tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post3272535741862613489..comments2024-03-08T00:12:34.350-08:00Comments on Art and Quilts, cogitations thereon: CreativityElizabeth Bartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13928615247903165719noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-85129696980957925082016-10-10T21:48:17.730-07:002016-10-10T21:48:17.730-07:00While I agree that "10G hours of deliberate p...While I agree that "10G hours of deliberate practice" is an over-simplification, it is an extremely useful analogy to counteract the "you're-so-creative-I-can't-ever-do-that" crowd. Most have never tried anything, and want to make excuses for it, at the same time dismissing the practice of others.<br /><br />I actually have Peak on my bookshelf. Have to read that next. Leigh in Portland (we are not burning down)https://www.blogger.com/profile/06372544021604211747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-39893324036524803342016-10-06T14:34:45.164-07:002016-10-06T14:34:45.164-07:00Much research has strongly challenged Gladwell'...Much research has strongly challenged Gladwell's thesis. See the recent article on this at http://www.businessinsider.com/10000-hour-rule-practice-talent-genetics-2016-9Pamela Price Klebaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05969373067409873025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-38479238075118393882016-10-04T05:03:38.973-07:002016-10-04T05:03:38.973-07:00oh yes, Sandy, you're so right! There are tim...oh yes, Sandy, you're so right! There are times when it's very useful to appear without knowledge...or actually be without knowledge...<br />Of course human beings wouldn't have got where they are (for good or for ill) without being creative.Elizabeth Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13928615247903165719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-70481868867594733112016-10-03T15:17:44.541-07:002016-10-03T15:17:44.541-07:00I often say a very similar thing to what Sunnie sa...I often say a very similar thing to what Sunnie says about the clothing when people say they are not creative. But the ones who seem to want you to apologise for actually using your brain, discovering things which lead to other things and being creative are the ones that make me cross! As you say, some are proud to be non-creative as if that lets them off the hook of trying.<br />But then you look at what other things they are good at...such as Maths. Creative with numbers I will never be and I could envy them! But I just get them to do the Maths stuff for me so I can carry on being creative. (insert evil laugh here!)<br />Sandy in the UKSandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04978514536651961190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-33548768937298742212016-10-02T10:14:57.426-07:002016-10-02T10:14:57.426-07:00Great Comments...thank you everyone..
yes I've...Great Comments...thank you everyone..<br />yes I've read Gladwell's book - which is actually about research that other people did - not him personally. Currently they feel that while 10g hours would make you competent a study of top performers showed that they actually have put in a LOT more hours than that over their lifetimes...<br />I too was calculating - starting now - how long would it take me at, say, 3 hours a day to become really good at something!!! <br />Re the drop off in creativity in later years, it's something they've observed in many studies...and, of course, like many things, there is, I'm sure, great variation. And, also...we all hope, NOT inevitable!!<br />and yes, curiosity is one of a number of characteristics that are part of the potential for being a creative person. And like you, I'm often stunned by how incurious so many people are....and just think about how curious most little kids are...and we lose that.Elizabeth Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13928615247903165719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-25663157423585656682016-10-02T09:25:23.074-07:002016-10-02T09:25:23.074-07:00I believe a key driver of creativity is curiosity....I believe a key driver of creativity is curiosity. Curiosity is the desire to learn something or know something, in essence asking the questions that creativity can answer. Those people who deem themselves as not creative may not be, and I'll bet most of them also are not very curious. They don't seek out the next piece of information, they don't ponder how things are connected, and they aren't willing to try things just to see what will happen. Beyond childhood, I'm not sure that is driven by age. Maybe they are content in ways that creative people are not. ?? Maybe...<br /><br />Melanie McNeilhttp://catbirdquilts.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-13244275360687937392016-10-02T07:04:20.672-07:002016-10-02T07:04:20.672-07:00When people make that "I'm not creative&q...When people make that "I'm not creative" comment, I point out that they have chosen their clothing and managed to get wherever we are...creativity is not "just for artists" it is for everything all day long.Sunniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04304233101042809161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-8981446673939870142016-10-01T21:06:40.415-07:002016-10-01T21:06:40.415-07:00That "you're so creative. I'm just no...That "you're so creative. I'm just not creative at all. I could never do that" comment is a personal pet peeve of mine. It is completely dismissive of all the time, hard work, practice and effort I've put in to learning and improving.