Author: Guest Blogger

I’m working on my first paper for the creativity program that I mentioned earlier. The assignment: to research an aspect of creativity and how it applies to my professional life. The subject I chose to write about is the relationship of the physical self (and our awareness of our embodiment) to the creative act. In my research, I stumbled upon an account of an artist’s work that won’t let me go. I found it in an article by David Peat, called “The Alchemy of Creativity: Art, Consciousness and Embodiment.” Peat proposes that creativity works like the alembic chamber of the…

I came back from a little incubation period in Florida to visit with another, this one Richard, the economist and best-selling author of the 2002 Rise of the Creative Class, which examined the growing social class of creative people (see video below) who are central to the economy. Rich Florida is another compelling voice in our ride toward the United States of Creativity, arguing that “creativity is the fundamental source of economic growth, and that it is an essential part of everyone’s humanity that needs to be cultivated.” He examines this new Creative Age from a particular expert angle: that of…

My last posting stressed the importance of becoming a “you, you, you” outward artist, as opposed to a “me, me, me” inward artist. The attitude you adopt affects every aspect of your artistic life, from product development and projects pursued to marketing and sales. Which kind of artist are you? Please note: though feminine pronouns are used below, neither category is limited by gender! THE INWARD ARTIST: THE OUTWARD ARTIST: Makes art to show off her talent. Makes art to help the world become a better place in some small way. Delivers work of that is personally interesting, with no…

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a Chicago Arts Educators Forum event, titled “What is a Partnership?” CAEF is a fantastic new organization sponsored by the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education, and formed by two like-minded Directors of Education: Merissa Shunk from Adventure Stage Chicago and Nicole Losurdo from The Auditorium Theater of Roosevelt University. As the title would suggest, this was a day full of workshops centered around building successful partnerships in education. Lectures were led by accomplished experts, and breakout sessions gave smaller groups of participants the opportunity to explore topics in greater detail. One of the…

CRAVING VOICE: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE HEALING EFFECTS CREATED BY AN ART PROJECT FOR SOCIAL CHANGE The following article is a explanation of the use of a painting used to facilitate healing. The specific focus is on a single painting: “Craving Voice,” which was created at a moment in the past as a way to express the forces at work in the experiences of addicts at a treatment center. The painting is described through the artist’s narrative of the creative process, reported feedback, and behavioral changes noticed in participants by the artist. These observations are then related to previous…

Inspired by Adam Shames’ You Lecture, I Leave blog

Here’s an assignment I give to some of my actors. Choose a large department store (preferrable Nordstroms) and faint in the men’s or women’s clothing department (the opposite of your sex). It’s easy – you just slowly fold your body down to the ground. The purpose – because you’re afraid to. To put yourself out there. You live in a box and you don’t really know it (none of us know the parameters of it). Because you need to feel vulnerable. Because you need to feel in control. Do something silly and connect back to the child, the adventurer that…

One day last week I took off from a workshop I had facilitated for suburban high school kids to attend to my own learning, first dropping in at an open-to-the-public talk at Northwestern University and then finishing the evening at a Chris Matthews-moderated political event downtown as part of a three-city 2009 speaker series. The contrast was shocking. At my workshop, students talked in pairs and small groups, moved their bodies, grappled with exercises, reflected and shared, engaged and debated. The session and insights changed based on their participation. At the two “adult” learning events, I sat on my ass…

I find myself talking more and more these days to groups about social entrepreneurship, especially to non-profit and community organizations. This makes a lot of sense in these difficult times, because entrepreneurship as an idea and a practice is generative, pragmatic, and hopeful. I also find myself revisiting Franklin Roosevelt’s canonical line from his first inaugural address that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. It’s only recently, though, that I went back and read the entire address and discovered that Roosevelt actually defines what fear is. In fact, his definition of fear is quite useful for…

What part has creativity played in your life? (As asked by Wayne of Creative Skills Training Council in New Zealand.) In the two houses in which I grew up, my mother and I created an “Art Center” under the stairways going down to the basement. We painted the first one all yellow and the second one was all red. Both times we bought stencils and spray painted the words, “Art Center” on the small triangle of wall under the stairs. There were shelves and all kinds of art supplies. Only really advanced and fancy projects were encouraged! Favorites were covering…