The tortured artist mythology is an ancient and enduring notion: that art comes mainly from suffering, and artists are likely to be emotionally fraught and even need their pain to create.
There are, of course, plenty of examples of artists using creative expression to transform pain. Frida Kahlo (1907-54) painted a series of self-portraits, including this [...]

Candice Bergen at age 60 is a dynamic part of the ensemble of actors on “Boston Legal” and once commented, “A decade ago, I figured making it to 85 would be great. A vital 85.
“Then I thought, screw that. I’m going to live to 90. A vital 90… No, it still sucks. Living to 85’s [...]

Many writers extol the virtues of intuition for developing creative talents and enhancing life decisions. A new study by University College London indicates you are more likely to perform well on a symbol discrimination task if “you do not think too hard and instead trust your instincts,” according to their press release article, Trusting your [...]

Artist Roxanne Chinook [right] has had personal experiences of rape and family violence, and has said her art “emulates a personal and cultural experience, from the spirit of the trickster to healing from the traumas of my past. The process of creating strengthens and restores my spirit, and has rendered me a relationship with the [...]

Personal development expert Earl Nightingale notes in his article The Great Problem-Solving Tool that “Each of us has a tendency to underestimate his or her own abilities. We should realize that we have deep within ourselves deep reservoirs of great ability, even genius that can be tapped if we’ll just dig deep enough. It’s the [...]