We have been discussing creativity in one of my classes, and the topic has been the theme on which we ruminate all semester.  At the beginning of the class I felt that our discussions were contrived, often the result of structured readings and assignments that require a certain narrow focus in order to shed light on an upcoming project or assignment.  Read this paper on creativity, then read this one, and the like.  And there is nothing wrong with beginning discussions about creativity this way, but it does seem counter-intuitive to approach the topic through the lens of just one discipline. And I was reminded this week of the fact that the discussion of creativity is being carried out in several different disciplines. 

When I was a middle schooler, I fell in love with the music of Yanni, a new age pianist (though the descriptor seems too narrow still) who has performed all over the world.  I didn't know it then, but his music was an ongoing discussion about the creativity of humankind. 

Yep, this is the guy I would have a fan crush on for quite awhile when other kids my age were following the Backstreet Boys, N'SYNC and Brittney Spears.  I still have a huge place in my heart for his music. (True Story: When I was a freshman in high school art class, we were asked to paint a portrait of somebody who had influenced us and then use wacky colors to explore color families or something like that. Of course, I chose Yanni. I was elated when they chose my portrait to hang in the guidance counseling office until one of my classmates had asked why somebody had drawn a portrait of Mr. Thornton, one of our guidance counselors. To my chagrin, my Yanni portrait did indeed look like Mr. Thornton, and forever after, when I would see him walking the halls of our school, my heart would throb and I would blush as though it were actually Yanni walking by.) 

If you have time, I suggest you watch this video of a live interview conducted with Yanni not too long ago.  What he sharess about his creative process and the creativity of all individuals echoes what I believe, and is an example of a discussion on creativity that is happening outside of the classroom. He starts to talk about creativity right around 12:08 or so. I like the way he describes creativity as surrendering to the unknown, and how he reiterates over and over that it requires no judgement in order to make room for dreams and ideas to be created.  For me, the discussion of creativity has always been implicit in his music anyway.  It is implicit in this composition, Nightingale, one of his most popular to date. Until next time, let this music float you to sleep or inspire you in your next creative drought. Goodnight!

Here is the updated storyboard that I worked on with my partner, Kelsey.  I can't wait to see how we flesh this out in the coming weeks!

We are beginning a new Digital Creativity project. This is a partner project that uses flash to tell a story.  My partner and I wanted to tell a Cherokee tale called the "Two Wolves Within." Some of you might be familiar with the legend already, but it begins with a Cherokee boy talking to his Grandfather after having a run-in with another youth. The boy is filled with hate and anger at the situation, and the grandfather uses the moment to talk about the two wolves that reside within all us, one good, and one bad.  I won't give away the punch line as it were, because I will be posting in-progress pieces of the project, and eventually, the final flash video.

Here is a peek at a possible storyboard for our film:

All this thinking about stories and tales got me thinking about great stories that I have watched in film before.  If you have not seen these two films, they are a must-see that should not wait. 

"Azur and Asmar" from director Michael Ocelot. Also another of his films,

"Tales of the Night,"which I promise, will leave you breathless with its dazzling simplicity and distinct style.  You can watch trailers for both of these films on YouTube. (Yay YouTube!)

While I was drooling over the animation in these trailers the other day, I happened to come across this video.  It is a live theatrical performance that has taken Ocelot's work and translated for the stage.  It is brilliant. I can only imagine what it must have been like to see that live!  So cool!

Rapid Central Station- 3 Postcards

These postcards were created as an exercise as part of the Digital Creativity class. I chose to illustrate Grand Rapid's Central Bus Station because it is a place that is incredibly interesting in its natural and man-made elements in play, as well as the variety of people that I meet when I ride the bus. My Artist Statement appears at the bottom of this post.

 

 

Artist Statement

            I am a commuter.  Riding the bus has been a part of my everyday life.  I feel like I know the rhythms of Grand Rapids Central Bus Station by heart.  That is what I wanted to convey in my series of postcards, the different and varied rhythms that I see everyday.  Using the artistic strategies that we talked about in class and reviewing the artists’ work that we used as reference for technical and conceptual ideas, I tried to create in my images small narratives, subtle and overt.

            In the first postcard, I used the Central Stations Bus platform as my environment.  This area is visually interesting because it combines natural and manmade elements.  The canopy structures particularly illustrate this combination; they are made of concrete steel bars and wrapped with hanging vines. As I observe these structures, I see the symbiotic relationships happening within them.  These canopies serve as shelter for the birds, the steel bars help the plants to grow, and the natural vines are a bright and soothing way to deliver shade to passengers.  I tried to limit the colors in this piece, the green and orange color scheme is meant to convey a warm feeling.  The carpet of marigolds makes the scene seem otherworldly and whimsical.  I also played with repetition and scale, the marigolds in the foreground comically large.  I wanted to achieve a sense of odd respite, to create and environment that feels real and imagined at the same time.

            In the second postcard, I wanted to create an eerie sense of space and of time.  I played a lot with the structure and look of the bus.  It is meant to look foreboding with its dark colors and dilapidated exterior.  The rusted awning was achieved using layer masks.  Modification was the primary strategy that I employed in this postcard design.  I added lampposts and a heavy wooden door to suggest a different time period, and patterns and textures came into play a lot. I wanted to convey the unglamorous aspects of being a commuter, the scary reality that when you enter the bus, you are often entering the unknown. 

            The third postcard utilizes isolation and hybridization  The wings and the hot air balloons function as metaphors for “uplifting individuals,” and for giving individuals who don’t have freedom the freedom to get around by taking the bus.  I wanted to remove the bus from its usual state on the ground and put it into the clouds to show that riding the bus is a little bit like being “above the world” in a sense, when you are surrounded by tinted glass and steel and looking down on everyone on the street.  As a commuter, this is the rhythm of the bus that I experience most often, the contemplative and meditative atmosphere of just riding along.  

            This series of postcards is meant to be a kind of narrative, highlighting the highs and lows of riding The Rapid.  At times Central Station functions as a sanctuary for diverse peoples, inviting you to observe closely, as in the first postcard.  At other times, it can be a dangerous place because of the unknown. However, most of the time I am uplifted and encouraged when I take the bus because of all the interesting people and places that I come into to contact with when I sit back and enjoy the ride.