PERSPECTIVE
Soul and experience: art as a universal act of creativity
10 December 2024 – Vol 2, Issue 4.
Creativity is about openness—a willingness to question, to challenge, and to evolve. It arises when we utilise action with stillness, intuition with reasoning. Creativity is not just about producing something; it’s about exploring the balance between internal emotions and external form. Society often teaches us to conform, which can stifle creativity. Yet those who engage with creative expression find a profound way to interpret reality and express their truths authentically.
The creative process is universal. It’s a flow—an idea or spark moving from the intangible to the tangible. Whether you’re crafting a piece of art, shaping a living being, or growing a plant, it’s all an idea moving into a form. For me, as an artist, this involves channelling emotions and energies into a medium. I use intuition to select colours, textures, and shapes, bringing insights to life. In a way, the senses listen to subtle emotions and energies, allowing the work’s muse to express itself. It’s deeply personal but also universal, as the final work speaks a language that others can interpret.
Each artist has their unique tendencies, often shaped by their personal experiences. Some people are visually driven, responding to light, shadow, and colour. Others connect through auditory or kinesthetic senses. Someone with a strong kinesthetic sense might gravitate toward clay, shaping emotions directly into a tactile form. Those more attuned to sound might resonate with abstract structures that echo rhythm and frequency. Inclination to vivid imagery might draw one artist toward realism, while others might find abstraction a more fitting expression. No matter the medium, the goal is the same: to translate thought and feeling into something others can understand. Creativity drives innovation and offers new perspectives on the world around us.
At the same time, every piece of art is a mirror of the artist’s personal inner world. This is true for language in general as well. For example, when someone thinks of “a chair” they might recall a specific chair tied to a personal memory—perhaps their father’s chair or a cosy memory of their mother. These associations influence how people feel the item ‘a chair’. The same goes for art. The shapes, colours, and textures artists use are driven by personal experiences.
Artist Natalie working on a visionary portrait of Maimonides, using pencils, water pencils, and collage. 2024.
Art also has the power to transcend time and culture. It has always been a timeless expression of human experience. Whether it’s Da Vinci’s The Last Supper or ancient cave paintings, art communicates universal emotions and truths that resonate across generations. Da Vinci didn’t just document a scene; he questioned divine representation, gender roles, and the politics of his time. In this way, art becomes a bridge, allowing people to connect emotionally and spiritually, no matter when or where they live. The Universe operates above time. It operates on a rhythm, a cycle of release and renewal. Likewise, the human heart contracts and expands; the mind contracts and expands; everything is pulsing in and out. Artists resonate with that pulse. They work from within that pulse.
Art holds the soul and experience of its artist. This is why Artificial Intelligence art is different from human art. While AI can mimic styles and aesthetics, it lacks the soul and lived experience that define human creativity. Art is rooted in memory, intention, and emotion—qualities that an algorithm simply cannot replicate. It helps people learn to relate to each other in new ways. AI may produce visually impressive works, but it will never capture the depth of the human journey. Art remains a distinctly human endeavour – a dialogue between internal and external worlds. It is the heart’s wisdom and truths that the mind cannot fathom, with each choice in art carrying the energy of an inner knowing; the footprint of personality.
Every line, colour, and texture reflects a part of the artist—their emotions, memories, and experiences. The process is transformative. Even the smallest imperfection carries meaning: a jagged line might reflect tension, while a smooth one might represent calmness. It’s a visual diary, capturing the moment’s physicality and emotion. And then the viewers bring their own interpretations. A tree in my work might evoke childhood memories for one person and solitude for another. This makes art alive—it becomes a conversation between the artist’s expression and the viewer’s experience.
To become an artist you need to embrace your story—your emotions, challenges, and memories. They make your art unique, helping you to move based on the whisper of the heart. Do you have the courage to create your world from this inner guidance? Use the creative process as a journey of self-discovery. Let your instincts guide you. Art is not just about the final piece but about who you become while creating it.
At a Glance:
Creativity = Stillness + Intuition (emotions) + Translation (personal experiences, medium).
Creativity arises with stillness. It transforms intangible sparks into tangible expressions. Guided by intuition, which is an expressed emotion, creativity translates personal experiences into an external form.
© Journal of Creativity and Inspiration.
Photo © Natalie and Gil Dekel.
Natalie Dekel, MPhil, B.Ed, BA, is a fully certified hypnotherapist (dip HSOH), Reiki Master/Teacher, Yoga Teacher and visionary artist. She has been offering healing and guidance since 2007. Natalie is the co-author of the ‘Energy Book’.
