Once a month I will share an interview with a fellow creative. This month I’d love to introduce to you, my friend, Magen Nelson. Enjoy!
JD-How would you define creativity?
MN-I really just think “creativity” can be anything someone does to exercise and stretch their brain in a way that is outside of their normal, day-to-day, routine. I believe that can be anything from playing in the mud with my kids (making “mudpies”) to embroidery to journaling - and everything in between. I have a friend that finds joy in thrifting and makes some incredible pieces and furniture, I think that’s creative too!
JD-What is your favorite way to be creative?
MN-To be completely honest, I think I have dabbled in a little bit of everything at one time or another - and I’m an excellent copy cat. If I see something somewhere out in the world and I want it - I try to make it. However, my current favorite ways to be creative are cross stitch and embroidery (I had no idea how different those two things are until I began working with the materials!). I am also currently working with watercolors a good bit and trying to hone in on my style, although I’ve really only just begun and it shows in my work, I think. My five year old loves to paint, and so she and I will spend time together watercoloring which is so fun and allows me to meet her where she is! I’m writing a good bit these days too, but writing actually brings out a lot of insecurities for me so it is not something I share with others as I might with watercolor or knitting. I tend to write for a while, and then put it away for a long time before coming back to it. I also REALLY love to cook and bake, and to be creative in the kitchen.
JD-Have you always been creative, what led you to start making
MN-To some degree yes, I have always been creative, although I go through ebbs and flows of creativity depending on life at any given moment. I also go through periods where I choose different mediums, right now it's embroidery and watercolors, but 10 years ago I spent a lot of time working with paper and yarn. There was a period that I tried really hard to be good at knitting, but keeping count of those darn stitches is HARD! I can’t identify the specific moment that I began creating or the reason why - it’s just kind of always there as an outlet for me. I think that, even if the outcome is not exactly what I had in mind or does not serve a specific purpose, the process is what is so good and satisfying. To be completely honest, most of my work ends up in a closet somewhere but I enjoy the “making” of it all.
JD-What is your background? What is your day job?
MN-I have absolutely no formal training in anything artistic/creative, I just make it up as a go, or watch YouTube tutorials, or ask my good friend, Erin, to explain the steps to me. I do have an M.A. in English Literature from Mississippi State University and love to read. I was never very good at the research side of things, but the reading part kept me coming back for more. I would also be a professional college student if that was a thing. Currently, I am the Director of Financial Operations for Sigma Alpha Omega and serve on the National Board of Trustees. I’m also a mom to Hannah (17), Cora (5), and Emma (2), and furbabies Oliver (dog, 9), Lily (cat, 8), and Murphy (dog, 3 mo.).
JD-What inspires you?
MN-Is “everything” an OK answer? Seriously, though, I just mimic the things I see and I like. My kids are, of course, a huge part of my life and so I draw a lot of inspiration from their little eccentricities. In the spring I tend to lean more toward outdoor/nature for inspiration, in the wintertime I might work with fabric or yarn more. It just depends on my mindset and what is going on around me at the time.
JD-What keeps you interested in your craft/medium?
MN-Honestly, I’m just drawn to using my hands - even if it’s just being in my garden pulling weeds, or baking some yummy yeast rolls for my family’s dinner. There is also truth in the saying that it really is not about the finished product, most of my doodles or paintings or embroidery designs end up stuffed away in a closet somewhere when I’m done creating them. I only just recently opened up an Etsy shop to earn a little extra money so that I can buy more crafting supplies, and so my creations won’t continue collecting dust in my closet.
JD-Do you have a favorite artist, artistic piece, or artistic movement?
MN-Not in particular. I’m not classically trained, so I honestly do not know much about the art world. I’m not sure it would be possible to choose just one. My husband and I went to London and Paris a few years ago and spent a whole day in the Louvre (and STILL did not see everything!). There are so many different styles and movements spanning such a long time, walking around that gigantic collection makes one thing quite clear about art: it is deeply personal and deeply fluid.
JD-What do you do to get into the creative zone?
MN-Most of the time I work on something crafty or artsy as an opportunity to wind down after a busy day when the house goes quiet and still.
JD-Do you like to share your work with others, or do you keep it to yourself?
MN-Mostly I keep my work to myself, especially my writing. Most of my work is elementary or pedestrian (I think), but it’s about the journey and growing into a skill.
JD-Do you think that creativity is part of human nature or is it something that must be nurtured and learned?
MN-Both, I think. I believe we were made to worship Jesus, and part of that is through our creativity and artistic expression. Certainly, creativity is personal, but I also think it’s a way to thank Jesus.
JD-Why do you think creating is important?
MN-If you feel called to it, then yes. Absolutely. My husband, for example, is not creative in a traditional sense (paint, drawing, etc.) but he does really love building things for me. I asked for a dining room table and he made it happen, I asked for a toy shed for our kids’ outside toys and he put one together from scratch. It’s his way of being creative even though it looks a little different. I think we all have that in some way or another.
If you’d like to follow Magen on her creative you journey you can find her on Instagram @magennelson or over on her Etsy shop : www.etsy.com/shop/magenlee