December 30, 2004

A wise man once told me that people lose their creativity when they're about four years old. At the ripe old age of 17, that made me profoundly sad. Here I am, thirty years later, wondering still whether it isn't true?

For example, I see smart, accomplished marketers paying more attention to metrics and measurement than pushing creatively into new territories. And when I do see true creativity, I'm stopped still in my tracks.

In an age where technology has freed us from the drudgery of our forebearers, why aren't we firing up our imaginations and letting them take us to new territories?

I make my living in front of a screen and on the phone, largely. The closest I get to nature (from a condo in downtown Portland, Oregon) is through watching hummingbirds bob and weave around a feeder I've put right outside the window that I face.

Unfortunately, (like many others) my imagination is mostly stretched these days by incredible weather and earth forces that jolt the world. And by the horrors I see carried out in war-torn and hunger-ravaged countries.

What do I do to improve my creativity? I saw a pretty amazing movie yesterday that I think everyone should see: Finding Neverland. It gives me hope that imagination (and the appreciation of it) is not dead. Go see it!

You're going to hear from the people of Marqui in this blog. I'm hopeful that we'll provide you with creative ideas and recommendations to stretch your imaginations. I'm convinced that our bloggers (if you read them) will stretch ideas and tell stories that will fuel many interesting debates.

This will be a big ride. I hope to have a huge smile on my face and my hair on fire when we get to the other side.

Posted by at December 30, 2004

Comments

richard email - foo.ca/wp

(Thanks for fixing the comments, Esteban)

Creativity isn't simply a spontaneous technique where paintings or novels spring, unbidden, from your fingertips... It's all about hard work, experimentation and practice. Many professionally creative people (songwriters, novelists, etc) have techniques that help them to work through the harder periods. I'd say that many people have their creativity destroyed by their parents, close family, and friends at an early age, but you can get it back.

In fact, check out Hugh's free book <a href="www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/000876.html">'How To Be Creative'</a>...

Evelyn Rodriguez email - evelynrodriguez.typepad.com

Janet, I too absolutely loved "Finding Neverland" and I am in the same boat with you on being stretched to be imaginative in the midst of this time of tragedy.

However, I think allowing our hearts to stay open - even if it's to the breaking point - will make us more creative in the future as it allows us to remain open, responsive, observant, and alive - vitally important for creativity. I will blog about this later, but I read Voltaire and other creative types of his era were profoundly shaken to their core by the Earthquake of Lisbon in 1775 which claimed 30,000 lives in six minutes; it ultimately carried forth in their work.

And thanks so much for creating a Marqui blog and starting a dialogue - I think you'll enjoy the ride! I look forward to being a Marqui blogger in March.

lolita email - www.younglo.com/lolita

Hello folks nice blog youre running

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