Great post. I like the idea of that creative, artistic energy somehow bursting it's way through the fingers of the unwitting artist as opposed to it being a stallion, trained and mastered by the equestrian. For me "creativity" (whatever that really means) comes in waves. I have bursts of motivation to begin small projects (sewing, sketching, poetry, free-writing, sculpture, whatever). Mostly how I express it is based on the availability of required materials, and I am ashamed to admit as such a lot of it is left just daydreams.
I like the idea of a sort of creativity-storm "radar." On the other hand, I think of how creativity is in itself almost a rebellious act, and how if I personally tried to harness it'd be gone before I started.
I used to want to be a writer when I was young, and I eventually wrote journals and journals and poems and poems. But, as I mentioned, I'd start a journal, I'd doodle on and collage up the cover, I'd write my name a thousand times, I'd write a few entries, and then I'd lose interest. I'd find a new journal with some blank pages and attempt to start fresh with the goal of filling it's pages, like writers are "supposed to." I'd doodle, I'd write a few entries, and find something else to hold my interest. For me that's what creativity is about - not having limits or expectations, not necessarily having goals or fully-formed ideas for what's to come. My best doodles were always the ones that started as small nonsensical scribbles and ended as flourishing and detailed designs. My best pieces of fiction were always the ones that started with a small pebble of an idea and ended up completely out of the realm from where it started. I think if I was expected to function within a certain, say deadline, I'd lose the willingness and maybe even the ability altogether, to be "creative."
One additional thought to add to this discussion is to
mention what Henri Poincare said: “It is
by logic that we prove. It is by
intuition that we discover.” I would
substitute the word “create” for “discover”.
How do you then develop or cultivate intuition that leads to
creativity? In my experience, intuition
is enhanced by curiosity, intense concentration, knowledge of the subject
matter, and discussion with intelligent colleagues. Ultimately, it is the courage to allow
yourself to think something new.
A delightful book that discusses these topics is “Intuition:
Its Powers and Perils” by David Myers.
Ellen Ambrose tagged this post as Essential.
