Delia Quigley: STORIES

Life As A Creative Act: Three Women, Three Journeys, One Passion

• Delia Quigley • Season 2 • Episode 3

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What if creativity isn’t something you have or don’t—but a way you move through the world? We open that door with three artists whose lives stretch from stage and circus to studio and garden, and with stories that show how passion, talent, and skill braid into a durable creative life. You’ll hear how a choreographer treats stuck moments as puzzles to flip and reframe, why a former performer fell in love with pastel during a trance-like afternoon of nine cherries, and how a painter chases beauty, connection, and freedom without letting perfection steal the joy.

Along the way, we step into a vivid Tampa memory where a spontaneous Navy dock photoshoot becomes a lesson in reading the room, working the moment, and capturing the shot without losing the story. We talk about saying no to one dream to build another—from touring with a dance troupe to creating a yoga and cooking school—and how the same creative spark can design classes, gardens, and spaces that change how people feel. Mentorship threads through it all: the kind that names difference as a strength and invites a student to follow a path before it has a name. We honor the elders who built their own studios, learned new crafts, and taught, by example, that a creative life is the biggest canvas you’ll ever work on.

These conversations land on a clear truth: creativity is a mindset you can practice anywhere—art studio, kitchen, classroom, or conversation. Replace “Is it good or bad?” with “Is it authentic?” Trade perfection for persistence. Use curiosity to unstick problems. And remember that voice isn’t found by waiting; it’s grown by making. If this resonates, tap follow, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review—what’s one place you’ll apply creativity today?

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SPEAKER_03:

Talent is something that you're given. For me, creativity is a state of mind.

SPEAKER_01:

Have you ever wondered what creativity really is? Is it a gift we're born with? A spark that ignites from passion? Or something that can be shaped, practiced, and refined like any other skill. You know, I've always believed creativity is an inherent part of being human, a force that moves through us, whether we're painting, cooking, gardening, or simply finding a new way to solve an old problem. But being creative doesn't necessarily mean we're talented. And talent alone doesn't make someone great at what they do. There's a difference between creative passion, talent, and skill. Passion is the fire, the love of the process itself. Talent is the natural ease that shows up when something comes alive in our hands. And skill? Well, skill is what we build through time, patience, and practice. It's the structure that allows passion and talent to take shape, to become something lasting. You're listening to stories. I'm your host, Delia Quigley, and in this episode you'll hear from three women, three artists whose creative journeys reveal the intimate dance between passion, talent, and skill. Their stories, along with my reflections, explore what fuels creativity and what sustains it, especially when inspiration fades or doubt creeps in. So Dilia, Dilia, what? Is creativity forever? Or does it just appear when you're young and full, you're ripe with ideas and inspiration and energy? Well, that's a good question. And it's interesting how creativity doesn't retire when we do. For some, it just simply changes form. Finding new ways to express itself through different mediums. For example, our first story comes from a woman who spent her life in motion. Deborah Fernandez was a dancer, a choreographer. She was also a professor of dance. Her language was the body, gesture, rhythm, and grace. But when she retired, that physical expression quieted, and something else began to speak. She has a lot to say on creativity and talent. Here, let's listen.

SPEAKER_03:

Talent is something that you're given. For me, creativity is a state of mind. For instance, in dance, you're making a piece, you get stuck, you ask yourself these questions. What can I do to get out of my stuck frame of mind? Oh, maybe I'll turn it the other way. Maybe I'll ask someone who's doing a phrase standing up to do it lying on their backs. So what it is is really, and it applies to science as well. It's a process of discovery. It's the state of mind of discovery, of flexibility, of questioning, whereas talent is just something you have. You can do with it what you want. So in that way, everyone can be creative. It's about changing the state and the flexibility of your mind. So we tend to relate creativity to the arts, but it's really something that once you discover that key to, I guess, questioning perception. Anyone can be creative. It doesn't mean you're going to be a professional. Because in the profession of the arts, if we're still talking about the arts, which I'm not anymore, I see it as something that's part of your life, part of the way you live your life. It's part of your relationships. But if you do want a job in the professional arts, yeah, you have to have a certain level of talent. So a lot of times people pit science against the arts. But a lot if you really read what scientists say, it's very much an art form because what they do is they discover and they research. You know, for me, how this translates to real life is about are you stuck in an emotional position? That's when you could apply creativity. So you could ask the same sort of questions. What am I not? You know, I'm I'm in this place with this person, I'm stuck in a position. What can I do to flip that around? You know, that's the way you can live creatively. Maybe it's gardening, you know, maybe it's solving puzzles. In other words, I want to get us away from thinking it's just about the arts. Can I paint? Can I make music? That's up to you to work on those skills, but you can still be creative. And I think the main thing is that we've got to release ourselves. And this is what stops a lot of people. Is it good or bad? That's what gets us. Comparison. Is it good or bad? So it's not really about is it good or bad? It's is it authentic? That's the word that I've landed on. Is it true to me? And then you gotta be ready to let go of people's judgments because maybe you just want to draw squiggles. If that feels good and that feels authentic, and that gives you the feeling of something inside of you that wants to come forward, that wants to come out, then that's creativity. But you gotta watch that little demon voice of is it good or bad.

