Rockin' Around

I've been slow to catch the Christmas spirit this year (too warm), but crafting this Christmas concert highlights reel has me ready to decorate the Christmas tree (finally).

T(W)hat's Creative?

Published as an article on my LinkedIn profile.

The image above is a photograph by Felice Frankel, one of the most creative people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. This is a photograph of peppers cooking in a pan with the cover on. Felice is known for envisioning science—showing us the beauty of fractals, microstructures, and our own human cells. In her bio she states her goal is to "encourage researchers to develop creative ways to visually communicate their work and to teach the next generation of scientists and engineers about the power of visual communication –– both to colleagues and to those outside the research community. I want the world to love science as I do."

Do I think Felice is creative because I would have never thought to take this photograph? Yes, I think that's what sparks us to say something is creative—we didn't think of it first.

So, how do we get beyond our own initial thoughts so that we can dip into our own creativity?

Rod Ebright once gave me 50 (or so) exercises to unlock creativity. Matt "PASH" Pashkow's book, Inspirability, ventures into the creative worlds of 40 top designers to ask them how they manage to be creative. Rod gave me some specific tools I have used reliably for over a decade (thanks!). PASH's interviews proved to me that talent doesn't always equal creativity and (for sure) it's not easy for anyone. But, I'll come back to Felice. I believe she really has the answer: creativity comes from intentionality and love.

I've art directed thousands of illustrations. When I didn't make a good match of artist to assignment, the work was usually late and mediocre. When an assignment synched with their style and medium, the work was joyful, quick, and with little editorial correction. Their creativity came from a love of the assignment. It was exhilarating to witness an illustrator hit their stride, act with freedom to create, see the challenges as fun, and intentionally invest themselves in a rewarding result. To do my job well as an art director, I have to figure out this love-match for every assignment or else figure out how to make the most of my misguided judgement.

Despite intention and love, we can also get stuck via a crisis of conviction or confidence. This is when we think we are not creative, when we've lost our mojo. I've talked enough illustrators (and myself) off the ledge over the years to have compiled eight suggestions from Rod and PASH and Felice that seem to help:

1. Turn it upside down, on it's ear, look at it in the mirror, read it backwards.
2. Look behind you—the sunset may not be as interesting as the sunset reflected in the windows of a beautiful barn.
3. Inspire yourself by going to a museum or a library or just go shopping and open your eyes.
4. Take a bath. A long hot bath or shower works wonders for me. When something is especially challenging, I rate it not in stars but in showers—"That was a two shower solution." This also means I've likely slept on it. Fresh eyes can be very powerful, either your own or through a colleague's review. (I always have a colleague review my work.)
5. Take a bath. This kind of bath is a long walk in nature, literally called Forest Bathing. It's the best kind of meditation/mindfulness for me and it's amazing how the exercise coupled with nature activates the little grey cells.
6. Don't ever cop out by saying, "there's no need to reinvent the wheel." In this age of sharing, give others their due, build yourself through known expertise, and form alliances that make you both stronger. You cannot literally copy someone's work and successfully apply it to your circumstances anyway . . . you'll have to put your own air in the tire at the very least.
7. You don't know what you don't know. Do your research; it's often inspiring.
8. Develop a reputation for creating concepts that work, not for doing what you want. Keep your opinions to yourself so that you are known for your expertise. If you can approach a problem objectively, your mind is open to solutions beyond yourself.

And, there's one more point to make. That colleague who always plays the devil's advocate is doing you a favor. Listen to them. Take a few showers, if need be, and use their perspective to make sure you've kept #8 in mind. Or, maybe, that devil will help you practice #1.