We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jean Mackie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jean thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
Nineteen years ago, I put my creativity (all acting, art-work and creative endeavors) in the freezer, and shifted my focus on living life differently in recovery from alcoholism. I figured working as passion-driven as I did, but in a different career field, I couldn’t help but be successful. That career was as an interventionist helping others get into recovery. Although I was successful to a certain degree, it was the IDENTICAL size, shape color and life-experience as when I worked in entertainment as an actor. Fourteen years later my mother, (we’re extremely close even though she was thousands of miles away in another state) could feel the wind blown out of my sails as I drifted day to day with no zest for life.
She called me and told me about the art form, ZENTANGLE, and asked if I’d heard anything about it? She said, “It’s a lot like some of the things you’ve done, and it’s absolutely BE-U-TIFUL… they say anyone can do it. “I said, “Mom, you know I’m not being creative any more. It gotten me nowhere.” She said, “I thought maybe you could start doing it for fun, it might help you start feeling better. They even offer a certification in it in Rhode Island, but you don’t have to do that in order to learn it.” I said, “Mom, I’m NOT going to Rhode Island to learn something I already know.”
Nine months later I found myself flying to Rhode Island for a 4-day Certification Experience… and my life has been changed for the better ever since.
Jean, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
So, I’m on the plane flying to Rhode Island and I decide, I don’t want to be a know-it-all-unteachable-blockhead. I realize I know how to draw and be creative, but I set my mindset on being a blank canvas – open to learning – like they’re really going to give me they key to something special.
That’s exactly what happened. It altered my entire perspective of how I think and look at a blank page… not to mention how I look at things in life. The unbelievable power one line, dot or squiggle can have on a page in as little as an hour is enough to blow your mind. It’s like yoga for the brain. It’s helps reduce stress, anxiety, depression, pain, PTSD etc. It also helps strengthen abilities such as concentration, creativity, brainstorming, team building and self-esteem. I love doing workshops using Zentangle to help with all kinds issues.
It doesn’t require a lot in materials and is super affordable to do. Amazingly, everyone has a personal style and walks away with their own unique experience. I specialize in not just teaching it, but applying metaphysical intuitive readings from what people create, as well.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Leadership that appreciates the arts, supports the valve of the Earths ecosystem. You see creativity thrives best with boundaries and limitations. It actually excels at it because THAT’S where the magic of newness comes from. Many world leaders need fresh answers to many of the planet’s problems because the old ways haven’t been working, So leaning into creativity will give birth to fabulous unthought of before solutions.
It’s critical for society/communities to support all the arts. Without it, the world would be black & white blandness. I actually don’t think it’s even possible to suppress artistry. It’s like a plant growing between the cracks in concrete. The plant just has to find itself and somehow inches its way through to the light of sunshine that helps express itself. You’d always have people who would start creating something. Art is life and life is art. Embracing it is mind, body, spirit wellness.
I’ve noticed that communities that support and encourage artistry are super desirable places to live. People are just more happy living around creativity. It moves things forward in a harmonious progression that makes people smile. I’ve always found that people think better if encouraged to be creative. It unleashes disagreeable ways of being without effort and replaces it with joyous fulfillment. Who wouldn’t feel better experiencing a full sense of joy by creating something from their imagination.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
To let your imagination go and make things happen is simply F-U-N… I want to live forever when I’m being creative.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.MadeWithFun.com
Image Credits
Jean Mackie