Posts Tagged ‘creativity’
Creativity of the Landscape Painter
A study by Teresa Amabile and colleagues at the Harvard Business School tells an interesting story about creativity. The researchers asked a number of artists to select 20 of their works of which 10 were commissions and 10 were from their regular production. A panel of curators and art experts, knowing nothing of the nature of the research, were then asked to rate each work on creativity and technical skill. While skill ratings turned out to be pretty well the same, the commissioned works consistently rated lower on creativity.
In the studio or on the road, many landscape painters find they are the most creative when they’re simply on the lookout for joy. Experts are now seeing intrinsic reward, when there is no payoff except for the joy, as the silver bullet of motivation and a principal key to evolved work.
Creativity for the Abstract Painter – Part 2
Here are a few more ideas about creativity that might help the artist who creates abstract paintings. Again, from Dr. Amabile’s report.
People are happiest when they come up with a creative idea, but they’re more likely to have a breakthrough if they were happy the day before. When people are excited about their work, there is a better chance that they will make a cognitive association that incubates overnight and shows up as a creative idea the next day. One day’s happiness often predicts the next day’s creativity.
The most creative teams are those that have the confidence to share and debate ideas. When people are doing work that they love and they are allowed to deeply engage in it – and when the work itself is valued and recognized – then creativity will flourish.
Creativity for the Abstract Painter
Several years ago, Theresa Amabile, researcher and professor at Harvard Business School, completed a study about creativity. Some of her findings may be useful to painters of abstract paintings as well as others.
Folks get creatively engaged when they have a sense of playful progress. People are most creative when they care about their work and are stretching their skills. It happens over a period of time – one day to the next in a cooperative environment can produce more creativity than the hot expectation of a bonus.
People are the least creative when they are fighting the clock. When people are working under pressure, their creativity goes down not only on that day but for the next two days as well. Creativity requires an incubation period; people need time to soak in a problem and let the ideas bubble up.
Creativity – Part 2
Is the process of creating important to our existence? Why? What do you think? Perhaps because we, like every one else in the world, were born to create – to express ourselves in our own unique way.
We tend to see an artist as “talented” and set them apart from our own selves. This makes our own creating less important, because we don’t feel “talented”. This becomes a belief and becomes real to us, and creativity becomes something we don’t personally have.
If you are to become creative you must learn to nurture yourself with encouragement while weeding out self criticism – much like you would nurture a young plant. You need to ask yourself: 1)What do you dream of doing? 2) What is your secret desire? 3) What creative thing did you enjoy as a young child? 4) Were you ever interested in painting?
Creativity is letting go of certainties, being open to new possibilities. Take a class – a challenge that will forever benefit you. “Creativity gives the soul life, its vibrancy. Creativity is where your soul wants to sing”….Gwen Fox