Creativity

Hanging light bulb vases at Etsy

There's an interesting article in The Atlantic today about creativity and various theories about how one becomes creative.  Are we born creative, or is creativity is learned?  Can we become more creative with practice or by being open to new experiences, or are we all hard-wired to be as creative as we're ever going to be?

I think creativity is a fundamental trait of human beings.  We're problem-solvers and survivors, which requires tremendous creativity daily.  Of course we all have different creative strengths in millions of different areas.  I love to write song lyrics, but put me in front of a canvas with a paintbrush and I go totally blank.

I love to be inspired by others' creativity.  Music is often my biggest inspiration.  And photography.  And my kids.  And, oh you get the point.  What are your creative inspirations?

How to be creative.  A 2009 study found that subjects solved twice as many insight puzzles when surrounded by the color blue, since it leads to more relaxed and associative thinking. Red, on other hand, makes people more alert and aware, so it is a better backdrop for solving analytic problems.

A terrific book about being creative, by one of my favorite artists.

Test your creativity.

Amazing travel photography.  And an interesting perspective about the art of mindful photography.

A favorite songwriter performing a favorite song at a favorite show:


We passed the time with crosswords that she thought to bring inside
What five letters spell "apocalypse" she asked me
I won her over singing "W.W.I.I.I."
Oh, she smiled and we both knew that she'd misjudged me
© 2007 Josh Ritter