I have been intrigued by the references on LinkedIn’s discussions on the Emotional Network to artists and creators and their alleged different way of coming at things. It is portrayed by some as if perhaps artists and creators are so dictated to by their skill and creativity which then impacts irreconcilably on their behaviour to those who are not seemingly creative.
I have read too in some of the contributions the implication that of the many ways one can classify people, one way is into artists and non-artists!
If I have misinterpreted this then, please, someone, correct me!
I admit that 20 – 25 years ago I used to think in a similar way.
Then I learned to pose a different view. That is that we are all artists and creators, excepting none! If there is a difference between us, it is solely in the degree to which we have given space for it. Our acknowledgement of our skill may have been crippled by our belief system. Our performance may have been stunted by our lack of desire to be an artist or by our lack of time dedicated to it. But the latent creative ability, unique in its expression by each of us, is there in us.
Fifteen years ago, with no indication I was an artist or could be one, I was telling students I was mentoring that if they wanted enough to be good at any one of a number of things including an artist, they could be. Hearing myself saying it one day, and despite being busy, I realised I would love to be able to paint watercolour pictures. This was even though I have the red green colour blindness suffered by 6% of males across the Globe.
But my advice to students, if correct, should work with me, shouldn’t it? My life made attending lessons a problem. So standing in a bookshop, I was stunned by the selection of tutorial books. I bought one, then another, and yet another.
The first book told me that if I wanted to paint well, I needed first to learn to draw. I took the advice at face value and produced drawing after drawing until I wanted to add colour and so started to paint.
Did I enjoy what I produced to start with? No. But did I learn that it was a skill to be acquired and was not a talent blessed on me? Absolutely! Couldn’t I acquire it if I persevered and produce work I was pleased with? Why not!
So, so many people draw and paint, but make little of it. Many create artistically in the decoration and furnishing of their homes, plantings in their gardens
Does this activity affect our thinking? More does it influence our behaviour? I suspect strongly it does, but not because we are made that way. It happens because we learn new ways of seeing and behaving. Fifteen years ago I would have claimed I was pretty observant. Drawing and painting has taught me how little I really saw.
It has also told me that it is merely a form of illusion. Like the illusionist, an artist is a benign trickster of the eye. Line, contrast, tone, composition can be employed in many different ways to deceive the eye and make us believe what we see.
So what has it told me?
If we want to think like an artist, we can learn and experience how much more we can see, simply by looking. More significantly, it can caution us as to much more we are missing when looking at other activities. The more the competent the artist in our midst, the more likely they can help us see ourselves and our situation clearly. Not only that, their undisciplined ways to find inspiration in the creativity of their art can show us ways to be inspirationally creative about our businesses.
Using the same approach I learned to windsurf actively later in my life. I have learned to write lyrics to existing music when I cannot read music or play instrument. I do not sing well, but I know now that there is too much evidence to show if I learned properly then I could.
Recently, applying the same technique, I have had a first novel published.
I say this in no sense to boast, but in humility to show what is possible. I am pleased with what I have done so far but know I can improve on them dramatically.
All this has told me that we are much more conditioned by our thinking and our desires to achieve than we are by the mistaken perception of our inherent talent or lack of it. If we want passionately to do something creative or we encourage ourselves enough, there is indeed little to prevent us achieving it. We can be prodigious in our production as artists and creators and be extremely practical in our approach, just as we can be the opposite. All this can add to our overall competence to operate within teams.
However I do agree that weakness results from focusing solely on one element of creativity not just at the expense of other forms of creativity but everything else in life too.
Nevertheless I feel that we are too often conditioned to judge people by what they do and are good at, rather than what they are. The more we learn different skills the more we open our minds. In any project, it is surely best to include those needed to create the sum total of being able to see the project from all angles.
The old adage I now believe to be Oh! So true. “Never judge a book by its cover”.
Gerry Neale
The Linkedin member discussion referred to is entitled: "How Can You Encourage Artist-Type Personalities To Be More Productive," and it is in The Emotional Intelligence Network Group