SPEAKER_01:

So, Delia, one thing that is becoming pretty clear is that creativity isn't a straight path. It doesn't always follow talent, and it isn't guaranteed by skill. No, no, no, you're right. Because it is at its core a living conversation between our desire to express and the tools we develop to do so. Okay, so do you have a a story to tell us about that? Well, I do, I have a really good one. It takes us back to maybe about 1975. I had already made a bit of a name for myself photographing aspiring actors and models. One day I was hired to shoot a fellow thespian. She was a tall, gorgeous brunette with a closet full of designer clothes. Fortunately, she was open to my suggestion that we wandered downtown Tampa shooting in different locations. Tampa was not what it is today, all modern and fancy office buildings and wide streets. Then, back then it was a bit dodgy, a rough-looking southern city with a river cutting through from the bay. It had its charm if you looked really hard, so we decided to go looking. We'd gotten a lot of really good shots, and the day was winding down. My model was getting tired, her makeup was beginning to glow in the afternoon sun, and then she pulled the last dress from her traveling trunk. She held up a sensational wrap dress by Diane von Furstenberg. Lightning struck. I suddenly remembered there was a Navy destroyer docked in the Tampa port. Someone must have told me or it or was in the news, but I thought it would make a great shot. My model managed to change in the car and she strapped on a pair of black spike heels I never saw coming. I steered my little red Ford Pinto to the docks, and when we rounded the corner, there was the ship. And boy was she a beauty. The ship was tied up to like a pillar, and it was just tall enough for the statuesque model, especially in those heels. The sailors had been swabbing the deck when we walked up, and I called up to them and asked if they would play along. Boy, they were really happy to oblige. And with the cat calls and whistles, my model got right into the action. She needed no prompting from me. I got the perfect shot, and so we were done getting ready to turn around and head back to the car when I noticed more sailors were gathering on the deck. I figured they were not going on shore leave, and the news of two young hot women posing dockside had spread through the destroyer like wildfire. Then suddenly there was a roar from the sailors on deck, followed by cheering and yelling. I turned around to see four naval officers walking down the gangplank. They were dressed in navy whites, impeccably ironed, shoes with a high black shine, officers' bars on their shoulders, young and handsome. It was one of those moments where you just have to give praise to the Almighty. Well, the navy grunts were going crazy. But you know, in this age of hashtag me too, a woman might be offended, frightened even, enough to run, or watch it all go down with a smile on her face. Man without women for too long is not the best mix. Anyway, the officers approached us in a slightly threatening way as if we were trespassing and shouldn't be there. But we were hip to the moment, and knew they were just playing to the audience on deck. Every one of those sailors would have given a month's salary to be in their officer's place. They knew it, and so did my model and I. As they approached us, the officers removed their hats, placed them under their arms, big, handsome smiles, a bit of small talk about what we were doing, you know, dragging it out for the sake of their men watching. Then an unexpected invitation to dinner, except they were leaving port in a few hours, perhaps next time. And the sailors went wild. It was sweet, funny, but getting a bit crazy. We thanked them for the invitation, and I moved away to let my model have her, you know, Marilyn Monroe moment in that dress and those shoes. She tossed her long dark hair, took a spin, not quite sure how she managed that, and blew the boys on deck a kiss. We were followed by a few hundred eyes and the cheering of men too long pent up, as we casually walked back to my car. Well, I dare say it was a photo shoot I will always remember, not just for the creativity of what I photographed, but for our creativity in working the moment that was given to us. Okay, so Delia, while some creative journeys seem to begin in the freedom of going with the flow, I know, right? Like when I was younger. Okay, well, others emerge through devotion. That steady commitment to learning, refining, and shaping talent into skill. Exactly. Which brings us to our next story from Pat Fenda, whose life was once lived under bright lights as a stage and a circus performer. Her art was movement, timing, and trust, the kind that demands every ounce of focus and courage. And when that chapter ended, she didn't stop creating, no. Instead, she found herself drawn to the stillness, a pastel painting, a very different kind of stage. She began taking classes, studying technique, and practicing every single day. All right, here, I'll let her explain what she discovered in the process.

