Creative Inspirations: A Personal Reflection

Introduction

As part of my coursework in the Fundamentals of Branding class at Keiser University, I’ve been exploring creativity through Regina Pacelli’s book, Whole Lotta Creativity Going On. This week, I’m working through Exercise 18, which asks me to think of two to three people I consider exceptionally creative and explain why they stand out to me.

At first, I wasn’t sure who to choose. I’m still new to studying design and creativity—I only recently began this journey as a 40+ single mom of four. But when I really thought about it, the most creative people I know aren’t famous artists or designers. They’re my two oldest daughters, with whom I’ve lost touch, and an artist I’m still getting to know through social media, Banksy.

But as I reflected, I realized something else: creativity has been a part of my life all along. Even though I never considered myself a serious artist, I’ve always found ways to express myself—through drawing, braiding, and even the small creative acts that made life in the military feel slightly less rigid.



1. My Oldest Daughter – The Poet & Spoken Word Artist

In 2023, I watched my daughter perform her poetry for the first time in a Poetry Out Loud contest. She didn’t win, but that didn’t matter. Seeing her stand in front of an audience, using her voice to turn emotions into something powerful, was a moment of pure pride for me. Poetry has always been her way of making sense of the world, of shaping words into something meaningful. Though life has taken us in different directions, I still hold on to that moment—the power in her words, the way she commanded the stage. That performance reminded me that creativity isn’t about winning; it’s about expression, connection, and courage.


2. My Second Daughter – The Musician & Makeup Artist

My other daughter has a voice that fills a room. Whether she’s singing, rapping, or creating stunning makeup looks, her creativity shines through in everything she does. She has a natural talent for transformation—both in music and visual artistry. Over the years, I’ve spent so much money on art supplies, but I never saw it as an expense. It was an investment in her creativity. The only artwork I’ve ever hung in my house has been my children’s drawings and paintings. Their art filled my home, not just with color, but with pieces of who they are.



3. Banksy – The Artist I’m Still Learning About

The only widely recognized artist I feel drawn to right now is Banksy. I don’t know much about him, but I follow a Facebook fan page, and his work keeps appearing in my feed. His art is bold, rebellious, and full of meaning. Maybe that’s why I like it. Just like my daughters’ work made me feel something deep inside, Banksy’s images seem to challenge the world in a way that speaks to me. I may not know his full story yet, but I appreciate how he forces people to stop and think.

4. My Own Creative Journey – Drawing & Braiding

As I reflected on this exercise, I realized that creativity has always been a part of me, even if I didn’t always see it that way.

As a child, I loved to draw. I even took art as an elective in high school and enjoyed every moment of it. But like many childhood passions, it got set aside as I grew older.

Braiding, however, became my everyday art form. As a teenager, I was obsessed with Allen Iverson’s hairstyles, and I taught myself to braid by practicing his intricate styles on my own hair, my younger brother’s, my teammates’, and even basketball players from opposing schools. It wasn’t just a skill—it was a creative outlet.

After high school, I had no idea what I was going to do. I considered nursing because my mom had always wanted to go to nursing school, though she never finished. Then 9/11 happened, and I joined the Navy.

Even in the military, creativity found its way into my life. As a single sailor, I braided other sailors’ hair to help them stay within Navy regulations. The regulations limited the creativity—front-to-back braids only—but I pushed the limits as much as I could, sneaking in curving parts, wavy lines, swoops, and side designs. It was my way of keeping some artistic freedom in a place where self-expression was often restricted.

When I became a mother, braiding became an even bigger part of my life. I kept my daughters' hair braided, and I taught them to braid as well. When my first son was born, my daughter started braiding his hair after a bad experience at a barbershop left him terrified of haircuts. Braiding wasn’t just about making hair look neat—it was about comfort, tradition, and passing down a skill.

Final Thoughts

Before starting this class, I never really thought of myself as an artist, but creativity has always surrounded me—it was in the poetry, music, and paintings of my children. It was in the way I styled hair, in the sketches of my childhood, and even in the quiet ways I tried to push boundaries where I could.

Even now, as I study graphic design, I see that creativity isn’t about having a formal title or years of experience. It’s about expression—about finding ways to make life more beautiful, more meaningful, more personal. Whether through poetry, music, street art, or even the swoop of a perfectly laid braid, creativity is everywhere.

For me, this exercise wasn’t just about recognizing creative people—it was about acknowledging the role creativity has played in my life, even when I didn’t always see it.


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