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Whilst all forms of creative expression can be categorised into a particular medium or movement (and those that can’t simply invent and define their own), and anyone who creates has their pioneering predecessors and forefathers, nevertheless we are all different and unique. A famous brand of natural mineral water state on their bottles that their water “filters through layers of volcanic rocks, acquiring a unique mineral composition..." and this no doubt is supposed to add to the taste and health benefits of drinking their particular brand of water. Consider then that each of us as creative people have our own unique mineral composition, made up of all the various inputs, influences and experiences we’ve had in our lives. This individuality is what makes us interesting and fascinating to others and to ourselves. It’s imperative that as creative people we nurture this originality as well as that of others. So here are some of the ways you can enrich and enhance your unique creative composition – Heroes and Influences – We all have people we are inspired by and aspire to be more like creatively. We don’t necessarily wish to recreate their work, but we admire their methods, their outlooks and their attitudes towards creating. Who do you count among your own heroes and influences? Pick out the key factors and attributes that you particularly admire about each of them. Are there traits that are common to all of them? How can you find more people that will continue to inspire and motivate you in your creativity? Peers and Colleagues – Sometimes our heroes are those people around us, our creative peers, work colleagues, friends, family members. And often it’s not necessarily a particular form of creating we respect about them but rather a way of approaching some other aspect of life. Again, think about the traits you especially appreciate in the people you know. And again, what similarities and common themes are there? How can you meet more people that’ll inspire you in a similar way? Books – Reading books is possibly one of the greatest things we can do as creative people to inspire and educate ourselves. There are essentially two types of book that we can use for this. Firstly, books about a particular creative activity or topic, for example “How to Draw Japanese Manga Characters” or “Willow Structures for the Beginner”. Secondly, there are books about creative people or groups of people, whether biographies about individuals, or studies of whole creative movements like the European Renaissance Painters of the early 15th Century, or The Beat Generation of writers and poets in 50's America for example. And of course there are all the other thousands of types of book available. Arguably, anything and everything we read influences us to some degree. So find the books you enjoy and read as many as you can! Exhibitions and Performances – however much we study the work of our favourite painters in books, or listen to our favourite music, getting out and experiencing the art "in the flesh" is a different experience altogether. As well as going to exhibitions, concerts and performances by the creative artists you know and love, try to see as diverse a range of events and artists as possible, local as well as more globally renowned. Some areas of the world and of each country are more creatively rich than others, but most of us are within a hour or two of a concert hall, art gallery or exhibition centre. Get out there and see what’s going on! Films and theatre – Similar to exhibitions and performances, the atmosphere and intensity of being in a cinema or theatre is very different to seeing it on tv at home. Again try local theatre and some more offbeat productions and movies rather than just the mainstream blockbusters. When was the last time you were genuinely confused, amazed or mesmerised by a film or theatre production? Websites and Internet – The power and diversity of the internet for research purposes is almost beyond calculation. These days it’s developed to the point where pretty much whatever you want to find out more about, it’s on the internet. Spend a couple of hours with some of the top search engines, just browsing the subjects you’re into, and add any particularly interesting websites to your favourites to return to again. These treasure trails of connected sites can lead to the most fascinating and original creative minds. Groups, Clubs, Classes – Most major towns have some form of adult education programme or evening classes, where people can go to learn about new things. Gone are the days of these classes being purely academic plus a token couple of classes in keep fit and car maintenance. Now there are classes in virtually any subject, and if you’re prepared to commit to a course and give it your best, the rewards can be tremendous. Again you don’t have to stay with the creative subjects you know. The more diverse the experiences we have, the more enriched we become and the more sources we have to draw upon when we create ourselves. How can you find out more about the groups and classes in your local area? Culture and Travel – How much do you know about your own culture, locally and nationally? Our cultures have an almost immeasurable effect on us and by being more informed about them we can better understand some of the reasons why we are the people we are. Travelling to, or just learning about, other cultures too can be one of the most effective and inspiring ways of adding to our experiences, and enabling us to be more creative when we return. Which cultures, either in the world today, or in past history, have you always been interested in exploring more about? How you could begin this quest for knowledge, what would be your first step? All of the above are just a selection of ideas, there are many other ways of enhancing our experiences and developing our unique creative personalities. Try as many as possible and notice which you enjoy most, and which have the most profound effect on your own creative output. The outcomes may surprise you... © Copyright 2006 Dan Goodwin. Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin is the author of “Create Create!”, a FREE twice monthly ezine for people who want simple and powerful articles, tips and exercises to help them unleash their creative talents.
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