SPEAKER_02:

I began by trying to find a pastel teacher in Tampa, Florida, once I retired from performing arts and took up visual arts. A friend told me to come to this class for acrylics, and I didn't want to paint acrylics, but she said the teacher would be fine. She would be happy to help me in whatever I was painting. So I began with a fruit stand from Spain. The class started at 1 o'clock, and I was finishing up nine cherries. I had begun the painting the week before. When I looked up after getting so involved with my nine cherries, it was 245, and time had just stopped for me. I mean, I just was so involved with the painting that it just grabbed me 100% and I was hooked. That's how I started painting. I had a career in the performing arts for 43 years. If I'm not painting, I want to be gardening. If I'm not gardening, creativity is pretty much a passion of mine. When I took up painting, I realized I was really stretching into a different part of my brain. And it's all part of creativity, but it certainly expanded it in a whole totally different way. As I say, I changed my stage from horizontal to vertical. A few months ago, that I would say, stop being critical. Every single painting doesn't have to be a masterpiece. You're learning something, so give up perfection. When I was just started painting, it was so much fun. I was learning something new that my critical voice was silent for a while after six years now. It's reared its little ugly head. You know, the self-criticism is can stop you in your tracks. And I was really almost ready to quit. If you're patient and you take a break, then your creativity comes back. And now I'm happy with 10 or 20 percent of what I do, and that's plenty enough. I'm happy. Let loose, just be as open to ideas and don't stop. Be open, because that's when you find some voice of your own. If you're always trying to make a perfection or do a perfect painting, you're really listening to a different drummer. So if you stop doing that, perhaps your own voice will come forward. I'm waiting for it. I think it's happening. I painted today, and I was very happy with it.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, Delia, what we see in these stories is the unfolding of creativity across different rhythms of life. You're right, because, you know, for some, it begins as pure exploration, and for others, it grows through daily practice, discipline, and the dedication to mastering a craft. I remember years ago when I decided to change my life and open Still Point Schoolhouse to create a holistic wellness center that focused on yoga and meditation and cooking. I love to cook, and I think one of the most creative, creative parts of myself is in preparing a meal. But at the time I was also dancing, and and that's a story I'll say for another time. I was I was African dancing with a group, um, and we were thinking of taking on the road. But I had just bought the schoolhouse and I had this plan, and I had to say, no, I can no longer pursue this line of creativity. I have something else I need to do. And I thought about it a lot, and I thought, you know, Delia, just turn your creativity, your talents, your skill into creating a beautiful garden, painting a house and getting it ready to be a yoga studio and to be a functional kitchen where people come to learn and to cook. And that's what I did. And it was so much fun. And later I would turn my creativity to writing books. And another way I was really, really creative was in how I structured my yoga classes so that when students came, they were inspired. They weren't just the same old, same old. They were always inspired, and it always fit exactly where they were at that time. So you see, there's so many ways to use your creativity, to use your skills, and to foster your talent.

SPEAKER_00:

First of all, I've heard the saying, clarity comes with action. So by doing more art, as I have been, it's been a process which is still ongoing of why am I doing this? You know, and and why am I doing it? I found out I'm really doing it to make an impact on other people and for myself. I love the thrill of making something and that someone likes it enough that they want to buy it and they want to hang it in their house. And we all need money to fund our dreams and to live. But that doesn't drive me. What drives me is to make an impact, to find that place inside of me where I'm coming as close as I can come to the feeling that I want to feel in the way that I live in this moment. And I'm not really thinking about that when I'm doing the art. In fact, often I paint something, and I might think it's going to be about this, or I'm looking at something and it I like it. I like the color and what I'm looking at and the feeling, but it's only afterwards that I know why did I do this? Like it's an afterwards thing, you know, like it's coming out of, I'm connecting. And that's what I want my art to do for other people, because when I make art, I'm doing it, I'm doing it for me. I'm doing it in the reason I just told you, because I'm trying to, I'm trying to tune to that place that feels the most like my essence of who I am. And I think that's what everybody wants, because that's what feels fulfilling and satisfying, whether they know it or not. For me, my particular things that are important to me is beauty, connecting with people, and sharing my art. And then the freedom that comes from feeling like I really expressed myself, I really communicated that to you. You really picked up on it and it inspired you that you want to do that for yourself too. And that's kind of what it is: beauty, connection, freedom.

