Creativity

6/15/2008

I would like to pose a creativity question to not only the art community but also to the general public:

What constitutes a creative environment or a creative experience? It might be interesting to think about "ah, ha" moments and describe the moment just before. Ah-ha moments do not necessary need to involve creation of art - only new ideas. Where do these ideas come from and how can we support their growth and productivity?

When thinking about my own creative productivity I seem to be the most creative when my mind is free of clutter and I enter a "zone" of consciousness. I do not do this intentionally, it happens with out trying to make it so (most often during quite time outdoors). Then, seemingly out of no where, I develop creative solutions to problems or recognize an opportunity to follow the creative pull in a new direction.

I would appreciate all thoughts on this subject and I would be interested to hear about the creative process for others.

Any one intersted in reading more on creativity? Check out this article: http://tip.psychology.org/create.html

11 Comments

Cheril

6/15/2008 11:53:23 pm

I seem to be more creative when I am in the middle of a process or problem at work. By being involved and aware you can always come up with more efficient ways of doing things.

Yen Yohnson

6/16/2008 01:49:06 am

I wake in the morning and it's a feeling of freedom that stirs my creativity.

It can be in the first sip of french pressed coffee or in a song on the radio or the light coming in the window from a cool day outside.

That inspires me to be creative. Oh yes....

Dana Haeger

6/16/2008 01:52:02 am

What inspires me....
Problem solving
Times of extreme feelings
Being outside
Boredom
People watching
Beauty
Done....

Jim Harris link

6/16/2008 03:11:19 am

Ideas burst out of my head in the morning when I take a shower. I don't know why.

Another source of inspiration is discovering something new that's very creative. Thinking about why something catches my attention generates ideas. Like the new book, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

Reading other people's blogs can inspire creative ideas - and I don't just mean stealing, although stealing ideas can be very creative.

Doing something totally new can set ideas off. Like a couple weeks ago I went to see a summer camp for girls studying engineering who had a bridge building contest.

Jennifer link

6/16/2008 03:51:51 am

My greatest toughts usually come in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. My only problem is when I come up with the ideas at 2 am, I usually don't remember all of the details I've worked up in my head. I remember the jist but that's about it. Besides that, some of the best ideas come when I am collaborating with my co-worker (hmmm)...together we can come up with some really great ideas.

Angela link

6/16/2008 04:06:54 am

Anyone see a common thread here? It seems like we are the most creative when our brains have either had a nice little break (like sleep, exercise or quite time) or our brains are so preoccupied with a job that the creative juices are stimulated into gear.

I agree with Jim and Jennifer - seeing something new and/or discussing a problem with a friend or colleague can send off new ideas in rapid fire!

Jim Harris link

6/16/2008 04:22:43 am

Jennifer, I bought a $35 digital voice recorder that I keep by my bed at night or take on walks with me for when I want to remember something I'm sure to forget. I can even use it in the dark. It's weird to listen to messages spoken when I'm half asleep.

The device weighs about 3 ounces.

Michael G. link

6/18/2008 03:44:03 am

Angela, congratulations on a wonderful start to your blog conversations. I encourage you to consider Csikszentmihalyi's work in Flow Theory as you explore creativity. I, like Jim, often have moments of inspiration in the shower. When I was in college, I often used to have great moments of flow between 10pm and 2am, where some of my greatest designs were generated.

Angela link

6/18/2008 10:12:58 am

Thank you Dr. Grant. I have found quite a bit of information on Csikszentmihalyi's Flow Theory and it is exactly what I have been looking for.

Has anyone read "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle? Although it is meant to be a spiritual guide, there is a direct relationship between the present consciousness that Tolle describes and the active engagement (or zone) that Csikszentmihalyi suggests as being the key to a joyful, productive and creative life.

Angela link

6/20/2008 08:54:13 am

Describing the creative experience as setting of rockets in your heart and brain resonates with my own experiences. I want to piggy-back on the stream of consciousness comment being about what is on the paper and not about where it came from...

Do you think that what is created on the paper/canvas has to come from somewhere? It doesn't appear by magic. It seems to me that our creative/inspired moments allow us to combine what is already present in new ways and therefore create, manifest or "birth" something that was and was not there before.

amy

6/22/2008 10:02:56 am

A creative environment is anywhere that just inspires/drives you to want to make stuff.
A creative experience is the moment of digestion that sets off rockets in your heart and brain.
A "zone" is perfect way to describe the concentration of making something.
My creative process'
1. paintings/drawings derived from memories/photos of nature
2. relationship of patterns and colors- particulary from fashion mags and nature

once the creative process starts it becomes a stream of conciousness. it is about what is on the page/canvas than where it came from.

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Creativity

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Angela V. Christopher

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