Creativity is such a huge subject but I wanted to take a stab at one issue that I think might be helpful for artists and creatives (at least something to think about)
There is such a prevalent myth out there that’s it’s good to be more creative. Now this can be a snake pit, bear trap and maze all rolled into one. I’m not sure more is the right word.
I, for one, in my work really struggled with this early on. I would just sit there and wonder what to paint. I had NO idea what I was going to paint or create. I guess for a lot of people this heightened “agitation” is what fuels them but for me anyway, it did the exact opposite – it drained the life out me. It stopped me cold in my tracks for years.
To be fair, I’m not saying that this “business model” has not produced some amazing, awe-inspiring and breakthrough efforts in the arts but it seems to be the exception. In my experience there is an easier route to take.
And I’m not saying easier because I am looking for a simple way out – no, just a smarter one. A smarter one in terms of getting work done and in terms of production so you can profit from your efforts – not be engaged in wheel spinning and waiting for divine inspiration.
What has really helped me is to think about “practical creativity” – that is, in terms of re-arranging the old (tested and proven) in a new way or what some call “plus-ing” – meaning adding something to what’s already existing.
Picasso was a great example of someone who used “practical creativity” all his working life. His basic plan was to use older forms of art (i.e.; Velazquez, Manet., Goya, etc.) and re-arranged them into exciting new forms. And he never veered far from traditional forms of art – portraiture, still lifes, landscapes, etc.
He had a built-in program. Never had to worry about what to do. Same with folks like Agnes Martin, Jasper Johns (see image below) and Chuck Close. They kinda defined a methodology early on and rarely veered from it.
Within these “limits” their creativity soared. It was like one of those Russian dolls where you keep opening up one to find another inside.
So if you are having frustration in trying to figure out what to do then try to look for something that is proven, time tested and works. And add to it, substract from it, make it bigger, make it smaller, do it faster, do it slower, etc. etc. Gee, seems to have worked fine for people like Howard Schulz, (founder of Starbucks) Walt Disney (re-invented an already profitable amusement park) and countless others Why not you?
