Creativity bursting forth

Shared by Tara Grey Coste and the American Creativity Association

Many of us abandon our creative impulses as soon as we shed childhood's exuberance. We become boxed in by adult constraints, rarely allowing ourselves open time for artistic play and exploration. Doing art for its own sake, the way a young child becomes immersed in the spontaneous glory of line and color, is gone. Whole afternoons making up songs on guitar become a thing of the past. Reclaiming this part of ourselves later on is one of the surprising pleasures of growing older.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-gets-better/201111/creativity-bursting-forth

The persistence of memories

Pioneering programs at MoMA and other museums show that engagement with modern art can improve quality of life for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers.
http://www.artnews.com/2011/11/01/the-persistence-of-memories/

Art versus product

The creativity motivation spectrum.
Shared by Tara Grey Coste
http://thestartupfoundry.com/2011/07/12/art-vs-product-the-creativity-motivation-spectrum/

The Age of Imagination

The Age of Imagination: Placing Art and Design at the Centre
by Sara Diamond, President, Ontario College of Art and Design
http://www.ocad.ca/Assets/pdf_media/unused_pdfs/Age_of_Imagination_Oulu.pdf.pdf

Use art to turn the world upside down

JR, a semi-anonymous French street artist, uses his camera to show the world its true face, by pasting photos of the human face across massive canvases. At TED2011, he makes his audacious TED Prize wish: to use art to turn the world inside out. Learn more about his work and learn how you can join in at insideoutproject.net.
http://www.ted.com/talks/jr_s_ted_prize_wish_use_art_to_turn_the_world_inside_out.html

Art, Drama, Creativity and Trauma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoMwS_0PXOU&feature=watch_response_rev

Art and Maths - Yeah Right!

It was rare at school that the students who took maths also took art. It worked the other way around because maths was compulsory but I was never good at it. American photographer Nikki Graziano has proved that the two - art and maths do mix. Just imagine if Nikki was your maths teacher! Hard to explain: see it for yourself here.

The Art of Change

Put 25 people in a church hall, give them a range of materials and some brief instructions and you have the recipe for creative transformation.

Jonathan and Alice from the Learning Connexion helped us to explore a transformational process that could then be applied to other areas of our lives.

The workshop's stated goal was for each participant to "identify the idea of fun through creative art processes, crossing sensory boundaries - from thought into dialogue and written word; from 2D and 3D art processes into public commentary, and evaluation of the transformational process itself."

After setting the topic "What gives you the most fun/joy/celebration in your life?" Alice walked us through a bunch of questions to get us to involve all our senses - questions like:

• What do you do for fun? Why
  


• What does it feel like?



• What does it smell like?
  


• What does it taste like?



• What does it sound like?



• What movement, shape, touch, sense captures this?

We played with our theme using 2D materials in the morning and 3D materials in the afternoon. People surprised themselves. Check it out if the workshop comes to a place near you. More information on http://www.tlc.ac.nz/

Carol Bean - Creator

Creativity and Carol can't be separated. Creativity is not a part of Carol's life - it is central to Carol's life. She expresses her creativity through making music - recording, playing live with her two bands, playing solo and with friends and others; through her art works - painting, drawing, assemblages; through her film making - music videos, documentaries, virtual tours, photography and by designing her living space so that it is aesthetically stimulating - and it is!!

I talked with Carol about her creativity. I asked her if there was a point in her life when she recognised she was creative.

Carol: My mother is an artist. I admire her work greatly. At age 88 she has just finished illustrating a children's book that my brother wrote. When I was growing up our house had a good aesthetic - great colours, textures, fabrics, art on the walls and art books. We went to galleries and libraries all the time. One day a babysitter asked who the artist in the family was. My mother said 'I am, but my daughter Carol is very good at art'. I was surprised and took the unsolicited comment on board for the rest of my life. I won prizes in school for art works and creative writing, which verified my ambition to pursue the arts as a career. My first experience in a recording studio was with Alan Muggeridge at Rowan Road Studio. It gave me a lift. I was thrilled at the process and felt sure I could achieve something worthwhile.

Wayne: How would you describe your creative process?

Carol: early morning is a great time for grabbing ideas out of the dream state and then writing things down as the mind clears in the uncluttered air.

As a student I never worked very hard with my art. I dabbled. I was good at a lot of things and 'life' got in the way. But now, as the days go by at an alarming rate, I am settling down a bit better to routine. I go up to my art studio in town every Wednesday, and I attend life drawing class every Tuesday morning. Life drawing is the essential blood for any artist who interprets the world through drawing and painting.

Musically I practice every day. I have a new album underway, so new songs get played in the living room, the kitchen and out in public at gigs. That way I can see if they have a real life outside my own head. We used to rehearse the band every Wednesday night until I decided the band was not giving enough time to learning new material so we have closed that chapter. But there is more to come in different combinations of musicians.

I set goals - I make gig dates - I agree to do film commissions and deadlines and I agree to exhibition dates. That way I have to complete the work.

As many creative people will empathise, I have dozens of half finished projects: two novels on the way, 4 films, research articles, and a thousand small renovations in my environment. They will all get finished because I always do finish - but YEARS later. By then the concept has morphed, usually for the better I think, because of the distance, but others may not see it like that.

Wayne: What tips would you give top others who want to further explore their creativity?

Carol: Make sure that you access inspiration from mentors, artists, works that you can go back to, that are enduring and proven.

Build your launching pad with care. develop good skills and a foundation of knowledge. Don't pretend you can sing / draw / dance / when you really just wish you could. Work hard to gain your basic 'chops' before you move out into the creative phase of sharing your work with the world.

When exploring your creativity make sure you have FUN.

To maximise the experience sort out the technicalities of your space and 'tools' first before launching off into the discovery of creative impulses and ideas. Male sure you are not hampered and pressured by time restraints and other commitments.

Carol and her band Blue Highways - with yours truly playing drums - YeeeHaaaa!!