Creative Reads

In one of the final semesters of my undergrad experience I enrolled in The Psychology of Creativity, to formally study one of my favorite subjects.  The course presented dominant theories about creativity (and there are many!) and delved into the latest research in the field.  It was then that I was introduced to the term “functional fixedness” and began to consider the implications of “associative hierarchy”.  While this may sound dry to some, I must admit I was never more happy to geek out to the material in an undergrad course. (Though I stopped just short of wearing a t-shirt bearing the words, “How flat is your associative hierarchy?” )

That said, it should come as little surprise when I say that I was quite eager to read Jonah Lehrer’s new book Imagine: How Creativity Works.  For weeks before its release I read every article and excerpt that was circulating.  More than one friend contacted me to let me know they had just heard an interview on NPR…about a book…that I would probably love.  Yes, I said, it’s on my list.

Now that I’ve finished the book I am appreciative to Lehrer for writing it.  While I have some questions about specific material that did not make the book, overall I found it to be a very worthwhile read.  A good deal of the research that is cited by Lehrer was also included in my readings as an undergrad.  But, in addition, Lehrer weaves in some very memorable anecdotes about creativity.  One of my many favorites was a remark by a young student enrolled at NOCCA.

If you have even a passing interest in the subject of creativity you will likely enjoy the book.  And, if not, Lehrer’s very readable, Imagine, may raise your interest just a bit.

On Tuesday, April 24th from 8-9pm EST Lehrer’s book will be the focus of a book chat on Twitter, using the hashtag #creativereads.  Feel free to drop in during that hour to share your thoughts!

© 2012 Kira Campo

The (Life) Lessons of Art

My creative practice has taught me more than a few invaluable lessons through the years.  Lessons acquired through the process of expression inform daily life.  Once the lessons of art are internalized, key principles become relevant in contexts which are independent of art, as well.
I’ve written about lessons before, such as the ability to See Anew or Explore Multiple Angles.  And I’ll be writing about others in the future, no doubt!  But for now…

1. Edit, Edit, Edit: Communicating an idea can be messy stuff. With any creative process, a “refined” idea is the result of a once “fuzzy” idea that has been articulated more fully.  Through the editing process extraneous elements fall away, allowing the crux of the idea to become more clear.  Early drafts and studies serve as evidence that this takes place.  As a result, this universal transition from “fuzzy” to “refined” is made more apparent.

2. Experience Dynamic Interaction: An important part of my process is allowing a painting or drawing to evolve in an organic way. Each step builds on the steps before, the result of dynamic interaction between my aesthetic judgment and the marks left on the page.  In many ways this practice of dynamic interaction that is integral to painting serves as a metaphor.  A similar type of active engagement helps us to thrive in the world; dynamic interaction with our surroundings develops qualitative reasoning skills.  The act of painting makes me more cognizant of this process in all contexts.

3. Embrace Mistakes: “Happy Accident” is a phrase that describes those fortuitous moments that sometimes shape the process.  It’s not uncommon for an artist to experience a mistake that ends up improving their work in some way.   Although the cause of the change was unintentional, the effect of  the mistake sometimes leads to an outcome that is more preferable.  The happy accident is about discovery, at its best.  When we persist through a mistake  we learn that unforeseen obstacles do not need to deter our progress.  And, in this way, we experience that a mindset of flexibility and adaptability often produces the most satisfying end.

© 2011 Kira Campo

A Line By Another Name — by Kira Campo

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the creativity-innovation partnership.

The title ‘An Imaginary Line’ referred to the figurative device in the post…an attempt to illustrate the connection between innovation and the type of activities which influence our capacity to achieve the creative outcomes we so prize.  The line I described looked something like this:

______________________________

It seems that maybe I had the line all wrong.  I should have been thinking less linear.

I should have been thinking of a squiggle…

I am referring to Damien Newman’s spot-on, brilliant depiction of the design process, shown here, as “The Squiggle”.

