Creativity is . . .

Steven Sweeney · 09-03-2004, 12:37 PM

Carol Norton · 09-03-2004, 02:12 PM

Steven,
Your "Creativity is..." quote is inspirational in itself.
Thanks.

Ngaire Winwood · 09-05-2004, 07:38 PM

Matthew Fox certainly has found the connection, hasn't he.

I wonder from any of the words written by past masters themselves, did they view creativity the same way? Was it like the essence like Matthew has written about it so eloquently? Does any one have these masters inspirational words about how they saw creativity?

Does the feelings or view on creativity change over time say, from a master or from a student? Do we all sense it and see it the same?

As a student, Matthew's words ring a truth to me.

John Reidy · 09-07-2006, 07:16 AM

Beautiful works.

I don't know if creativity can be defined fully. The dictionary states-

cre?a?tiv?i?ty? [kree-ey-tiv-i-tee, kree-uh-]

Sharon Knettell · 07-23-2007, 03:03 PM

Mastery and Fearlessness

SB Wang · 07-25-2007, 07:55 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creativity

"Creativity (or creativeness) is a mental process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations between existing ideas or concepts.

From a scientific point of view, the products of creative thought (sometimes referred to as divergent thought) are usually considered to have both originality and appropriateness. An alternative, more everyday conception of creativity is that it is simply the act of making something new.

Although intuitively a simple phenomenon, it is in fact quite complex. It has been studied from the perspectives of behavioural psychology, social psychology, psychometrics, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, philosophy, history, economics, design research, business, and management, among others. The studies have covered everyday creativity, exceptional creativity and even artificial creativity. Unlike many phenomena in science, there is no single, authoritative perspective or definition of creativity. Unlike many phenomena in psychology, there is no standardized measurement technique.

Creativity has been attributed variously to divine intervention, cognitive processes, the social environment, personality traits, and chance ("accident," "serendipity"). It has been associated with genius, mental illness and humour. Some say it is a trait we are born with; others say it can be taught with the application of simple techniques.

Although popularly associated with art and literature, it is also an essential part of innovation and invention and is important in professions such as business, economics, architecture, industrial design, science and engineering.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the ambiguity and multi-dimensional nature of creativity, entire industries have been spawned from the pursuit of creative ideas and the development of creativity techniques. This mysterious phenomenon, though undeniably important and constantly visible, seems to lie tantalizingly beyond the grasp of scientific investigation.

"Creativity, it has been said, consists largely of re-arranging what we know in order to find out what we do not know." George Kneller"

SB Wang · 07-25-2007, 08:18 PM

THE CREATIVE ACT
by Marcel Duchamp
Let us consider two important factors, the two poles of the creation of art: the artist on the one hand, and on the other the spectator who later becomes the posterity.

All in all, the creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external world by deciphering and interpreting its inner qualification and thus adds his contribution to the creative act. This becomes even more obvious when posterity gives a final verdict and sometimes rehabilitates forgotten artists.

(From Session on the Creative Act, Convention of the American Federation of Arts, Houston, Texas, April 1957)

SB Wang · 07-25-2007, 08:26 PM

Expand Your Creative Potential
by Dr Greg Frost

As difficult as it may be to believe, everyone carries within them the ability to be brilliantly creative. This is a skill like any other, one which must be learned and exercised properly in order to reach its maximum potential. There are no exceptions to the rule; regardless of who you are or where you are from you too have a creative mind that can rival that of any professional. You simply need to learn how to use it!

Underneath are a series of five activities which you can do to get the juices in your head flowing and to unlock the creativity which is buried deep within your mind that you may not have been aware even existed.
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Start a journal. True creativity stems from the ability to analyze and imitate the world around you; simply saying that something happens it not enough, it is necessary to understand the how and the why as well. In your journal try to select one item from your day which you deem to be the most memorable and record it in as much detail as possible. Try to describe what you were thinking, feeling, smelling, seeing and doing when it occurred. By gaining a deeper insight into these events you will gain the ability to look deeper into all aspects of life and eventually to use these extra observations in creative ways.

Attempt to make something from nothing. Pick up a piece of wood or soap and a carving knife and see where your hands take you. It is not necessary to have a blueprint in order to do this; your hands have a creative ability all their own and will find their way with or without your help. At first your creation may appear to be abstract rather than to contain form and figure; however, over the course of time they will begin to take on definite shape.

Participate in a community theater production. This is particularly easy if you are a part of a religious organization, as they often put on several varied performances throughout the year; this is particularly true of one that seems to have a large following of younger children involved.

Build a treehouse. It is in youth that your creative potential is the greatest, simply because you have not yet learned that certain things simply cannot be done. Building a treehouse will serve to remind your mind of happier times in which you were able to run free and you did not yet learn how to place restrictions on your mind. You may be surprised at what your finished product will look like by the time your creativity is done with it.

Take time every day to daydream. Imagine things you would like to do, things you do not want to do and things that you will do. There is only one rule; during your daydreaming time you are not allowed to be practical. You cannot think about what is on your to-do list or what the latest problem at work is. This is your time to allow your mind to explore its creativity in the form of free thought

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Dr Greg Frost is the Director of ChargedAudio

SB Wang · 10-06-2007, 11:54 AM

A Beautiful Mind is a creative mind
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Forbes_Nash

SB Wang · 10-13-2007, 10:01 AM

Al Gore---Nobel Prize winner!
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/13/op...qg&oref=slogin
I had a pleasure to paint his portrait and delivered to the White House to celebrate his birthday in 1994. I received his acknowledge letter with another picture of him.