Hello fellow artists,

Arthur Koestler was very creative -- read more about him in Wikipedia. Koestler produced so much in so many different fields that there is not enough room here to cover the territory. He saw the relationship between creativity (the "aahhh" feeling), scientific discovery ("ah ha!") and laughter ("ha ha!").

Scientists and other creative people put two seemingly unrelated ideas together to create something new, which provokes "aahhh" or "ah ha!" Comedians do the same thing, which provokes laughter. Saying "aahh", "ah ha!" and "ha ha ha" (with feeling) over and over builds creativity energy -- something between the surprise of discovery and the joy of laughter. Isn't it delightful?

Nita Leland brought Koestler to my attention. On her blog from Monday, Sept. 25 is a watercolor that, for me, gives me that same sense, full of creativity, surprise and delight.

Nita's comment: "Creativity does crackle sometimes and other times it just flows. It's a wonderful experience, either way." She's right. Sometimes it crackles and sometimes it flows.

Technorati Tags: Arthur Koestler, creativity

Watercolor #8
Patricia Roshaven
Photo Album

Hello fellow artists,

An interesting test for the value of creativity lies in charter schools. These schools are not subjected to all of the regulations of traditional public schools and do not receive as much funding, although they are part of the public school system and are open to all children.

Those who are drawn to study at charter schools tend to be more creative, need more individualized attention and often are those who do not do well in traditional schools. Teachers at these schools have a need to be creative that public schools do not allow. As discussed in an article from the National Education Association, when taught by experienced, credentialed teachers, children in charter schools are doing just as well when it comes time for national testing as children in traditional schools.

Parents from all spectrums of our society are moving their children to charter schools. I would like to know if some credit for the declining drop-out ratein traditional schools can be given to the rising number of students attending charter schools.

More on the promise, problems and results ofcharter schools from Wikipedia.

Technorati Tags: charter schools, creativity, inner voice

Spider Web Morning 3
Patricia Roshaven
Photo Album

Hello fellow artists,

The wonderfully lighthearted blog, Artfulwisdom, received the blog of the day award on Sept. 18 from Blogspot. With the award came this wise quote by Abraham Maslow: "One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." This is what I've been saying for some time, right? Get out there! Be an artist.

Technorati Tags: Abraham Maslow, Artfulwisdom

Hibiscus
Patricia Roshaven
Photo Album

Hello fellow artists,

You?ve probably noticed that there are times when your mind has had more input than it can handle. As a protective mechanism, the brain goes into neutral just when we are hoping to work at full capacity. This does not mean early senility or a serious illness, although in some cases it might. I wouldn't want to rule out the need to check with a doctor. But first, consider that your unconscious is helping you figure out how to surmount whatever inundation you are facing.

A necessary part of the creative process is that when we have more than we can handle or a big problem to solve, the brain on an unconscious level goes into deep thought, quietly mulling over alternatives and solutions. We feel that we have lost energy and brain power. In reality, the brain is helping us live our daily lives and at the same time the brain is problem solving. It is working double time, so of course you are feeling tired.

Knowing that this is part of the creative process, whether you think of yourself as a creative person or not, can keep you from worrying about what is happening to you or masking what is happening with pills, alcohol, binge eating, or whatever your habit is.

Meditation and other stress reduction techniques are healthy tools for slowing down to give your brain much needed support and for bringing your body into alignment with your brain. Slowing down can also give you access to the information your brain is processing, helping you to resolve whatever issues you are facing quickly and gracefully. On the other hand, you can keep pushing yourself beyond your capacities, further stressing yourself.

David Zinger took five weeks off from his blog, saying "As leaders we must care for ourselves in order to maximize our caring for others." He and his wife went golfing, sat in hot tubs, visited beaches. They returned refreshed and with new work ideas. This is ideal, but just a weekend on the beach can also work wonders.

Learn more about the creative process by reading this blog from the beginning. Please pass this information on to others who may be wondering about their unconscious processes.

Technorati Tags: stress, unconscious, creativity, meditation, information overload

Coastal Water #2
Patricia Roshaven
Photo Album

Hello fellow artists,

Yaro Starak at SmallBusinessBranding wrote a thoughtful blog entry today which has a complilation of ideas that apply to small businesses, but also to the creative person at home, wading through hype, outside pressures, the seduction of awards, criticism and intellectual analysis. Our unique expression is our own brand. His article addresses how to stay true to this vision and sums up many of the ideas I've presented on Be An Artist.

Technorati Tags: business branding, creativity, creative vision

Hello fellow artists,

Home runs are wonderful, but base hits can help win that ball game too. Let your creativity come in smaller ways, like base hits. Your intuition can lead you into interesting experiments, saying, "try this paintbrush" or "cut up that photo and paste it into your painting," or "I wonder what would happen if I mixed these four colors together" or "let's pack up the paints, pastels, camera and explore a nearby town" or .... you fill in the blank. Try for a base hit and don't worry about fly balls. With preparation, the home run will come some other day.

keywords: Technorati Tags: creativity, intuition, art tutorial