stumble upon that fit with what I’ve created. Sometimes it’s seemingly disjointed words which begin to make sense when I place them together with the imagery. There are no rules perse, only unlimited options for expressions.

To me this is not just what an art rebel is it is what following your creative muse is about. Many people don’t identify themselves as creative or artists because they measure creativity by artistic skill.  As a result their inner artist is trapped inside, without permission to come out. But what if you were to see art in a different light and rather than judge it by standards of professional art view it as a creative expression capable by anyone willing to take the courage and express themselves. An art Rebel doesn’t allow inner critics or outside judgement to silence their creative voice. An Art Rebel does not follow the rules of conventional art. An Art Rebel creates their own standards of expression and recognizes when these too may hold them back.

I’m an art rebel and I’m proud!