crafthaus2024-03-29T05:52:50ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBermanhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/357592760?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://crafthaus.ning.com/group/inspiration/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=0jrd2ywywagjo&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAesthetics and Agingtag:crafthaus.ning.com,2013-01-08:2104389:Topic:3871002013-01-08T00:19:19.138ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<p>I will be leading a panel discussion at this March NCECA conference in Houston, Texas, along with Don Reitz and Cynthia Bringle. The title of the panel is Aesthetics and Aging. I would welcome any comments about how one keeps the creative flame alive as one ages. Short, one-liners are what I am mainly looking for so that I might include them at the conference. Cheers, Tom Supensky.</p>
<p>I will be leading a panel discussion at this March NCECA conference in Houston, Texas, along with Don Reitz and Cynthia Bringle. The title of the panel is Aesthetics and Aging. I would welcome any comments about how one keeps the creative flame alive as one ages. Short, one-liners are what I am mainly looking for so that I might include them at the conference. Cheers, Tom Supensky.</p> Inspiration is for amateurs...tag:crafthaus.ning.com,2013-01-03:2104389:Topic:3861892013-01-03T13:40:30.281ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<h2><a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/12/27/chuck-close-on-creativity/">Chuck Close on Creativity, Work Ethic, and Problem-Solving vs. Problem-Creating</a></h2>
<p></p>
<p><strong class="by">by <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/author/mpopova/" rel="author" title="Posts by Maria Popova">Maria Popova</a></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p class="intro"><em>“Inspiration is for amateurs — the rest of us just show up and get to work.”…</em></p>
<p class="intro"></p>
<p></p>
<h2><a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/12/27/chuck-close-on-creativity/">Chuck Close on Creativity, Work Ethic, and Problem-Solving vs. Problem-Creating</a></h2>
<p></p>
<p><strong class="by">by <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/author/mpopova/" title="Posts by Maria Popova" rel="author">Maria Popova</a></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p class="intro"><em>“Inspiration is for amateurs — the rest of us just show up and get to work.”</em></p>
<p class="intro"></p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Painters-Studio-Joe-Fig/dp/1568988524/?tag=braipick-20" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 9px 0 3px 15px;" src="http://www.brainpickings.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/insidethepaintersstudio.jpg" align="right" width="190"/></a>Questions of <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/06/the-nature-of-fun-david-foster-wallace/">why creators create</a>, <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/20/daily-routines-writers/">how they structure their days</a>, and <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/09/an-anatomy-of-inspiration-rosamond-harding/">where they look for inspiration</a> hold a strange kind of mesmerism over us mere mortals, an elusive promise of somehow reverse-engineering and absorbing genius through voyeurism. In 2003, artist <a href="http://www.joefig.com/index/Home.html" target="_blank">Joe Fig</a> began interviewing famous painters about how, where, and why they do what they do. The result was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Painters-Studio-Joe-Fig/dp/1568988524/?tag=braipick-20" target="_blank"><strong><em>Inside the Painter’s Studio</em></strong></a> (<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Painters-Studio-Joe-Fig/dp/1568988524/?tag=braipick0d-21" target="_blank"><em>UK</em></a>; <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/inside-the-painters-studio/oclc/281098957&referer=brief_results" target="_blank"><em>public library</em></a>) — an anthology of 24 conversations with some of today’s most revered contemporary artists. Among them was legendary photorealist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Close" target="_blank">Chuck Close</a>, who despite his paralyzing 1988 spinal artery collapse remains one of the most prolific, disciplined, and sought-after artists working today.</p>
<p>In the interview, Close echoes <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/07/24/tchaikovsky-on-work-ethic-vs-inspiration/">Tchaikovsky and Jack White</a> in the supremacy of work ethic over “inspiration”:</p>
<blockquote><p>I was never one of those people who had to have a perfect situation to paint in. I can make art anywhere, anytime — it doesn’t matter. I mean, I know so many artists for whom having the perfect space is somehow essential. They spend years designing, building, outfitting the perfect space, and then when it is just about time to get to work they’ll sell that place and build another one. It seems more often than not a way to keep from having to work. But I could paint anywhere. I made big paintings in the tiniest bedrooms, garages, you name it. you know, once I have my back to the room, I could be anywhere.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Painters-Studio-Joe-Fig/dp/1568988524/?tag=braipick-20" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.brainpickings.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/insidethepaintersstudio_close.jpg" width="500"/></a></p>
<p>When asked about the motto or creed by which he lives, Close puts it even more forcefully, negating the notion of <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/10/01/breakthrough-alex-cornell/">creative block</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Inspiration is for amateurs — the rest of us just show up and get to work. And the belief that things will grow out of the activity itself and that you will — through work — bump into other possibilities and kick open other doors that you would never have dreamt of if you were just sitting around looking for a great ‘art ida.’ And the belief that process, in a sense, is liberating and that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every day. Today, you know what you’ll do, you could be doing what you were doing yesterday, and tomorrow you are gonna do what you didid today, and at least for a certain period of time you can just work. If you hang in there, you will get somewhere.</p>
