Happiful_May_2019

T

his was one of

the first questions

posed to my creative

writing class at

university, but as I quickly

learnt, the answer isn’t quite as

straightforward as you might

expect – and once you throw

in some Neitzsche and Plato,

you’ve probably got yourself a

good ongoing debate.

Imitation, creation, legacy,

emotion. There are so

many interpretations – but

perhaps that is the point. Art

is subjective. It’s emotion. It’s

not constricted by rules and

regulations, or by conforming

to a guide.

True art is expression – and

it’s up to us as individuals to

decide what we define that as.

Regardless of critics, multi-

million pound price tags

in galleries, or societal

acknowledgement, there’s

something undeniably

therapeutic about creating,

for creating’s sake.

Personally, I see it as

experience. Every brushstroke

tinged from not washing the

previous colour off completely.

The unsaid things hidden in

every word slightly out of place

in a poem or play.

Art is not perfection, it’s a story.

It’s a moment captured in time.

And if it means something to

you, then it’s worth creating.

With this booklet, we want to

inspire you with art submitted

by our readers, who’ve found

the power of creativity in

supporting their wellbeing –

as a distraction in troubling

times, as a means of pouring

out their truest feelings, or

empowering them.

You don’t have to spend a

fortune on supplies, or pay for

expensive online courses. You

could start by doodling on the

back of an envelope, or writing

on a sticky note. You don’t

have to keep what you create,

or share it with anyone if you

don’t want to! This is about

you, and what you feel. So it

doesn’t matter if you’re the next

Pablo Picasso, or a doodling

champion.

As Neitzsche said: “You must

have chaos within you to give

birth to a dancing star.”

Letting out that emotional

chaos could create something

truly beautiful.

We hope you feel inspired to let

your creative side shine. Enjoy!

Rebecca Thair

Editor