創作是刻在靈魂裡的本能。每個人還是小孩的時候，才不管唱得對不對，畫得像不像，跳得美不美。即使不是每個小孩長大後都能靠唱、畫畫、跳舞吃飯，但小時候誰不是在塗塗畫畫唱唱跳跳中覓得快樂和建立自信呢？
創作藏著太多美好。喜歡畫畫的人最幸福的時刻，莫過於把抽象的想法具體地呈現於紙上的瞬間。其他藝文範疇亦如是，多少人在寫文、填詞、作曲、編舞、攝影、錄像的過程中跨過了他們人生中以為再也跨不過的坎，藉著創作面對了不堪的經歷，甚至撫慰了傷痛。是創作把支離破碎的秘密交織成富有力量的作品，並回頭賜予創作者力量。有些故事，文字難以言喻；但幾個音符譜成的旋律猶勝萬語千言，鏡頭捕捉的剎那的神態就融化了人與人之間的隔閡。
這一種個人與創作的關係無關市場需求，也未必造福人群。這種關係也許對社會不重要，但它對「你」很重要。我們從小被教育要貢獻社會或追求聲望，甚麼虎死留皮，人死留名。此無不妥，但需求和成就不是也不該是創作的唯二目的。若依社會需求創作，就一直遷就社會變遷（好像蠻合理又勵志唷～）。若為聲望創作，會發覺不同時、地、人、事等機緣巧合孕育出來的審美和價值觀，比作品本身更影響創作者的聲望。因此，追求這唯二目的等於意圖穩定變數。
最終能引領創作人走下去的，只有以自我成長為導向的創作。有別於容易被聲望、獎項和收入量化的增長，以自我成長為導向的驅動力來自內在的核心價值，成就感沿於實踐心中願景。因此創作動機不僅遠離或凌駕於外部因素，而且穩定而持久。這是一條難走卻又讓人感到幸福的路。難走因為大部分人都是平平凡凡，有多少個Picasso既精畫又精商？回想讀書時的所謂創作已經悄悄迎合考試制度，畢業後配合客人和老闆。生理沒飯吃，心理覺得被世界遺棄。搵到兩餐又鬱鬱不得志。而最可怕的，莫過於認為自己無法成為知名創作者後，就不再畫畫，不再編劇，不再寫曲了⋯⋯
想放棄時，請問問自己創作予你為何物。創作本身就是創作，它沒有改變；改變的是你如何看待自己與創作的關係。如果曾經有幸享受為創作而創作，請盡力別讓自己失去創作 — 享受創作 — 的能力，因為其實你擁有了或擁有過值得一輩子享受的事。要生存，AI要學，認知要提升，洞察力要加強，精神世界要豐富⋯這些都是為自我成長和願景持續創作的資本。
選擇很多，願你永不迷路。
***節錄自《沒轉外框的學藝股長》＜老設計人聊聊ai和吉卜力之亂，和一個在道德與常識變換過快的年代，你需要知道的，最重要的東西 — 第三種價值體系＞（https://youtu.be/cqksVQ6uMSE?si=0-JoYo_AzefpDeVz）並稍稍調整。
Estella Chan
港、台兩邊走的人體模特兒
香港大學美術系學士（已改名「藝術系」）
英國皇家舞蹈教師協會認可拉丁舞導師
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Creation is an instinct etched into the soul. When we were kids, we didn’t care whether our singing was pitch-perfect, our drawings true to life or our dancing graceful. Even though not every child grows up to make a living from singing, painting or dancing, who among us didn't find joy and build self-confidence through those early days’ bubbly-beany games?
Creation is a process of emotional deconstruction to emotional reconstruction in which the creator transforms from a sufferer to a builder. There is no beauty more profound than that embodied in creation. For those who love to draw, the happiest moment is none other than the instant abstract ideas materialise onto paper. The same goes for other artistic realms. Countless people have overcome hurdles they once thought impassable through writing, lyrics, composition, choreography, photography and videography. Through creation, they face painful experiences and find solace for their inner wounds.
