Creativity Has Reasons

Creativity has reasons, and poverty, being deprived of the basics in life have forced me to be creative. Yes, I am telling the truth. Growing up in a culture where the female body is an asset, and for some, it’s the only asset they got. My choice is, I can use my body or my brain to achieve what I want. Using my body would limit my options, control of my life and robs me of happiness. Using my brains won’t. Looking good or beautiful is very important to many females here. Costly too.

The brain has little value to some. Looking good has no value to me if I am always hungry, sad, and can’t afford the necessities of life. I live, breathe, eat, sleep, play and touch hunger. And it knows me well. My brain is my asset. I hate poverty. I hate how the poor are treated by society and our world. I think it divides us and renders us weak. I liked using my brain, and I am never short of innovative ideas. Plus, thinking for myself gives me more control of my life. I like that. I am the only one feeling my pain. Thus I make my own decisions.

Having hunger as a companion, I learned a lot about foods, how to cook, flavor, and grow them. I educate myself on the nutritional value of everything I eat. Poverty taught me to think economically. I knew how to survive and do many things very early in life. Cooking and baking are two of them. Cooking your meals is very economical, especially if you are not sure if you will eat tomorrow. Poverty taught me Economics. I gained knowledge on being resourceful, reliable, and efficient, all because I was lacking. Being deprived forces me to think of ingenious and productive ways to improve my life. All of my brilliant and practical ideas come in behind all of the obstacles. In my country, I can tell you which wholesale downtown gives the best price for what. I go to the market, and I always find the best foods at the best prices.

My creativity and innovation have helped me feed my family at incredible prices and bring good health to my family. Healthy people are happy people.

Life and poverty have backed me in a corner many times, and every time my creativity spark got more extensive, I came up with lots of innovative ideas. I learn from everyone, and every situation and circumstance life throws my way, and because of that, innovation is always nearby. If I am short of something or couldn’t afford something, ideas with solutions visit me. Every time I lack something, creation feeds my brain, and I develop ideas to fix my problems.

Facing life’s obstacles daily also increased my innovation. My latest, but not new, are ‘Cut-up,’ T-Shirts. I call mine ‘Air Condition shirts.’ The cut-up tees idea is a Jamaican one. I don’t know who came up with the idea to cut up these shirts. But I have created and cut my designs. It’s so damn hot here, and these shirts are beautifully and skillfully designed to allow the cool breeze to massage many parts of your body. The images on the front of these T-shirts are not my own, except the Medium ones advertising a link to my story, the platform it is on, and the image associated with the account.

I at my happiest when I am creating something. The most joyful part of me is seen in all of my creations.

Enjoy the images that I have created below.

T-shirts were cut in this design by Cathia Dyer. In Jamaica, they are called ‘cut-up t-shirts.’ I call them Air Condition T-Shirts. They are perfect for summer wear and also at the beach, or anywhere that’s hot. I am a Medium Writer and my pen name is Annelise Lords. The Images on the shirts are mine and the links are the platform I write for. The stories are mine. All design has the four leaf cut set in patterns and two leave because of the shortage of space.

Air Condition T-Shirt in The Spiderweb hand-crafted design before and after with images.

This T-shirt was purchased with this image on it. I have added my style of cutting. Front and back.

This is a Square Shaped Design with Four Leaf Shaped Cut in some Squares in a pattern. Before and after, with or without image. Unisex.

Triangular Shaped design.

Multi-cut design.

T-shiets aren't the only things I have created.

And I have more. Lots more. And I will never be sad again.

Thank you for that smile.

All images were created by me using flowers.