Creativity is central to our humanity; a powerful force unique to the human species. It can be a wonderful energy that enables us to use our imagination to create art, music, dance, writing and so much more. Let’s be honest, when you think of math and science, creativity doesn’t seem to fit into the equation - pun intended, I couldn’t help it. Creativity and curiosity work hand in hand, each encouraging, inspiring and moving the other along. When the brain is in creative mode, it makes us think about the other possibilities and unknown choices that may be achievable. Possibilities lead to a need for additional facts, experience and experimentation. It is these trials and experiments that may lead to great discoveries in science, health, education, production of consumer products, etc.. Think back to all the modern conveniences created over the past twenty years. Some created by geniuses, others by everyday people inspired by creative thinking and curious about finding a better way: “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working”.— Pablo Picasso “When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something”.— Steve Jobs “To get a great idea, come up with lots of them”.— Thomas Edison The arts are positive and stimulate creativity because they’re forgiving. They allow for differences in expression, uniqueness and individuality. They may adapt and encourage different approaches to learning. For example when students are learning how to draw realistic geometric form, they are focusing on angles, size, ratio, and proportions. When these elements come up in math in school, they are already familiar with them and open to learning more. The processes used in art overlaps into the sciences: terms such as organic form, mass, vitality; the study of life and nature are discussed as we draw and paint landscapes, animals and solar systems. “A painter told me that nobody could draw a tree without in some sort becoming a tree; or draw a child by studying the outlines of its form merely . . . but by watching for a time his motions and plays, the painter enters into his nature and can then draw him at every attitude . . .” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Mixing colors and different mediums encourage open mindedness and experimenting as students layer their works with various objects. What may start out as a watercolor landscape may they become an eclectic collage full of memories or deeper meanings. This encourages still more thinking: is there anything else that could be added or does something need to be removed (encouraging critical thinking, objectivity and developing an aesthetic eye). These skills will carry over to creative writing and writing structure in general (were goals met, questions answered, details included for support, clarity in message achieved?) “Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” — Walt Disney
The arts are venues for communication as ideas, dreams and wishes are created in musical notes, dance steps and words written in stories and poetry. They allow expression in so many ways that may empower a child to feel his or her voice is heard. My favorite quote? “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” — Albert Einstein Marlene Bohnyak Owner/Instructor