Creativity Defined

It is difficult to define creativity because it is generally a subjective concept.  I have always considered creativity to be a form of expression.  In other words, being creative involves expressing ideas, imagination, and emotions through something original.  However, it is hard to say what qualifies as "original", because, for the most part, everything "original" has been done or thought of before.  What really matters is whether or not creators are aware of the originality of their ideas.  For example, young children are young an unexposed to many ideas and thus, much is new and original in their eyes.  For this reason, much simplicity is present in kindergarten artwork.  If a grown adult made such simple artwork, it is unlikely that it would be viewed as creative.  Nevertheless, many view young children as highly creative individuals.  This relates to the fact that the young children are stepping outside of their boundaries and thinking of ideas that are new to them, which is essential to creativity.

A Creative Experience

Last semester, I attended the Millsaps College Junior/Senior Art Show.  A few of my friends had their art displayed and I enjoyed seeing all of the talent.  One of friends created book sculptures with a memory theme.  She used old books that had traces of memories from previous owners and looked to restore sentimental value to books that otherwise would have been thrown out.  She found this creative because she used old memories to create something new.  Another one of my friends used many different styles to create an interesting contrast in her self-portrait.  This was creative because she used elements of art that she already knew in order to create something that was original to her.  Another friend got permission to paint the studio's bathroom She designed a bright and feminine atmosphere to represent how much society pressures girls into putting too much emphasis on appearance.  This was creative because she used artwork to express a statement in which she believed.  It was interesting to learn about my friends through their creations.  Overall, the art show exposed me to many aspects of art that I never really got to experience.