<p>[…]</p>
<p>I never had painter’s block in my whole life.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4" style="color: #ff0000;"><a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/12/27/chuck-close-on-creativity/" target="_blank">SOURCE: CONTINUE READING on BRAIN PICKINGS.</a></span></p>
</blockquote> The color of creativitytag:crafthaus.ning.com,2012-06-16:2104389:Topic:3513362012-06-16T13:25:42.456ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1058241519?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1058241519?profile=original" width="600"></img></a></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://www.practicallyefficient.com/2012/06/10/blue/" target="_blank">Practically Efficient, June 10, 2012</a></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">Telling someone how to be creative is like explaining how the color blue tastes. Oh God. Here I go.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">So you think…</span></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1058241519?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1058241519?profile=original" width="600"/></a></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://www.practicallyefficient.com/2012/06/10/blue/" target="_blank">Practically Efficient, June 10, 2012</a></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">Telling someone how to be creative is like explaining how the color blue tastes. Oh God. Here I go.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">So you think everyone wants to be more creative? I don’t.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I don’t think it’s creativity most people seek. No, people want to be more like post-creative <em>people</em>. People are nothing if not jealous of the success of others, especially over here in the arbitrarily westernmost side of the planet.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Creatives just have this highly coveted form of social capital. Creative success echoes envy in six words: “Why didn’t I think of that?”</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I have no sympathy for people who only seek the rewards of success, so I’ll turn my attention to those that really <em>do</em> want to be more creative. I’ll disappoint them instead.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The mechanics of creativity are actually pretty dull, I think. Creative people are dull, too. My most creative endeavors were either accidents or the result of unremarkable, unannounced work.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Apple exemplifies creativity in two key ways:</span></p>
<ol>
<li><span class="font-size-3">They combine elements into previously nonexistent forms <em>without</em> asking anyone’s permission or acceptance.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-3">They don’t tell anyone until they’re done and ready to ship.</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I’ve never been in Apple’s shop, but I bet it doesn’t look like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Creativity isn’t magic.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Or, maybe it is. Especially if we take (great) magic for what it really is: the product of hard, obsessive, secretive work. The kind of work few people are willing to engage. Expert magician Teller <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Teller-Reveals-His-Secrets.html">explains</a>:</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span class="font-size-3">You will be fooled by a trick if it involves more time, money and practice than you (or any other sane onlooker) would be willing to invest. My partner, Penn, and I once produced 500 live cockroaches from a top hat on the desk of talk-show host David Letterman. To prepare this took weeks. We hired an entomologist who provided slow-moving, camera-friendly cockroaches… Then we built a secret compartment out of foam-core (one of the few materials cockroaches can’t cling to) and worked out a devious routine for sneaking the compartment into the hat. More trouble than the trick was worth? To you, probably. But not to magicians.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The unveiling of a creative outcome is not that different than a magician’s performance. Magic pleasingly assaults expectation. It surprises.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Creativity, like magic, exists in at least two planes of reality: that of the creator and that of the creator’s audience. In other words, the surprise maker and the surprised.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The purest form of creativity, I think, is the release of unsolicited things into the world. We’ve all heard the Henry Ford quote:</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span class="font-size-3">If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/08/henry_ford_never_said_the_fast.html">Whether or not</a> he really said that, I think it exudes the essence of creativity.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Pure creativity cannot be solicited. It’s there until you look for it—like a subatomic particle. As soon as you summon creativity, it’s gone. Like a busted magic trick.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><span class="font-size-4" style="color: #ff9900;">SOURCE:</span> <a href="http://www.practicallyefficient.com/2012/06/10/blue/" target="_blank">http://www.practicallyefficient.com/2012/06/10/blue/</a><br/></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><span class="font-size-4" style="color: #ff9900;">Continue reading this article on that blog !</span><br/></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"> </span></p> Researching mediums outside of your primary, for inspirationtag:crafthaus.ning.com,2012-06-14:2104389:Topic:3509432012-06-14T01:09:27.169ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<p>On inspiration...</p>
<p>Sometimes it helps me to see what others are doing and what concepts they are pursuing in their individual bodies of work, also paying special attention to artists working in mediums outside of my primary. I often take the knowledge from studying other mediums and apply it to my metalwork.</p>