SPEAKER_01:

That was Robin Carroll, our third artist, who, like the others, embraced creativity again further after retiring. She turned to pastel and watercolor, studying, practicing plain air, exhibiting her work, and earning a lot of recognition for her artistry. You know, yet through it all she remained committed to something perhaps even more vital than skill or acclaim, staying true to her own vision, her own authenticity as an artist. Alright, so Delia, what have these three artists shown us? Well, Deb, our first artist, reminded us that creativity is not just about whether you have the talent or that you're an artist, a painter, or a dancer, but that we all have creativity. It's inherent in all of us. And then Patty showed us the power of her devotion, the commitment to daily practice, to learning, the honing a craft, and to discovering the depth that comes with her persistence. And then Robin, she illustrated the culmination of both the skill, the talent, and the authenticity coming together to form work that is not only accomplished, but deeply personal. What each of them has told us is that creativity is both a gift and a practice. It asks us to show up, to risk, to fail, and to keep going. It thrives in curiosity, discipline, and truthfulness to our own vision. And perhaps the most remarkable thing is that it evolves with us, transforming as our lives transform, opening new doors, new ways of seeing, and new ways of being. And what about your creative life, Delia? Well, my creativity is driven by curiosity, how things work, what they sound like, how you bring it all together. I love the visual, I love the audio. You know, I'm a I was once a singer and a musician, played the guitar, sang, danced. I've been a photographer, still am. I've been a videographer, still am. And here I am doing podcasts. There's a time I had a radio show, and I love that. I love communicating with people, and I think that's the the core of my creativity. It's like Robin. I really like reaching out and having an impact on people's lives with what I create, getting them to think, to feel, to maybe wake up a little bit, just take them out of their, you know, their drunken monkey minds, thinking about all their problems and worries and the state of the world, give them a little shift, a little mental shift. And that's what art did for me in the great museums and the great painters, the great filmmakers and authors. I found my inspiration, but most of all, I found my home. I discovered that my passion is to create with love and to share my creative love with as many people as I can.

SPEAKER_03:

Right about when you and I were talking about creativity, I got this voice memo from my student, and she was thinking back to our composition class I taught her at Skidmore, and she was laughing about it, but she said that we they showed their stuff, and then I said, and these were the days where you could be less filtered when you taught a class. I said, Oh, so you're not really a dancer, and you know, that could really come across as a harsh comment, but she understood by the tone of my voice, she explained all this to me. She understood that it wasn't a put down, it was a kind of an inquisitive reaction she triggered in me because her work was different, and it and I couldn't figure it out yet because she was still kind of a young, you know, a young pup. But I saw something in her. She was funny. She there was something about what she was doing that didn't fit into the normal dance composition. So for her, that rather than an insult, was a very uh, it sparked her. It it actually gave her confidence. She said, Oh, I'm not the thing that, you know, I'm not the person that's gonna go audition for a company and probably not get in, because she wasn't that kind of a dancer, but that teacher just saw something in me that made me realize I am gonna go down this path of inquiry without possibly knowing where it's leading. That's another important thing. You have to be willing to follow where it leads. And not everybody can do that, but I thought that was so interesting that all these years later, that was a comment that actually gave her juice rather than shutting her down. She's in New Orleans, she's an incredible choreographer, she does very unusual projects, just what I saw, but I didn't know where it would go. I think I saw the creativity because it was still in that realm of dance, she wasn't particularly a phenomenal dancer. Now she's actually a beautiful mover, but you know, she hadn't found all that yet. So I think I saw it as her creativity, but more going back more to the word I mentioned uh earlier, authenticity. She was original, she was different, she wasn't copying anyone.

