Chapter 5

The Joy of creativity

After a long invigorating flight Kevin decided to land. Kevin saw a funny looking man, dressed top to toe in black but with a little white square at the front of his neck, who was looking at him, and and then started walking towards him. "No chance!" Kevin exclaimed and jumped back into flight. 

As he flew, Kevin could hear some beautiful music that made him feel like electricity all over, making his feathers stand on end and his eyes widen. He followed the music came to a building it came from and circled overhead. Kevin had never heard music like this before and had to find out more. He landed on the window ledge of an open window on the house. 

The house looked like it was in need of some love, but the music was amazing. "Oh hi Mr Chicken" a friendly voice from inside said. "Hello! I'm Kevin the Chicken, I used to be a little boy!" "How cool" said the man inside, "I used to be a little boy too" he continued. "Come in, I've just made a lentil stew. We're all vegans, so you are safe here chicken boy" he said. Kevin was really hungry after all that flying, and vegans only eat vegetables and Kevin was a vegan too. And lentil stew sounded perfect for a hungry chicken. Kevin felt much better after the delicious meal. The man explained that he was an artist, made music and painted beautiful things, but that people who worked in factories or shops made more money than he did. He lived in something called a "squat", but Kevin didn't know what that was. It is a house that is not being used, so people decide to use it and look after it. Kevin didn't know why there was a special name for that. There were special names for lots of things Kevin thought. "Would you like to help me with some art?" said the man. "Oh yes please!" exclaimed Kevin. The man had lots and lots of canvasses around his room and a very large one was lying flat in the middle of the floor. It was covered in splatters all the colours of the rainbow. Kevin tried to get a closer look and before he realised it he had walked through some paint and had his foot prints all over the canvas. 

When Kevin realised what he had done he felt a "Oh No!" type of shock but the man said excitedly "That's it! Genius! I was looking for inspiration and this is it!. It is nearly finished, Kevin can you keep walking?" It wasn't long before the painting was finished. The man told Kevin about how art can come from anywhere, from inspiration, from copying, from life, or nature, or just starting and seeing where it takes you. He told Kevin that everything you want to do can be broken down into little steps, and each step done takes you closer to where you want to go. Sometimes you have to do some research before you start, and you have to know where you want to go to know that you have arrived. You just start, and then continue, step by step, until you reach the end - and then you have a celebration if you want. Kevin liked little steps as he had little chicken legs. Kevin and the man painted one picture step by step, and then they painted another, and then another, and kept going until they ran out of paint. Along the way the man had taught Kevin all he knew about painting and how to break projects down into little chicken steps. Both Kevin and the man were very excited and the man said they should get the pictures exhibited. 

It wasn't long before the exhibition and Kevin and the man were very excited. Kevin got a little beret hat from an old army doll he had and put it on Kevin. The exhibition was a great success and there were lots of people there, and journalists from art magazines and newspapers. They started asking Kevin questions. "Kevin, where do you get your inspiration from?" Kevin answered  "I just open my imagination and let things flow. It's not something I have to force, it is like it is always there I just need to feel free and let it flow. And sometimes an accident works out really well. The great thing about art is that you are really free to create. We create things out of nothing, our imagination is free and is the most wonderful thing. Art is like life, first an idea comes, or you imagine something, and then you turn it into reality. Sometimes it becomes real straight away, sometimes it takes some time." Kevin remembered what the prime minister said and that how Kevin disagreed, so Kevin felt like he should say something so he continued, "People naturally get along together, they don't need big banks to make them do hard work just for the sake of it. Art is like that, we create things from nothing. People can have fun and work at things to make the world a better place." The journalists were very excited at Kevin's points and they had a lot of material to use for their newspaper. A lot of people read their publications and people would believe anything they wrote, it could either work out well or bad for Kevin, but Kevin was true to himself and had his own opinions, and also respected the opinions of others. A man approached Kevin and took him aside. He was a very impressive man, very well dressed and smelled like some kind of flower, and said to Kevin that he could make him rich if he came and made some art for him. All he would have to do would be to do what the man says and he would be rich. Kevin felt angry and said to the man that Kevin is free to do what he wanted, when he wanted, and that money is very low actually and the man might think he was doing well in life, but that he really wasn't. Kevin stormed off and went to his artist friend. "We have had a great time, met some lovely people, and spoken how we feel to people who are interested and listened. Can we go home now?" Kevin said. "Of course we can" said the man, and they said goodbye to their friends there and then made their way back home. 

The man had taught Kevin all he knew, even how to play the guitar and they both sang songs together. One day some people came to the house and said that Kevin and the man couldn't be there anymore so they both had to leave. The man and Kevin had to say goodbye to each other and both continue on their journey through life. Kevin said that he would see the man some time soon and he would have more art to show him. They wished each other luck and left.