<br /><br />I didn't fall out of bed and land on a masterpiece. I've spent 47 years messing about with whatever came to hand to paint/sew/stitch/twist/knit/crochet/glue/etc. By now, I have a big "toolbox" of techniques and experience. And there's always more to learn.<br /><br />For that type of comment, I blame the media with the incessant message that 'you can do it in an hour' and Martha Stewart and her perfect everything at the end of a half hour show. It implies that everyone should be able to do it perfectly. It keeps people from playing in the glue or swishing the watercolors around to see what they do. People are given the message that they should be able to paint a lovely watercolor immediately. Or carve the perfect pumpkin face. Then when it doesn't happen, they blame a "lack of creativity". <br /><br />Have you read Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers? His theory is that if you commit 10,000 hours to "deliberate practice" you can become world class in your chosen field. It's a fascinating book. It talks about how being "good" at something is partly about the availability of activity, encouragement, and then practice. If you try something, and someone tells you that you're good at it, you'll probably like it a lot more than if no one said anything or said something negative. If you like something, you'll spend more time practicing it. If you practice, you get better. If you have a coach, you improve faster with more direction, and it becomes a feedback loop of practice, like, praise, repeat. Of course, the activity had to be available in the first place. And why art should be in our schools. But that's another topic.<br /><br />Also, does being "age" old equate to being "mentally" old? As flspirit says, now there is time to discover, to experiment, to learn and to develop. So if a person is doing that, they aren't in a 'rut' cycle, no matter how old they are. <br /><br />Of course, at some point, one may not be able to continue to branch out into other areas with the effectiveness that one may desire to achieve. My grandfather (at nearly 80) decided that he probably did not have time to thoroughly learn pottery glazes so as to be able to manipulate colors at the sophisticated level that he wanted. So he used techniques he was more familiar with. He was already a woodcarver, water color painter, drawer with pen and ink & pencil, as well as an oil painter and a woodworker. Then he learned to sculpt in porcelain. So while he chose not to expand, I'm not sure that one could say he was in a 'rut' or was inflexible. Leigh in Portland (we are not burning down)https://www.blogger.com/profile/06372544021604211747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-41170901178453622182016-10-01T20:19:51.183-07:002016-10-01T20:19:51.183-07:00Discovering the problem .... That makes soooooo mu...Discovering the problem .... That makes soooooo much sense. Thanks for sharing Elizabeth!Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08767081983532841190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-64647892814754648082016-10-01T17:17:59.890-07:002016-10-01T17:17:59.890-07:00I'm unsure about aging & rigidity, probabl...I'm unsure about aging & rigidity, probably because before my 60s I had too many other responsibilities. With 18 years more years than Margaret, my creativity is blossoming. There is time to do what I choose without considering others. What show up has my attention, at least for a while. As for quality... that's debatable. However, I'm generally happy with outcomes. <br /> I find this video quite inspiring - why we need a why! Learned years ago to ignore whys as wasted energy. https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=michael%20jr%20know%20your%20why flspirithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09658813347815548948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210759514036256082.post-73360064915297092492016-10-01T16:20:10.439-07:002016-10-01T16:20:10.439-07:00The point about rigidity with age: I am 64. I neve...The point about rigidity with age: I am 64. I never thought I was artistic till my fifties; in the past 15+ years I have picked up that baton and run with it -- with a good deal of help. At first I stuck to "pretty" -- and in truth, I enjoy creating landscapes that people would like to have in their homes or to give as gifts. However, recently I've developed the courage to create an installation that is a "statement" work...In my forties I'd never have had the chutzpah to do this. It has taken time, personal trauma, and the encouragement of my teachers and peers to move in that direction. The old dog has, indeed, learned some new tricks!<br />Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04472013513744969837noreply@blogger.com