The creative process is not linear.  And given the many constraints and imperatives associated with innovative outcomes, why should we assume that any process of innovation would have the luxury of being linear?

Each day we are met by experiences, observations and ideas which have tremendous potential to influence our creativity.  In some instances the impact of this new data can be directly mapped to a creative outcome, and in other instances outward evidence of such connections may be less overt.  I refer to those activities that impact creativity as foundational activities. Engaging in foundational activities ensures that we are equipped with the thinking skills that are needed to construct outcomes that break with the status quo.  Examples of foundational activities are so abundant, and varied, that the concept of plotting such examples hardly evokes the image of a straight line!  Enter “The Squiggle”.

All figurative devices aside, the heart of this discussion is not lines, squiggles or an exercise in plotting!  Taking time to identify and articulate some of the foundational activities that lead to innovation is what is really of interest.  Foundational activities that are important to my creative practice have included painting, shooting photographs, practicing intentional observation…to name a few.

What activities are important to your practice?

© 2011 Kira Campo

Creative vs. Artistic

Earlier this month the Art Educators of New Jersey held their annual conference in New Brunswick, NJ.  This year, like last, I delivered a 50 minute presentation on Studio Thinking and discussed how the Habits of Mind identified in the framework help to cultivate creative thinking skills.

Later that day, as I discussed the same topic over dinner, the conversation veered into the direction of ‘Creative vs. Artistic’.  Since the distinction between Creative and Artistic is often conflated, I offered an experience from my own life to illustrate the difference between those two concepts.  It went something like this:

I was recently asked to judge a group show for an arts organization in my community.  The theme selected for this show was fairly traditional and there were many works in the show that possessed notable artistic merit.  However, there was a single piece, entitled ‘The Tree of My Life’ which demonstrated a degree of creative merit which set it apart from other works in the show.  The work was painstakingly rendered, which lent further power to what was already a rich conceptual accomplishment.  The power in this work was meticulous execution, coupled with a *novel* idea. Relative to the other works in the show, ‘The Tree of Life’ exemplified creativity.

Is that which is artistic also creative?  Ipso facto, just like that? Perhaps!  It is my opinion that any original art object is, by default, creative.  But I also believe that not all art objects are E-Q-U-A-L-L-Y creative.

When we seek to evaluate the creativity of an object it is necessary to consider it in comparison to other works; knowing the available alternatives provides necessary insight about the yardstick being used to measure the creativity quotient.

Likewise, when considering an idea or solution that is not artistic in nature, we are also wise to consider the many alternatives that might exist. Because, very often, with the sufficient investment of time and attention–that is, with deep engagement–solutions abound.  The finest examples of creativity I am able to name *not only* deliver a novel and effective solution, very often they also appear to be the solutions that are out-on-a-limb on the proverbial tree of life.

And, on the rare and marvelous occasion when a solution truly exemplifies creativity, that solution, regardless of  the domain, certainly qualifies as art.

© 2011 Kira Campo

The Dividends of Artmaking

Ode to Criticism II

In 2001 I took part in a painting workshop that changed my relationship to artmaking in a very fundamental way.  While I had dabbled in various creative pursuits for much of my life, only after this particular workshop did I begin to accurately appreciate the value of those pursuits.  Over the last ten years I have experienced how maintaining a personal creative practice yields a remarkable return on investment.

The workshop emphasized the basic elements of design: color/line/texture/form/etc.  It was an opportunity to explore the fundamentals, relying only upon basic technique.  Without rigid structure, it afforded ample space to experiment.  In doing so, the workshop facilitated deep engagement by providing sufficient time and conditions (through acts of painting and collage) that were favorable for open-ended exploration.

