“Let’s get a little crazy here.” Bob Ross
Art and the creative world have always been important to both Bella and me personally, and with that, we have decided to introduce a new Creative each month. Not necessarily an Artist, but a Creative and, at least to me, it is important to note the difference between the two. Although I think Creatives are Artists, I do think using the title “Creatives” expands the series in an important way. Let’s take just a minute to explore the differences between Art, Artist, and Creative.“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” Thomas Merton
Art, according to Google, is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as a painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.“Creativity takes courage.” Henri Matisse
Creative, according to Google, is defined as (adjective) relating to or involving the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work, and (noun) a person who is creative, typically in a professional context. I believe the term Creative is more inclusive and, as you will see later, includes anyone who produces something visually or audibly entertaining. As you may have seen, we have used our recent shared world crisis as an opportunity to reflect on and clarify our mission and vision statement. Our mission is to facilitate a positive community lifestyle by creatively informing, inspiring, and entertaining. Our vision is to remain relevant and accessible through time, technology, and community changes. More specifically, for this series, my goal is to provide a platform to explore the idea of Creative and Art. I hope not only to introduce a new Creative but also to challenge occasionally the traditional notion and approach of art.We are calling this series “The Edge of Creativity: Creative of the Month.”
“As my artist’s statement explains, my work is utterly incomprehensible and is therefore full of deep significance.” Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes)
For as long as I can remember I have thought of myself and/or been referred to as an “artist”, admittedly mostly by Mom. All joking aside, from an early age I have displayed some artistic talent. With all that said, you would think I would have a love of “art.” I do not. Well, let me clarify, I do not have a love of (some would say, appreciation for) “traditional” art. As a young man I truly struggled with things like art classes and even art museums. The traditional parameters of what was considered art left me feeling stifled, and in the end, I wandered away from being creative a good portion of my life. There was this constant draw (no pun intended), this itch to create, that constantly nags at me. It was only later, I realized, that “rules be damned.” I could express my creativity in other means, and that a certain level of satisfaction could return to my life. None of this is to say traditional art does not have its place both in my world and in this series. I have long admired the traditional artist and works of art both for their beauty and for the ability and talents of the artist who created them. As you will see from the list below, I find beauty and inspiration in a lot of different forms of creativity. Some of the Creatives I currently follow and find particularly interesting are:- Peter McKinnon (YouTube, videographer, photographer)
- MattiHaapoja (YouTube, videographer, photographer)
- Make. Art. Now. (YouTube)
- nowayjose.photography (Instagram and TikTok)
- Travoris_hawkins.ys (Instagram)
- kennethjamesbenson (Instagram)
- travelingartista (Instagram)
- Ciera Nicole (local singer, find her on Facebook and Instagram)
- bradon_cawood_photography (Instagram, great guy and next level photographer from the Atlanta area)
- chaslinhphotography (Instagram, talented young photographer and mom in the Augusta area)
- Ycimaging (YouTube and Instagram, talented videographer and music video creator currently working out of the Atlanta area)
- Karenxcheng (Instagram, video creator doing amazing things with an Insta360 camera, mostly just around her home)
- Karey Santos (Facebook, local Aiken painter)
- jasonthe29th (Instagram, graphic artist, Augusta)
Art is defined as producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotion power. This is how Tad sees the world. He is in awe of the moments created by life and photography is his attempt to record or reproduce those moments. After traveling the United States for more than two decades, he was drawn to Aiken for its combination of environment and culture. Tad is the managing partner of Bella Magazine and owns and operates a photography and creative agency, A Tad Creative Production.
