Comparison, Creativity and the Expression of Your Spiritual Passion

I am constantly asked two questions; are you an artist and are you in the fashion industry? The answer to both is yes I have been, and no I am not now. However my desire to creatively empress myself surfaces every day and so I try to express it through my clothes, my outfits and my style. Each day I am a blank palette with moods, passions, weather, temperature and sunlight to help me create the design of the day. It’s something I have done since I was a small child. I would spend hours in my room creating outfits for myself and for my dolls. I would get totally lost in the flow of the moment.

I was not very good at drawing. I was however naturally drawn to color, patterns, textures and blending combinations. But in a very structured and non abstract world I was told I did not have the talent to follow my passion for clothes and design. I was discouraged from seeking my passion and expressing my natural talents. This of course haunted me and frustrated me for many years.

In my undergraduate studies I receive a minor in design and then went on to secretly study design at a small community college. I went to work however into the corporate world because it paid the bills. I had two children to raise, as a single mother. The corporate world was not for me. So I set out to rehab houses as an attempt to allow me to express my passion for art and make money.

I had a vision – when my children were grown and safely on their own I would pursue my passions – to travel and see the world, express my artistic self and help others to find that burning desire that keeps a vision alive.

 I move to Los Angles where I met a man in the fashion industry. He told me I had a great talent and that together we could make a lot of money and be very successful. I created a line and we sold it to a few major department stores. We had a third partner who was placing the production of our goods in India. The two partners hated each other so began to fight and cheat each other. The business fell apart. I had no money so had to move on and find a job. I left the fashion industry. Envy, hate, greed and discouragement will kill creativity.

I followed my second passion – teaching yoga and yoga therapy, writing and lecturing as well as working as a Naturopathic Doctor. I spent many years going to school to receive my Ph.D., N.D. However…

I continued to have people stop me on the street, at shopping malls, in elevators and in restaurants and ask me the same two questions; are you an artist and are you in the fashion industry? I wanted to express myself through my art, but did not want to get back into an industry that was as tough and dirty as the “rag” business. So each day I carefully created outfits that expressed my art. I scoured stores, shops, boutiques, second hand stores and the internet for things that caught my eye.  I have had the good fortune to fall in love with a wonderful man (my husband Dan) who has traveled the world with me and helped me find unique things that I could add to my artistic endeavor.

 This leads me to comparisons, creativity and the expression of spiritual passion. In the world there is no room for comparison. Each person is unique with a unique sense of creativity. No two people will see the same thing the same way. Even a pair of jeans will take on a unique look when worn by different people. So comparing ourselves is futile. All it does it crush creativity. My drawings as a child were compared to other children who were much better at drawing. They could copy, but most of them were not very creative. It took me years to discover this. In a design class my teacher encouraged me. She showed me that although many girls could draw better than me, they would probably end up being illustrators and not designers. To copy can be creative. Their ability to draw was a sign of their creative talent to see and duplicate. To see and duplicate takes talent and an eye for details.  However the abstract notions of creating something comes from the soul. It moves beyond details and looks into the essence of things. It is something that grabs at the very fabric of your being. You could do it forever without regards to time, money or any other endeavor.

I have had many people tell me I should do something with my talent for design.  I did not want to be somebody’s stylist. I did not want to get back into producing a line. I needed a palette and a platform. The internet and a spark of inspiration gave me an idea.

I would buy a mannequin and dress her with my creations and then post them to a facebook page called F-La Mode. And www.pinterest.com/drlanderson

  ‘”la Mode’, in French means fashion. The word ‘f---‘ in Quebec French has a meaning something closer to ‘heck’. To heck with fashion it's about style. ”Style- not being a slave to fashion- individuality- finding your own individual style independent of the dictates of the current fashion trends. A stylist woman has style and class even when she doesn’t have any money to spend because she has found her own personal sense of style and she has the confidence to portray it.

Creativity – I cannot concern myself with what others might think or say. Any time you focus on judgment or comparison you will lose the flow of creativity. Some will think me mad and some will think me egotistical, but those are more than likely people who are frustrated by their own sense of creativity. Those who find joy in expressing themselves without hurting anyone else will appreciate the need inside of me to express my artistic side. Perhaps it will inspire them to also express their creativity.

So here is my palette. Her name is Francine. Creativity requires a leap of faith. It is the ability to expose the raw passionate side of you. You can’t be afraid to make mistakes, do retakes or take criticism. Art is defined as; the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Webber’s Dictionary

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