This process acts as a deep psychological reconstruction. Some stories are hardly expressed through words alone; yet a simple melody composed of a few notes speaks louder than thousands words, and a single capturing of an expression through a camera lens melts the barriers between people. The creator translates unspoken trauma, anxiety and loss into tangible entities through notes, lines, light and shadow. In this way, creation weaves fragmented secrets into powerful works that in turn bestows courage back upon the creator. This is thereby how the creator transforms from a passive sufferer to an active interpreter.
Through creation, we anchor motivation in inner core values breaking free from external volatility. This intimate relationship between the creator and creation has nothing to do with market demand, nor does it necessarily benefit the public. It may not matter to society, but it matters deeply to you. From a young age, we are taught to contribute to society or chase fame—to “leave a legacy.” Nothing wrong with this but, demand and achievement are not, and should not be, the sole purposes of creation.
If you create solely based on societal demands, you will constantly accommodate shifting societal trends. If you create for fame, you soon realise that aesthetics and values forged by random coincidences of time, place and people, let alone events influence fame far more than the work itself. Public recognition is naturally volatile, much like the lifetime obscurity of Vincent Van Gogh or Franz Kafka. Anchoring your artistic drive to external validation is an attempt to stabilise uncontrollable variables, eventually leading to endless anxiety.
Ultimately, the only force that can sustain creators on their journey is creation driven by self-growth. Unlike growth easily quantified by fame, awards or income, self-growth is fueled by inner core values where fulfillment stems from realising one's vision. When an artwork genuinely reflects your inner world, that sense of certainty can never be stripped away.
Creation is a “Soul Experience” uncomputable nor replaceable in the AI Era. This is a challenging path yet, one that yields true happiness. It is difficult because most of us are ordinary people—how many Picassos exist who excel at both art and business? Looking back, what we called “creation” during school years actually catered to exam syllabus. After graduation there seems to be no more exams but the standard quietly switches to pleasing clients and bosses. Struggling to make ends meet causes one to feel abandoned by the world, whereas securing two meals a day without creative freedom leaves one unfulfilled. Worst of all, some of us abandon painting, acting, screenwriting and choreographing that we pour our heart and soul into after convincing ourselves that becoming a renowned creator is impossible…
Yet, in an era of rapid AI advancement, technical efficiency can be automated but the human experience of creation is irreplaceable. AI can blend elements and replicate styles, but it possesses no suffering, nor does it need healing. This is why it can neither experience the relief of overcoming a personal crisis nor weave broken secrets into strength in the dead of night. Once technological efficiency takes over output, the nourishment staying with our soul is the tranquility and fulfillment granted by the creative process.
The essence of creation is finding the courage to create for yourself between reality and soul. When you feel like giving up, ask yourself what creation truly means to you. Creation is creation, which itself has never changed. What changes is how you perceive your relationship with it.
We need no binary choice between survival and soul life—they can coexist. To survive, we must learn AI, expand our cognition and sharpen our insight. These are practical skills for navigating real-world changes. To sustain creation, meanwhile, enriching our inner spiritual world nurtures continuous growth and vision. Therefore, the ultimate capital to stay grounded is the dual path of “survival” and “soul life.” If you have ever been fortunate enough to enjoy creation purely for the sake of creation, try your best never to lose that ability to create—and to enjoy it—because you possess something earnestly worthy of a lifetime's appreciation.
Many paths ahead; may you never lose your way.
***Elaborated from an extract by @artLandon001 on YouTube 'A Seasoned Designer's Take on the AI and Ghibli Controversy: The Single Most Important Thing You Need to Know in an Era of Rapidly Shifting Morals and Common Sense — The Third Value System' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqksVQ6uMSE).
Estella Chan
Figure Art Model active in Hong Kong and Taiwan
Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Hong Kong
Certified Latin Teacher, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
