Forest Fire Jan 5 1984
\u00a9 Donald Sultan<\/p><\/div>\n

A Test of Creativity<\/h2>\n

What do photographer Michael Kenna, writer Mary Pope Osborne, visual artist Donald Sultan, and entrepreneur Elon Musk have in common?<\/p>\n

A. Curiosity
\nB. Dogged Drive
\nC. Risk-Taking Genes
\nD. Penchant for Hard Work<\/p>\n

These four personalities probably have more in common than we know. But the most convincing\u00a0single answer (besides the time-honored “All of the Above”) is this: they all have a commitment to creativity\u2014 with full life force.<\/p>\n

I posed some questions about creativity to this diverse group and was struck by the strong unifying thread in their answers.<\/p>\n

The responses are inspiring. Their creative lives produce unique results\u2014identified with them and only them. Since there is a further story to tell, this is Part I of a Creativity series. More inspiration to come.<\/p>\n

Winter Seascape, Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan, 2004
\u00a9 Michael Kenna<\/p><\/div>\n

What Is Creativity?<\/h4>\n

The dictionary defines creativity as “the use of imagination or original ideas” (not a very “imaginative” or “original” description). Wikipedia says it’s “a phenomenon whereby something new is created which has some kind of subjective value” (ugh, even worse).<\/p>\n

So, to get to a truly original definition of creativity, ask creative people. And, although most creative people don’t spend much time thinking about definitions (because they are focused on their work), the responses can be enlightening.<\/p>\n

Elon Musk<\/a> says it’s about pushing boundaries and reshaping the future.<\/p>\n

He has done both with his ventures into reusable rockets, solar energy, and electric cars.<\/p>\n

Pushing boundaries
\u00a9 iStockphoto<\/p><\/div>\n

Michael Kenna<\/a> gets right to the heart and says it’s “the drive and passion to explore the world through a chosen medium.”<\/p>\n

His medium is photography, and he has dedicated his life to making images that reveal the relationship of the landscape with the traces that we humans leave behind. His unique style of long exposures in dim light produces enigmatic and hauntingly beautiful work.<\/p>\n

Pathway, Sceaux, France, 1998
\u00a9 Michael Kenna<\/p><\/div>\n

Mary Pope Osborne<\/a> believes it’s about “using talent to its fullest expression and seeking the highest level of integrity and originality in the process.”<\/p>\n

Her life is dedicated to writing time-travel stories\u2014so popular that they can be retold by almost every young reader on the planet. (The award-winning Magic Tree House<\/a> series is about the adventures of Jack and Annie\u2014in the past, present, and future\u2014 and has been translated into 30 languages).<\/p>\n

Magic Tree House Series
\u00a9 Mary Pope Osborne<\/p><\/div>\n

Donald Sultan<\/a> offers that creativity is “the mysterious ability of humans to discover and express unique manifestations of previously unknown ways of experiencing the world.”<\/p>\n

He is known for his large-scale still life paintings and industrial views, as well as for his range of techniques, from charcoal drawings to a complex use of industrial materials such as linoleum tile\u2014cut or burned\u2014with applications tar or plaster. (Add printmaking and sculpture also.)<\/p>\n

Three Apples Three Pears and a Lemon Dec 6 1986
\u00a9 Donald Sultan<\/p><\/div>\n

Oh, I See: Creativity Is About Inventing The Unknown<\/h4>\n

The diverse personalities here all seem to agree that creativity is about exploring the unknown and seeing the world in new and unique ways.<\/p>\n

The “Oh, I See”<\/strong> moment\u2014the inspiration from these innovators\u2014 is that creativity is about seeing things or doing things that have never been done before.<\/p>\n

Of course, you are influenced by other talented people\u2014those who came before you and those who have direct influence during your life. But the heart of creativity comes from defining your own path and sensing the world as only your senses can.<\/p>\n

Seeking Inspiration<\/b><\/h4>\n

What inspires creativity? What gives someone a unique voice or vision?<\/p>\n

Donald Sultan\u2014<\/strong>
\n“Work inspires discovery. Through working, new solutions are revealed.”<\/p>\n

Donald Sultan\u2014work inspires discovery.
\u00a9 Phyllis Rose<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Mary Pope Osborne\u2014<\/strong>
\n“It took me years to develop my unique voice\u2014years of reading, living, thinking, suffering, rejoicing, having heroes, being curious, and talking to myself.”<\/p>\n

Mary Pope Osborne presents the Magic Tree House Series at a Paris bookstore.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

Michael Kenna\u2014<\/strong>
\n“We are all unique. It’s a matter of finding one’s own personal voice, or vision. Personally I’m inspired by visual manifestations of our miraculous and fragile existence.<\/p>\n

Memories and traces of our footprints on the earth, atmospheres of anticipation, visible suggestions of what is invisible\u2014all these subject areas, and many more continue to inspire me.”<\/p>\n

Michael Kenna, seeking visible suggestions of what is invisible.
\u00a9 Mark Silva<\/p><\/div>\n

Elon Musk\u2014<\/strong>
\n“What are the things that need to happen for the future to be an exciting and inspiring one? I think about these things . . . and I also work a lot.<\/p>\n

The first principle is reasoning. Boil things down to their fundamental truths and reason up from there. Discover new things that are counter intuitive. Pay attention to negative feedback. In fact, solicit it. It’s important.”<\/p>\n

Elon Musk, reshaping the future
\u00a9 Photo by Jurvetson (flickr)<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Once again, there is agreement among our group of unique personalities.<\/p>\n

Hard work. Perseverance. Fundamental truths. New solutions. Discovery. Personal voice and vision.<\/p>\n

Now we’re getting somewhere on that definition of creativity . . . and finding creative inspiration.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned for Part II of this series as we delve deeper into the creative world.<\/p>\n

Elon Musk Quotes VIA TedTalks.<\/a><\/p>\n

Comment<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>on this post below, or inspire insight with your own\u00a0OIC Moment\u00a0<\/em>here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":9853,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[128,126,228],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-literature-creative","category-art-creative","category-entrepreneurs-creative"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9839"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40596,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9839\/revisions\/40596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}