Creative Building Reuse

(Image Parade.com)

Yesterday, Parade magazine published an article on a creative building transformation that has taken place outside St. Louis, where a struggling enclosed shopping mall has been turned into a thriving arts center. If you haven't read it yet, check out Can Art Save a Mall?

It's a good example of how an existing building, and once popular destination, can be reinvented instead of torn down. One of my other favorite creative building reuses is the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA. Once an actual torpedo factory during the early part of last century, the building now houses three floors of working artist studios, galleries, an art school, and a museum.

As the economy struggles and more buildings become and remain vacant, I wonder what other creative building reuses will emerge.

• Has anyone read Retrofitting Suburbia, as it might hold some answers?

Switching to a New Medium

Through this blog, I have encouraged you to explore all the facets of creativity and the various forms that it takes, whether it is the visual arts, music, fashion, theater or writing. Plus, I've even tried out a few for myself.

But what I found the most challenging and rewarding was switching to a new medium, within an already established artistic domain. For me, the switch was moving from collage and paper arts to beach glass and jewelry.

I've learned there are actually quite a few similarities to both. First, each requires a certain amount of collecting and organizing. This is a natural passion of mine, which I tend to attribute to the time I spent working in museums. Then there is the creative aspect of putting together disparate parts to develop something new, whether it is a collage or a pendant.

Finally, there is the growth aspect, not just as an artist but as a creator. If we are constantly creating in the same medium, we may not see the areas where we need to grow and develop. I believe by simply switching to a new medium, you become more aware of your growth and maybe you'll discover and develop a passion you never knew you excelled at!

• Try creating in a new medium.

Design a Pattern

    (Image Altair Design)

Regular readers to this blog know that I love to share online resources where you can create your own art. The intersection of technology and creativity has been a gradual fascination for me. Plus, many of these sites provide much needed online exercise for your right brain.

The latest site I found, actually via Twitter, allows you to create a design, using pre-created black and white patterns, by adding your own color and imagination. The pattern I completed earlier this week is entitled, "Ode to Autumn" and is filled with random dabs of rich oranges, reds, and browns.

• Create your own or search for mine and rate it at Altair Design.

Why Innovation Needs Diversity

My other passion, besides creativity, is diversity. Yet, when most people think of diversity they often think only of superficial differences like race, gender, etc. To me, diversity is so much more and that's what makes it important for creating real innovation.

In author Debbe Kennedy's book, Putting Our Differences to Work, she expands the standard definition of diversity to include such factors as generational insights, problem solving approaches and think origins. With a broader definition of diversity, we can see how bringing together people from all different groups affects brainstorming and innovation.

Imagine an idea generating session that only included individuals with the same backgrounds, work habits or experiences. The end result would probably be pretty boring, and well more of the same. Scott Page, author of The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools and Societies, concurs with this view of the power of diversity to push innovation forward.

So why does he think diverse groups of problem-solvers are more successful than similarly minded groups? Because, according to Page, the diverse groups have more perspectives, which fuels idea generation and ultimately, innovation.

• Increase the diversity in your problem-solving sessions and see what happens!
  
  
  

Creativity in Business

Not too long ago, I mentioned the term "creativity in business" to a colleague, who promptly responded, "Isn't that an oxy moron?"

Yes, most people don't think of creativity when they think about business. That's why the Creativity in Business Conference held earlier this month in Washington, DC was so important. We need to debunk this myth that creativity can not exist in the work world, more specifically the business world.

While I couldn't attend the conference, I am happy to share with you some of the blog recaps of the event with the hope that you will see that creativity and business can co-exist and do so successfully!

Ana from the Creatuitive Coaching blog

Jennifer from the Right-Brain Business Plan blog

Mike from the Gamechangers blog

• Has your opinion of creativity and business changed?

 

What is a Creative Block?

(Image Jay Marr)

Recently, I've been running a little dry on ideas for this blog. So, I followed my own advice and tried to break through this block. I went for walks hoping for inspiration. I sat quietly waiting for a sign. I threw myself into other creative projects looking for a connection. And finally, I just let it go. I didn't agonize over it anymore.

Then it hit me this morning.

When is a creative block not a block but rather just part of the incubation phase of the creative process? As a huge proponent of this process, I realized that my block was just the natural progression of my creativity. While most people look at their block as paralyzing, I just found mine uncomfortable. I was able to acknowledge that feeling, let it go and wait for my next creative blog idea to appear, which I admit I am still waiting for! But, I am confident it will be here eventually...

• How do you handle your creative blocks?

What Innovation Means to Me

Too often people confuse creativity with innovation. To me, creativity is about coming up with new ideas, while innovation is the application and (hopeful) success of those ideas.

Yet, when I think of innovation I don't necessarily think first about products. Lately, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on this and understandably this is what innovation usually gets associated with.

But there are other ways of looking at innovation. I think more about innovation as creating new concepts - yes those concepts will probably end up as products - but I don't believe innovation starts with products. Earlier this year, trendwatching.com published "Innovation Jubilation" 50+ new business ideas that defy doom and gloom. The article mentions everything from the DIY trend to mapmania as concepts that are transforming business.

Another useful way to look at innovation is personal innovation. This type of innovation involves improving you and your life. Matt Heinz recently posted about this in Five Ways to Create Innovation Throughout Your Life. He writes about using innovation to improve everything from you relationships to your future.

• What could you innovate?