Different Kinds of Creativity

[kuranes]

We've been having an interesting discussion about gender dynamics and whether "intelligence" is resented by some people there. It was brought up in that thread that there is more than one kind of intelligence. ( Just as I brought up elsewhere that pornography and erotica don't necessarily have to be as narrowly defined as they typically are. )

What about creativity ? Is there more than one kind of creativity ? Do non-creatives resent creatives ? Do Creative Type #1's resent Creative Type #2's ?

One person mentioned already that creatives can simultaneously be egotistic and humble, childlike and mature, "big picture" and detail oriented. People have speculated that a "crossing of wires" in the brain may produce both synesthesia and creativity.

Here is another way to look at this.

Wired 14.07: What Kind of Genius Are You?

[bluemonday]

Originally Posted by kuranes

We've been having an interesting discussion about gender dynamics and whether "intelligence" is resented by some people there. It was brought up in that thread that there is more than one kind of intelligence. ( Just as I brought up elsewhere that pornography and erotica don't necessarily have to be as narrowly defined as they typically are. )

What about creativity ? Is there more than one kind of creativity ? Do non-creatives resent creatives ? Do Creative Type #1's resent Creative Type #2's ?

One person mentioned already that creatives can simultaneously be egotistic and humble, childlike and mature, "big picture" and detail oriented. People have speculated that a "crossing of wires" in the brain may produce both synesthesia and creativity.

Here is another way to look at this.

Wired 14.07: What Kind of Genius Are You?

In my experience, non-creatives don't resent creatives as much as think they are irrelevant, (until history proves otherwise), eccentric, head-in-the-clouds, wastes-of-space.

This also strikes me as a J/P dynamic, which ties in with the left-brain/right-brain dichotomy. But of course, this is overly simplistic.

I like to think I'm a Venetian, if I'm a Martian, I'm f*cked.

[sanveane]

I've read this article before. I've had many discussions with a friend of mine about this topic. He is a musician, incredibly gifted from a young age. He thinks there is only one type of creativity, the type described as 'conceptualist' in the article. Burns bright then fades away. He thinks his best work is behind him. I tend to believe him in respect of his own output.

I didn't agree that there is only this one type of creativity and found that article. I've always been very creative, but when I was younger I couldn't express it myself well. It was always expressed through my taste in music etc. (I'm not saying I'm a genius level creative as described in the article). I work in the creative field now and I feel like I have found my calling. I know I will just keep building throughout my life.

I'm sure that going by the archetypes of this theory the 'conceptualist' and the 'experimentalist' do envy each other at different stages... It annoys me when certain creative types presume that if you haven't produced your masterwork by 25 that it will never happen. Thelma Schoonmaker, who edits Martin Scorsese's films didn't cut Raging Bull until she was 40... (heh I like to trot that one out a lot!) My brother was a very talented fine artist, but he was more of a burn bright and fade away type. It was a little hard growing up next to that. I was a bit jealous (though always proud of him) and mystified as to how he was so naturally gifted.

Er, I don't resent non-creative types. I think everyone has some area in their life where they are creative. I don't find much resentment or dismissiveness from so called non-creatives. In my experience certain societies are more conducive to having fledgling creative talent develop. Perhaps there ends up being a little more general respect (or absence of disregard) for those pursuing something creative in those societies...?

[kuranes]

Originally Posted by bluemonday

In my experience, non-creatives don't resent creatives as much as think they are irrelevant, (until history proves otherwise), eccentric, head-in-the-clouds, wastes-of-space.

This also strikes me as a J/P dynamic, which ties in with the left-brain/right-brain dichotomy. But of course, this is overly simplistic.

I know that a number of people do wonder at how something as "useless" as Art persisted over the years. A fascinating neuroscientist opines on this in a link I have posted in the art thread.
The Importance of Art

Are you Conceptualist or Experimentalist ? ( See linked article in OP Post #1 for meaning of these phrases. )

Originally Posted by sanveane

In my experience certain societies are more conducive to having fledgling creative talent develop. Perhaps there ends up being a little more general respect (or absence of disregard) for those pursuing something creative in those societies...?

Yes, this is an interesting question, too. Which countries seem to value artists enough to be supportive of the "seedlings" ( fledgling artists that must be cultivated to an extent so as to always have some new voices in development ) ??

In America, I often hear that it is Europe that values its artists. I just read a post the other day from a Swede ( I forget who it was ) who said that he felt his country tended on the whole to give artists the cold shoulder. There are no countries which accept all "artists" with outstretched arms and no caveats, of course; but there are some ( aren't there ? ) that seem to put a higher priority on Art. How is it in Europe ? Do you Europeans hear ( conversely ) that it is, in fact, American audiences that one should try to get access to ?

One hears vaguely about France supporting jazz musicians that the USA had marginalized. That artists in Russia risked their very lives to get work out during the colder days there. What other countries fit this model ? Is it still true about France ?

[Haphazard]

How does one define creativity and art?

Or is it like pornography, as in, we'll know it when we see it?

[entropie]

Originally Posted by Haphazard

How does one define creativity and art?

Or is it like pornography, as in, we'll know it when we see it?

I think most of the times art is something that expresses and emotion felt by any person on the world through ones eyes uniquely.

Like this, for example:



Through the dark setup I imagine someone feeling that he does not belong. The chains express them both to be slaves of something.. like their passions, for example

[kuranes]

Originally Posted by Haphazard

Or is it like pornography, as in, we'll know it when we see it?

That's the way I see it. You put a "frame" around something and call it art, as the artist. Other people can then say it is "bad" art or "good art" etc. in their opinion, but it is still "art" for most of us if someone ( or we ourselves ) define it as such.

I'm not looking to get hung up on the definition of art in this thread, though.

Some people seem more fertile when it comes to creative ideas in general, and this needn't be restricted only to the field of Fine Art.

Directing your attention back to the OP, do you think there are different kinds of creative people ?

[edcoaching]

One of my favorite workshop exercises is dividing the group into quadrants and giving everyone the same creativity assignment--ES, EN, IS, IN, the 4 learning styles I use with teachers and students.

The groups are blown away by the incredibly different, yet all creative results. There's more than one form of creativity but because of what is honored, lots of people don't even know they're creative...

[entropie]

Originally Posted by edcoaching

One of my favorite workshop exercises is dividing the group into quadrants and giving everyone the same creativity assignment--ES, EN, IS, IN, the 4 learning styles I use with teachers and students.

The groups are blown away by the incredibly different, yet all creative results. There's more than one form of creativity but because of what is honored, lots of people don't even know they're creative...

One of your favourite workshop excersises .. ?! haha , you ARE giving me the creeps

[Haphazard]

Originally Posted by kuranes

Directing your attention back to the OP, do you think there are different kinds of creative people ?

Yes, but I've noticed many different flavors. The least annoying ones are the ones who don't get hung up on themselves.