Google provides a simple definition of creativity:
Despite this seemingly simple definition (although 'imagination', 'original' and 'artistic' can be slippery), the word 'creative' is often used in a very vague way. There is a clue to this confusion in the 'mentions chart' provided by Google. The word is very new in everyday usage, and it seems people from varied industries, and disciplines, are racing to lay claim to it. Much of the interest in creativity within schools was stimulated by a series of books and lectures by the 'education guru' Ken Robinson, and most famously his TED talk, "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" (65 million views!) We can guess the answer. But, whilst Robinson's critique is well received, and his constant call for 'creativity' do not fall on deaf ears, surprisingly little practical tools are given to focus in are this slippery concept. Of all the books that I've read on the subject (there is list of the better ones below) one of the most useful has been one exploring the concept with insights from neuroscience. "The Runaway Species" is a collaboration by neuroscientist David Eagleman and composer Anthony Brandt. The book looks at the work of many creatives in history, and in particular the visual arts, and tries to find the basic elements of the process. These are described as 'Bending, Blending, and Breaking'. In this video, they talk about some of the findings in the book:
Besides 'Breaking, Blending, and Bending', what are the elements of creativity necessary for a research based art practice?. The following diagram is an initial attempt to map some of these elements:
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Eagleman, D., & Brandt, A. (2017). The runaway species: How human creativity remakes the world. Catapult.
Gardner, H. (2008). 5 Minds for the Future. Harvard Business School Publishing.
Fuentes, A. (2017). The creative spark: How imagination made humans exceptional. Penguin.
Kaufman, S. (2013). Ungifted: intelligence redefined. Basic Books (AZ).
Kaufman, S. B., & Gregoire, C. (2016). Wired to create: Unraveling the mysteries of the creative mind. Penguin.
Robinson, K. (2006). Do schools kill creativity. Ted Talk. TED. com
Robinson, K., & Aronica, L. (2016). Creative schools: The grassroots revolution that's transforming education. Penguin books.
Wilson, C. (2014). The outsider. Diversion Publishing Corp..
Eagleman, D., & Brandt, A. (2017). The runaway species: How human creativity remakes the world. Catapult.
Gardner, H. (2008). 5 Minds for the Future. Harvard Business School Publishing.
Fuentes, A. (2017). The creative spark: How imagination made humans exceptional. Penguin.
Kaufman, S. (2013). Ungifted: intelligence redefined. Basic Books (AZ).
Kaufman, S. B., & Gregoire, C. (2016). Wired to create: Unraveling the mysteries of the creative mind. Penguin.
Robinson, K. (2006). Do schools kill creativity. Ted Talk. TED. com
Robinson, K., & Aronica, L. (2016). Creative schools: The grassroots revolution that's transforming education. Penguin books.
Wilson, C. (2014). The outsider. Diversion Publishing Corp..
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