Ah the creative muse

How fragile and uncertain she is ...

There is the debate about creativity and innovation that considers whether they just happen spontaneously, or whether they can, or should, be cultivated, managed or otherwise addressed.

I find it's a delicate distinction; I have to focus on creating without looking.

Ca se peut.

Even monkeys fall out of trees

This Japanese proverb is quoted in 'The Zen of Creativity: Cultivating your artistic life' by John Daido Loori. I found much inspiration in the book, partly related to the fact that John is a photogrpaher. He also writes about a turning point in his life at a workshop by one of my favourite photographers Minor White.

I've been turning over a lot of books recently, reading them and then giving them away. But this is one I will be keeping and re-reading.

Out of Our Minds

Out of Our Minds is a book by Sir Ken Robinson. A couple of quotes to whet your appetite.

"As knowledge expands, greater specialisation is inevitable. The risk is that we lose sight of the larger picture, of how ideas connect and can inform each other. In these circumstances we need more than access to information and ideas: we need ways of engaging with them, of making connections, of seeing principles and of relating them to our own experiences and identities."


"It is an interesting feature of cultural change that for a time new technologies tend to be used to do the old thing." This reminded me of the construction of the iron bridge at Ironbridge - using wood construction joints amongst other techniques. Have a look sometime; it's fascinating and beautiful.

So many books, so little time

Here's a short selection of my recent acquisitions and reads:

Out of our Minds Ken Robinson
The Wisdom of Crowds James Surowiecki
A Whole New Mind Daniel H. Pink
The Naked Brain Richard Restak
Will in the World (as in William Shakespeare) Stephen Greenblatt
The Language Instinct Stephen Pinker

...

And there are many more. What with a bit of work from time to time, no posts! I should be sharing my thoughts on these books with you.

Not a bad idea.