Increase Your Creative Powers

The source of creative inspiration is mysterious. Some people seem to possess unlimited creative ability, but most of us strive for it. The question "Where does art come from?" is a fascinating one, and every artist, aspiring or accomplished, has a different answer to it. If there were a simple answer, maybe inspiration could be marketed and sold and we could buy it off the shelf whenever we needed some. Too bad it's not so simple. Creative work is just that--work--but it can be the most pleasant and rewarding work we do.

Every one has the capacity for creativity, but it takes care and intention to bring out the inner artist. There is something in the human spirit that pushes us to create. We all have a muse. We just have to find it. Searching for inspiration is like a treasure hunt. You can't always see the end, but you can follow the steps.

The brain needs food for thought. The first step to increasing creative power is to feed the brain. Put someone else's ideas in, mix them around, let them simmer for awhile, and those ideas will enrich your own. Consider J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. Her books are full of allusions to mythology and history, hinting at an extensive knowledge base as well as a brimming imagination. For example, a governing body in her magical parallel universe is called the Wizenagemot, a play on the word "witenagemot" which was, in the late middle ages, an advisory council to Anglo-Saxon kings. Sirius Black is a wizard that could transform into a big black dog. "Sirius" is the name of a star also known as the Dog Star, the brightest star in the sky. Remus Lupin is a werewolf. "Remus" is also the name of one of the legendary twin brothers who were raised by wolves and grew up to found the city of Rome. There are many such examples throughout Rowling's books, giving us clues to her wide ranging sources of inspiration.

In our own creative endeavors, it will always benefit us to expand our knowledge. This should be fun education. Explore whatever you are interested in and let it inform your thinking. You may make connections that would not have occurred to anyone else. On my bookshelf is a knitting book called "Knitting Nature" by Norah Gaughan, which is a collection of knitting designs inspired by patterns in nature. Gaughan has a degree in biology. Her knowledge of science enables her to see knitting in an original manner. The natural world influences the practice of her craft. This can happen for all of us. If we let ourselves become fascinated with something other than the task at hand, the task at hand may morph into something unexpected.

Fill your tank. Immerse yourself in the library. Seek intelligent conversation. Visit a museum and give yourself a long time to get tour it thoughtfully. Take a class in something unfamiliar to you. The effort you put in to expanding your mind will pay off.

Creativity expands as it is given an outlet. If we wait for inspiration to come, it may not. We have to open the way for it. Julia Cameron's books about unblocking creativity are all based on this notion. She recommends a regular practice that she calls "Daily Pages." This refers to the development of daily writing, three whole pages every day, even if it is drivel. The point is not to write quality work, the point is to write. She believes that this practice gets creative juices flowing, and this results in creative productivity, no matter what the artist's medium is. She has repeatedly seen the evidence of the effectiveness of this practice over many years in her own work.

Leonardo da Vinci had a similar habit. He took copious notes about an astonishing range of subjects. Seven thousand pages of his notes still exist today, and presumably this is only a portion of the pages he filled. Leonardo was the ultimate practitioner of creativity. Michael J. Gelb wrote a book called "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci" which is full of suggestions and exercises to increase creative thinking, based on what is known of Leonardo. Some of the ideas are a little funky, but Leonardo was no common man.

Like a healthy diet, the practice of creativity takes time and perseverance to bear fruit. Some people look and feel great and pay no attention to their diet. Some artists produce great works with no apparent effort. Most of us have to struggle at least a little in both these areas. The bright side is that results do come. Fill the tank and open the faucet. See what happens.