Creationism--the OTHER kind

Webster says to be creative is to be inventive or imaginative; to create is to 'bring into being'. (Not unlike a new post...)
Yesterday I visited my local quilt shop--the owner is a good friend of mine, but I hadn't been in for some time. Good to visit & catch up. She & I had been part of an ongoing 'stretching' group--it renews every 6 months, meets monthly, and requires a new project (ala product) every month based on the assignment. I 'sat out' this current 6 months (started in July & things just seemed so chaotic right about then) but I do appreciate two main things from the group: the challenge of 'thinking outside the box' & not only creating something, but creating something based on someone else's assignment; and the other being the demand on timely production (we do remember the previous concept of procrastination, right?). Every four weeks the project needed to be finished--not just a glimmer in your head--& did I mention the group seems to be populated with several type A's?
I was surprised & pleased to hear my friend had continued with the group & we talked alot more about her roadblock which is the creativity part--mine, of course, being time. Her comments all along have been that "I can copy anything, I just can't think anything up" When she renewed this 6 month session, she asked the instructor to help her with that: "give me books, resources, etc."
Turns out that for her that's been very helpful; she's 'read 2 books backwards & forwards' on design elements, color, etc. Then she showed me her project she'll be turning in this month--and it was great! She was so proud of it--and her confidence has been bolstered greatly.
So I've been contemplating the issue of creativity since then. Personally, I've erred more on the side of the argument that creativity is more like intuition: either you have it or you don't. I've often been puzzled by people's reactions to things I've created: 'how did you come up with that?' 'I would never combine those elements but it works for you!', etc. (implying, of course, that 'you started with something I thought was ugly but now it's not so bad!') In my head I'm often thinking that creating is not hard--you just 'see' the end result & figure out the steps to get there; and have the time to complete them.
Now I've been reflecting that I've also been fortunate to have had formal art instruction from a very young age (having ensured that all the way through high school & college electives included art classes stashed in between the hard sciences--never instead of, mind you, only in addition to). So maybe creativity is, in the end, more of a learned process than I've given credit for and I've underestimated the impact that all of the art teachers I've had over many years have had on me. I'll keep ruminating on that, and any comments would be most welcome.
Meanwhile, I think I'll be 'rejoining' the group at the next 6 month cycle--and also paying homage to those instructors I've had the privilege of working with...

Procrastination--to put off or defer

Okay, okay...I've been poised on the brink of how to start: what's the first, most important thing to say?!

But (thank you, Joe!) I've been 'outed' so I must stop messing around and START. I think in the end that's the hardest part, at least for me. Procrastination can attain a level near that of art form for truly experienced people (such as myself)--I can find all kinds of things that need to be accomplished before _____ (fill in the blank with any goal, milestone, assignment, etc. large or small). The greater or more significant the task, the greater number of things to be accomplished in the 'before' phase! Starting a blog--changing careers--planning a trip, you name it! Procrastination, interestingly enough in my dictionary, comes just ahead of procreate...

And so, then, it's begun. Hopefully it will be easier after this (and truly, thanks Joe!)

Observations of the week:
Steven Colbert for President...should add to the year's entertainment; stay tuned.
Michael Clayton was well worth the box office price (thank you, Devin!)
Robot Sex was an interesting thought for the week (thank you, Nick!)