Life – Page 32 – Joni Beach

November 14, 2011December 3, 2011

Creativity~ More Than One Right Answer

When I teach a design course, students are encouraged to brainstorm and draw multiple sketches of many ideas. After this, they are to select the idea that is most creative and best meets the design problem. It’s interesting to me that there are always a few who have one initial idea and want to immediately begin their project.

One Answer,(c) 2011 Joni Beach — One Answer, (c) 2011 Joni Beach

Why is idea generation important to the creative process? Because as Dewitt Jones, photojournalist, says, “There is more than one right answer…” Using divergent thinking, we think of multiple answers and solutions and then select an idea to develop through experimenting, playing,and improvising. We can evaluate as we go, making changes as needed to the design.

MoreThanOne,(c)2011JoniBeach — More Than One, (c) 2011 JoniBeach

In using creativity in problem-solving in art, as well as in life, the focus is on considering multiple possible answers and eventually selecting one vs analyzing to discover the one right answer… Many times it is not the initial idea that has the most creative outcome… Use creativity and discover more than one right answer.

Dewitt Jones, photojournalist (dewittjones.com)
Living Life Using Creativity (jonibeach.com)
Creating Our Futures (creatingreciprocity.wordpress.com)
Stimulating Creativity and the Brain (eideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com)
Physical Act of Creativity. Moving helps. Research. (creativityland.ca)
New Insights on the Creative Brain (psychologytoday.com)

November 10, 2011December 3, 2011

Inspiration…Color & Life

A few days ago while looking out the kitchen window I saw not one but three brilliantly colored bluebirds! It is not the normal time of the year for them to visit our yard, so perhaps they were immigrating south for the winter.

Bluebird In Autumn, (c) 2011 Joni Beach.

By the time I retrieved my camera only one bluebird was still there…guess he needed a bath before continuing his trip!

What color inspiration for a creation of art!…What life inspiration for a day of encouragement.

Out the window and around the pond (bogsofohio.wordpress.com)
First Glimpse of Fall Colors… (jonibeach.com)
Tuesday…In the Studio (jonibeach.com)
Amazing Autumn Inspiration (perfectlyprompted.wordpress.com)

November 9, 2011November 20, 2011

Connections~ People to People

Today I have been thinking about how humans share a common dependence. All of us are connected to other people in many ways—at many different levels. In our immediate worlds, we are connected to our family members. Outside of family in our communities, we are connected to the people we know in our schools, churches, at work, around town in the stores, the library, in the medical clinics. Beyond our communities, we have connection with the communities in the rest of the state, or region. Beyond each state, we have connection with all of the states and our country as a whole. Our nation then has connection with the other countries around our borders, as well as all of the countries around the globe.

These connections go from micro-level in a range all the way to a global macro-level. Current events continue to show this link between humans living on this planet we call Earth. For example, the economic woes of one country can impact those of another. Going beyond these human connections, we see our connection to the natural world and the environments we depend on to live. When earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, and other natural disasters occur around the world, we are reminded of our connection with humanity and the shared dependence on our families, communities, regions/states, and countries in times of need.

Why is an awareness of this connection important? Because an awareness that what we do and who we are as individuals, families, communities, regions/states, and countries is linked to other people, may influence us to make those connections as positive and caring as possible, with a focus on promoting well-being and quality of life for everyone.