Though the exercises would change each week, every exercise served as a lesson in observation and reflection.  I was deeply engaged during each two-hour session.  Over time I noticed that many of the skills activated by this new hobby also informed the hours between my weekly sessions.  As a result of  artmaking I was developing a sensitivity to details like texture/shadow/color/line.  Increasingly this sensitivity extended into everyday life, and I began to attend to aesthetics during my non-painting hours much more vividly.  This new lens was a direct result of a shift in my attention, born from a desire to express abstraction on the page in an authentic way.  Researcher Ellen Langer explores this manner of conscious attentiveness brilliantly in her book, ‘Mindfulness’.

One summer, several years later, I conducted a painting workshop as a volunteer in an assisted living facility.  The experience of deep engagement I had found through painting was echoed in the stories that were told to me by some of the participants.  Their own lives were enriched as a result of their increased awareness to detail and nuance, much like mine had been years before.  Eric Booth, in his book ‘The Everyday Work of Art’, describes the nature of such awareness in exquisite detail.

The true return on investment I gain from painting is never the completed painting.  No, my technical skills are still a work in progress (a fact that often motivates me to devote more time to the craft of painting!).  The greatest benefits are the Habits of Mind that result from the act of painting, habits that inform and improve my everyday life.  Awareness through deep engagement enables me to think more critically and creatively, which extends into my relationships, my professional life and my academic pursuits.

Painting, much like watching a live performance, sensitizes me to my own interior world, and, more broadly, to humanity.  Once I learned to consciously traverse the terrain of deep engagement, I began to regard the thinking skills I had acquired through the process of painting as invaluable life skills.  Knowing the dividends that I will receive from a regular practice of artmaking makes it far easier for me to choose how to invest my time.

© 2011 Kira Campo

Related posts:

Habits of Mind of Musical Learning

http://innovativeperformanceandpedagogy.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/habits-of-mind-being-a-good-learner-and-teacher/

Innovation = Creative Expression

My connection to the arts is fueled, in equal parts, by a reverence for individuals’ creative expression and an appreciation for the ways in which creative expression impacts our lives everyday.  One of the aspects I enjoy most about my career in the arts is the opportunity it affords me to speak directly with artists about their work.  Examining the processes of professional artists is one way to better understand how and why creative expression is relevant to innovation.

This link between creative expression and innovation is readily observed in those who devote considerable time to their creative practice.  For example, in order to begin a new painting, an artist draws heavily upon well-developed skills of observation and reflection.  An artist must also have an overarching plan for how to proceed before a single mark is made, and yet most artists relish the moments of spontaneity that arise as they work.  Is this a gross oversimplification?  Yep.  But it helps to illustrate how these steps map to innovation and problem solving.

A sustained creative practice, broadly defined, promotes the fluidity of ideas that is integral to innovation.  It also promotes the judgment necessary to discern if an idea is worth pursuing, as well as the imagination and discipline that are necessary in order to work an original idea through from conception to a satisfactory and concrete end.  And yet creative expression is often underutilized as a method for achieving goals which are outside the arts; or worse, entirely overlooked.

Few would disagree that an original painting/play/sculpture/song/poem is evidence of creative expression.  But often the direct line between individual creative expression and creative outcomes outside the cultural sector seems less apparent.  The importance of creative expression to the cultural domain is clear, while the importance of creative expression to other domains remains fuzzy.

Imagination and the skills of deep observation and reflection that are invaluable to an artist’s process are also integral to the essential stages of innovation.  Breaking with the status quo–in any situation, in any domain–requires balance between adhering to an overarching plan and an openness to spontaneity.  Providing something novel, which has value, is dependent upon creative thinking.

Innovation that takes place outside the arts also demands a type of creative expression.  In many ways, volunteering ANY new idea or perspective is essentially an act of creative expression (but that’s for another post!).  Innovation can’t take place in the absence of creative expression.  And while the growth of an idea requires many stages before it can mature into a creative outcome…without creative expression, only the status quo remains.

© 2011 Kira Campo

Innovation = Creative Expression was originally posted on February 6th, 2011 by Kira Campo at www.thecreativepractice.wordpress.com