<p>I recently attended a fold-forming class and shortly after watched a documentary on Origami; the two things in my mind really started to intertwine... The documentary,…</p>
<p>On inspiration...</p>
<p>Sometimes it helps me to see what others are doing and what concepts they are pursuing in their individual bodies of work, also paying special attention to artists working in mediums outside of my primary. I often take the knowledge from studying other mediums and apply it to my metalwork.</p>
<p>I recently attended a fold-forming class and shortly after watched a documentary on Origami; the two things in my mind really started to intertwine... The documentary, <em>Between the Folds,</em> gives you a glimpse into the lives of Origami artists and the sculptures they are creating. The techniques; the results =ASTOUNDING. I had no idea you could get such animated and intense forms, some of which can take hundreds of hours of pure folding. I wonder if metal would stand up to this amount of folding.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/between-the-folds/" target="_blank">PBS website > Between the Folds</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>I highly recommend this documentary and recognizing the significance of other avenues of knowledge and inspiration around us in our everyday lives. I also feel that the result of experimentation and use of alternative media can work to strengthen and refine a project/series.</p>
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<p></p> Beautytag:crafthaus.ning.com,2012-05-12:2104389:Topic:3457192012-05-12T17:01:06.169ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<p>I am often inspired by beauty! Whether it's something natural like trees and flowers, or even buildings. I was in the National Portrait Gallery today and I saw a postcard of Louise Brooks and Gary Cooper and bought them. I love drawing people and when I saw these postcards today I was inspired to attempt to sketch them. Mostly though when I'm getting ideas for jewellery I often find inspirated in walking, especially in my local park. It's really beautiful and I find that I can totally switch…</p>
<p>I am often inspired by beauty! Whether it's something natural like trees and flowers, or even buildings. I was in the National Portrait Gallery today and I saw a postcard of Louise Brooks and Gary Cooper and bought them. I love drawing people and when I saw these postcards today I was inspired to attempt to sketch them. Mostly though when I'm getting ideas for jewellery I often find inspirated in walking, especially in my local park. It's really beautiful and I find that I can totally switch off when I'm walking and that's often when I think of new ideas. I wonder how many other creatives do the same thing?</p> IMAGINE: How Creativity Workstag:crafthaus.ning.com,2012-04-24:2104389:Topic:3423042012-04-24T16:46:33.011ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547386079/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwharrietees-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0547386079" target="_blank"><img class="align-left" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL110_&ASIN=0547386079&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=wwwharrietees-20&ServiceVersion=20070822"></img></a> <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wwwharrietees-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0547386079" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1"></img> This is the most amazing book. I highly recommend this book to everyone on Crafthaus.…<br></br><br></br></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547386079/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwharrietees-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0547386079"><img class="align-left" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL110_&ASIN=0547386079&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=wwwharrietees-20&ServiceVersion=20070822"/></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wwwharrietees-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0547386079" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" border="0" height="1" width="1"/> This is the most amazing book. I highly recommend this book to everyone on Crafthaus.<br/><br/> <em><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547386079/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwharrietees-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0547386079">Imagine: How Creativity Works</a></strong></em><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=wwwharrietees-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0547386079" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" border="0" height="1" width="1"/> describes how to foster imagination, creativity and inspiration. It also describes behavior that is counter productive to our creativity. Get the book from your library if you can, but my library had so many holds on the book, we bought it and are sharing it with everyone in our family.</p>
<p><strong>Below is a quote from page 69-70</strong>. It starts with describing the door of the studio of the graphic design master Milton Glaser.</p>
<p><strong>BEGIN QUOTE:</strong></p>
<p>Above the front door, chiseled into the glass, is the slogan of the studio: ART IS WORK.</p>
<p>For Glaser, the quote summarizes his creative philosophy. "There's no such things as a creative <em>type,"</em> he says. "As if creative people can just show up and make stuff up. As if it were that easy. I think people need to be reminded that creativity is a <em>verb,</em> a very time-consuming verb. It's about taking an idea in you head, and transforming that idea into something real. And that's always going to b a long and difficult process. If you're doing it right, it's going to feel like work." </p>
<p><strong> END QUOTE</strong></p>
<p>Harriete</p>
<p></p> Always inspiredtag:crafthaus.ning.com,2012-04-24:2104389:Topic:3426172012-04-24T15:12:23.189ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<p>True, many of us feel the same, inspiration is everywhere and at anytime. As a former graphic designer, drawing sketches was the proccess for me and I still like doing that today. But there is nothing like touching the materials! This is the real thing.. this is where imagination and intuition take over the brain... this is the glory itself!</p>