SPEAKER_01:

So, Delia, listening to Deb talk about mentoring her young student, it begs the question, who mentored you? Ah, there's a good question. Because when I was a young woman in my twenties, you know, I was gorgeous. Who wasn't in their 20s? Long wavy hair, I was really creative. I was just coming into my own at the time. And I'm one of those creative individuals who also happens to be very talented. And at that time, I really didn't know that. I was learning skills I needed to build a career for myself. I'd learned a lot working in the theater. I had a degree in theater arts, a minor in voice, I had a lot of experience acting, I knew how to create costumes, build stage armor, build puppets. I was working with other performers in the Tampa Bay area, and we were creating like crazy. I was getting to write and direct, and it was a wonderful, wonderful time for a young creative artist. But to your question, who was mentoring me? Looking back, I remember it was a handful of elder wise women, artists in their own right, women who took me under their wing because they saw something in me that needed guidance, and a young woman, probably who reminded them of themselves, a woman they could nurture. One such woman was my friend Lulu. Lulu was all of five feet tall with the curvious little May West figure, big busted, small waist, lovely wide hips. Her husband was a jazz drummer named Billy. They met while working for the legendary burlesque fan dancer Sally Rand. Lulu told me that Sally had hired her as a young girl with big ambitions for a career on the stage. Back in the 1950s, strippers were famous for not fully exposing themselves. For Sally Rand's famous act, she used two huge feathered fans to reveal her naked body slowly. And Lulu's routine was called the bubble bath. I mean, talk about creativity. She would get wheeled out in this big bathtub full of bubbles, and her big reveal would be an naked extended leg or an arm. With her gradually, slowly, agonizingly for the men in the audience, Lulu would stand up, and the bubbles would just barely cover her privates. Then she would get wheeled off the stage, still in the bathtub. We laughed so hard when she told me that story. Basically, she aged out as a stripper. You wouldn't know it from looking at her. She was 50 years old and her skin was like porcelain. She had that little vava voom figure that men's eyes would follow, and over the years following her burlesque career, she developed a very fine skill. Lulu was an accomplished portrait painter. She worked with oils and was really very talented. One day I stopped by her. Florida bungalow to find her outside building a chimney on the side of her house. Now, there weren't many chimneys in Florida back in those days, especially outside the bungalow, but she wanted a fireplace for her studio. So she built this massive chimney stone by stone. Then she cut through the wall to make a fireplace, so during the mild Tampa winters, she would stay warm and cozy while she painted. I was blown away. Everyone kept telling me to decide on doing just one thing, focus on one thing, and years later, I understood that bringing all your creative energies towards one passion builds the skill needed for growth. But at the time, I was just on fire with my passion to create anything and everything. Watching Lulu create, I understood that becoming an artist wasn't about fame and fortune, or even about limiting my creativity to one artistic expression. Lulu showed me how to live a creative life. She was a beautiful soul and a wonderful mentor and a really good friend. But I left town before I ever got a chance to thank her. You know, I was young, unaware, inconsiderate of my betters. And I just took off on some new adventure. By the time I'd returned to Tampa a few years later, Lulu had passed away from breast cancer. So here's your memory, Lou. Thanks for all you taught me. So, Delia, any final words for your listeners? Yes. I was thinking about how I would end this episode, and so I put it to my mind before I went to sleep last night, and in the morning I knew that I was to read the opening of Clarissa Pinkola Este's. Just talk about a work of art, Women Who Run with the Wolves. Chapter 10, Clear Water, Nourishing the Creative Life. She writes that creativity is a shape changer. One moment it takes this form, the next that. Building a university, yes, yes, ironing a collar well, cooking up a revolution, yes, touching with love the leaves of a plant, pulling down the big deal, tying off the loom, finding one's voice, loving someone well, yes, catching the hot body of the newborn, raising a child to adulthood, helping raise a nation from its knees, yes, tending to a marriage like the orchard it is, digging for psychic gold, finding the shapely word, sewing a blue curtain. All are of the creative life. All these things are from the wild woman, the Rio Abau Rio, the river beneath the river, which flows and flows into our lives. Some say the creative life is in ideas, some say it is in doing. It seems in most instances to be in a simple being. It is not virtuosity, although that is a very fine in itself. It is the love of something, having so much love for something, whether a person, a word, an image, an idea, the land, or humanity, that all that can be done with the overflow is to create. It is not a matter of wanting to, not a singular act of will. One solely must. So whether you're stepping into a new form of expression, honing a skill, or seeking the courage to create authentically, remember this creativity is not a destination. It is a companion, a mirror, and a reminder that being human is in itself an act of art. You've been listening to Stories. I'm your host, Delia Quigley. You can explore more of my creative work at DeliaQuigley.com. Thanks so much for listening until next time.

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Delia Quigley

Host
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Debra Fernandez

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Pat Fenda

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Robin Carroll

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