Artists, as well as people in general, search for answers when it comes to creativity. Everything begins with an idea. But just where do those ideas come from?
How do we become inspired? Like a writer with writer's block, this can sometimes be very difficult.
Keeping in mind that there is really nothing new out there in the world, that everything that exists has already been created, we might begin to develop our "new" ideas based upon the concept that all we really do is "transform." Allow me to explain.
My wife and I recently acquired some new property. Our intention was to make improvements on it. The property had a previous owner. So in effect, all we can do is build upon an already existing foundation of past creative ideas. I believe we are looking at the same thing when it comes to art and inspiration.
Reality TV is a good example of this when it comes to creativity. For better or for worse (I get tired of those shows too), the producer who came up with the idea for the first reality tv show didn't really come up with anything new. We have all heard the _expression "keep it real." But even that is not some new cultural ideal. It was Plato who said a long time ago "To thine own self be true."
The genious of the idea lies in the fact that some producer somewhere took an age old idea and presented it to the masses in a repackaged format. Thus it appears as a new idea, when in fact, all that is new about it, is the way the idea was "repackaged." Viewers become captivated by an idea that was as old as time itself, because a thinker took a look around (an observation of that which already exists) and found something to put a new twist on. Therefore, it is my belief that our blockage to inspired thinking is a result of our failure to observe that which already exists; we tend to look for that something "new", but fail to notice what is actually taking place around us! Which is the first step toward creativity.
So what I am searching for as an artist is inspiration. That one piece of originality, based upon observation (reality). And since there is so much out there in the real world to build upon, I should never really have difficulty when it comes to the subject of creativity, as long as I take the time to really observe. So often we fail to take note of that which is right in front of our faces. So we take what already exists, what has already been handed down to us by our predecessors, and modify it, transform it to our liking. This then becomes our "statement" for those now living, as well as for those who are to follow. For they will surely build upon what we have created! Thus we come to realize the realtionship that exists between creativity and responsibility.
