Creative process V. 1

How do you create? What does that process look like? How does the creative process we follow in our own lives, echo within our teaching styles? How are these processes the same? What can we learn about our teaching from this?

I have two creative processes. One creative process is spontaneous (internal).  The internal creative process has a genesis in an idea that comes to me. It is a sudden idea that feels right. Sometimes it is just a humorous idea that floats in my head for a while, evolving over time. In fact, the ideas are overarching themes I can play with for years. Idea development for me takes a long time and isn't often a linear path.  My elaborations take on the format of a story or a myth. Most of the work happens in my head, and I have no problem visualizing a products. I love the feeling of elation I have when I get a new idea. I love the process of creating concepts. The source material for my personal ideas comes from my own developmental experiences. The are expressed in my two favorite mediums, drawing or photography. Anxiety during this process comes from the itchy feeling of not getting the work done.

The second creative process is forced (response to external problems or projects gifted from others). When solving external problems, I have a more drawn out, anxiety filled, feet dragging ritual. If the resolution isn't readily visualized, I push the problem to the back of my mind and think about it from time to time. Ideas cycle through and bubble up. I feel guilty because I haven't sat down to work on the project. This feeds into the anxiety and I often engage is distractions, like cleaning until the deadline is upon me. It is only when it is about to be too late that I accept the project and get to work. I have ritualistic preparations, such as cleaning, brewing coffee, and setting up pillows in my work space. When I finally sit down to formally problem solve, I start with notes and other graphic organizational tools. I experience frustration and anxiety, and let my ideas glide on auto pilot for a day or two more. When I come up with a resolution, I experience relief, but I still mentally go wish-washy as I begin the project. I choose my medium after an academic consideration of materials. As work completes and I can visualize the final product, my confidence grows. I cannot leave these types of projects unfinished. When the work is done and I have shown it off, the work is often put in a closet.

My preferred teaching style most closely resembles the internal creative process. I love working with ideas that I am excited about sharing with the kids.  When I asked to teach something (like math) just because a math specialist said, "do this in art," I do not exude passionate involvement with the subject matter. The students can sense a rat. I suppose this is even more true for students, whose most creative problems have been handed to them. If they don't see the value in it, or see a resolution to the problem, they might turn their brains off to disengage from the frustration and anxiety.