<p>I like 2 sayings by Albert Einstein - Imagination is more important then knowledge</p>
<p>and - Keep it simple!</p>
<p>This is my motto.</p>
<p>True, many of us feel the same, inspiration is everywhere and at anytime. As a former graphic designer, drawing sketches was the proccess for me and I still like doing that today. But there is nothing like touching the materials! This is the real thing.. this is where imagination and intuition take over the brain... this is the glory itself!</p>
<p>I like 2 sayings by Albert Einstein - Imagination is more important then knowledge</p>
<p>and - Keep it simple!</p>
<p>This is my motto.</p> How much time to you spend on new possible forms, styles, projects?tag:crafthaus.ning.com,2012-04-20:2104389:Topic:3411962012-04-20T15:36:47.026ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<p><strong>A few things to think about:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>How much time to you spend on new possible forms, styles, projects?</li>
<li>Is there ever a drive to do something entirely different from your established and successful work?</li>
<li>Are you afraid of your customer base/peer base not responding well to your "new" attempts?</li>
<li>Is there fear/avoidance in exploring at all?</li>
<li>Is there comfort in sticking with what works and spending the time to elaborate within that…</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>A few things to think about:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>How much time to you spend on new possible forms, styles, projects?</li>
<li>Is there ever a drive to do something entirely different from your established and successful work?</li>
<li>Are you afraid of your customer base/peer base not responding well to your "new" attempts?</li>
<li>Is there fear/avoidance in exploring at all?</li>
<li>Is there comfort in sticking with what works and spending the time to elaborate within that framework?</li>
</ol>
<p></p>
<p><strong>If your answers are...</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Absolutely not enough. Wished I could spend more time on explorations.</li>
<li>That describes my state of mind perfectly.</li>
<li>I am not "afraid", but the thought crosses my mind.</li>
<li>Nope. Well, maybe a little bit ....</li>
<li>Absolutely. Because I don't have the time to explore new things, I stick to what "works".</li>
</ol>
<p></p>
<p><strong>... it's probably time to "make time for exploration". <br/></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff6600;">I ask you to make a commitment within the next 7 days: Carve time out of the daily grind (1 hour should be possible) and dedicate yourself to working on something completely new. <span style="color: #ff6600;">I guarantee you, it will be time well spent.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff6600;"><br/></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff6600;">Report back if you want to, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you.</span></p>
<p></p> The 6 P'stag:crafthaus.ning.com,2012-04-18:2104389:Topic:3408472012-04-18T15:58:24.521ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
How much 'preparation' is needed ? At what point does the switch flip?<br />
<br />
Like many of you here, I have loads of ideas or 'inspirations' that seem to constantly stream into my head in a rather unfiltered way and which I store away in a mental idea bank. However, I usually don't start working on a piece until I have thought it through completely, the whole process, from how I will work it step by step through to the look of the finished piece. Only when I am sure that I have managed to visualize…
How much 'preparation' is needed ? At what point does the switch flip?<br />
<br />
Like many of you here, I have loads of ideas or 'inspirations' that seem to constantly stream into my head in a rather unfiltered way and which I store away in a mental idea bank. However, I usually don't start working on a piece until I have thought it through completely, the whole process, from how I will work it step by step through to the look of the finished piece. Only when I am sure that I have managed to visualize the steps I need to take, and have overcome the technical hurdles (at least in my mind) will I begin -- leaving myself just enough wiggle room to change course if I have to.<br />
<br />
Preparation is key to me. I think that's because my materials tend to be rather expensive, I hate the thought of ruining a piece simply because I failed to think of the problems that I may encounter.<br />
<br />
As my 11 year old son famously put it: Remember the 6 P's:<br />
Prior preparation prevents piss poor performance.<br />
<br />
What do you prefer? Preparation, or a 'go with the flow, see what happens' approach? Creative Daydreamingtag:crafthaus.ning.com,2012-04-18:2104389:Topic:3408412012-04-18T15:12:34.901ZHarriete E Bermanhttps://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/HarrieteEstelBerman
<p>The idea for any work of art is the beginning point. Ideas come in many forms. They are not always great, but they can grow if given space and options. Once I have a fundamental idea about the next piece I want to make, I try, what I call, creative daydreaming. The best time is when there are no distractions and that usually is that time when I first wake up in the morning. I have already initated a concept and now I can casually daydream about how that idea can turn into a piece of…</p>
<p>The idea for any work of art is the beginning point. Ideas come in many forms. They are not always great, but they can grow if given space and options. Once I have a fundamental idea about the next piece I want to make, I try, what I call, creative daydreaming. The best time is when there are no distractions and that usually is that time when I first wake up in the morning. I have already initated a concept and now I can casually daydream about how that idea can turn into a piece of clay sculpture. The growth of that idea will continue even while I am making the piece. Keep your mind open to change and alternatives and you will be surprised at the end result. I should add that lengthy inactive periods to not necessarily bring about new ideas. Think about the world around you, go to the studio and start something. </p>