More thoughts on creativity

1

I think this book will be lovely, don't you ?


How to be a Wildflower Book Trailer from Gabriel James on Vimeo.

2

In a recent NY Times, a thoughtful article about the connection between giftedness - especially child prodigy - and creativity. (Spoiler alert: there's not much instinctive connection.) Parents can raise a creative child by...backing off!

http://nyti.ms/1OXC6OP

3

And on the subject of creativity, this Times article extolls the virtue of serendipity, "the art of finding what we're not seeking." People who enjoy "prospecting" the unknown in activities such as spending an afternoon browsing through unfamiliar territory/subjects count on finding treasures in odd places. These are the people that love the happy surprises that pop up wherever  they look. According to the article, dredging the unknown is engaging in a highly creative act.

In a survey of patent holders in one recent year, 50% of patents resulted from serendipitous process. I used to emphasize this with my students, sharing the stories of velcro, rubber, and teflon. (Go here for many more!)

As an information junkie myself, I agree with this notion most heartedly.