To Live is to Live Creatively
Author: McKenzie Burleigh, Associate Publisher at Emerald Coast Magazine.
Originally Published: March 28, 2024
Sources of Inspiration are all around us
On Day 3 of a nine-day journey to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, Emerald Coast Magazine associate publisher McKenzie Burleigh practices a king dancer pose with the mountainscape as her backdrop.
I made a life-changing trip to Africa in January and brought along with me a book by Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being.
Many times, I had heard people speak highly of the book. Before leaving for Africa, I attended a yoga class taught by Shannon Kramolis at Studio Thirty A, and she read excerpts from The Creative Act. I was convinced it was time I bought a copy.
Rubin has a message for all of us: “Art isn’t in the tools, material or equipment you use. It’s in the way you see the world.” He writes that everyone is a creator and that creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human.
In climbing Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro, I woke up on the morning of the third day of a nine-day trek with feelings of worry and fear. We still had over 5,000 more feet of elevation to go. I was experiencing the onset of acute altitude sickness, others were battling a stomach virus and we were all freezing cold.
I opened Rubin’s book to a chapter titled “Look for Clues,” which is about paying attention to subtle signs provided by the universe. There is no such thing as a coincidence, he writes.
The chapter concludes: “When clues present themselves, it can sometimes feel like the delicate mechanism of a clock at work. As if the universe is nudging you with little reminders that it’s on your side and wants to provide everything you need to complete your mission.”
It was no coincidence, then, that these words reached me and provided me with a perfectly timed reminder that my doubt and fear were creations of my own mind. I felt reassured that the universe would provide me everything I needed. Rubin’s creative act had changed my way of thinking for the better. I was inspired and encouraged to complete the climb.
I hope you enjoy this special arts edition of Emerald Coast Magazine. I applaud all the artists and creators we covered for this issue who exercise their talents and share their work with us. Art is a universal language that reminds us that we are more alike than we are different.
I encourage you to check out local arts events happening this spring, including the Destin Charity Wine Auction, Emerald Coast Theatre Company productions, Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation performances, Chandler Williams’ upcoming gallery night benefiting the Kids of Kilimanjaro organization, Sinfonia Gulf Coast events, South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival, events from the Cultural Arts Alliance of South Walton, the Sandestin Wine Festival, performances from the Northwest Florida Ballet and others. Together, these creative events, many with charitable aims, enrich
our community.
May we all appreciate and experience the artistic life. And, as Rubin suggests, we do well to pay attention to the clues and the subtle signs that surround us. You never know — they just may inspire you to do something extraordinary.
Much love,
McKenzie Burleigh, Associate Publisher
mburleigh@rowlandpublishing.com
