Creativity

check out this digital story done by a 30 year old mother of two:

http://www.storycenter.org/stories/index.php?cat=7

Creativity...is it individual? collaborative? innate? learned?

what is this thing?

Typically we think of the individual and their mind. We think of a person, a workspace, an implement (pen/brush/fabric). At least I think of my "morning pages", my personal vision and connection to words. On the other hand I think of my complete inability to draw and paint---the creative skill of seeing in the mind and translating that into images on a page is beyond me.

Until I expand my definition of creativity. The digital world resists our compliment as a place where creativity happens--where art happens. Why is that? Sure you often wade through piles of online art that seems ---well only beautiful in the beholder's eye. But there are some amazing pieces out there. More importantly there are creative tools out there which are now accessible to all of us. User friendly software, cameras, phones that take pictures/movies. Photographs, films, poetry, cartoons, animation of course. But then add on thoughts. Daily experiences. The ordinary. The quick pic that makes you giggle. Everything becomes art in a sense, once it has an audience.

The amateur becomes a creative genius. Any person you brush against as you walk by could have a secret life as a talented digital composer of some sort. Almost everyone I know has created something and let it fly on the WWW.

Art belongs to the masses now. It isn't just for the artsy types. Creativity is bubbling up in everyone, from the web designer right back to the kid who makes cold calls for a few beans an hour. Because in her free time, she is playing around with widgets, or on facebook, or youtube, or with her phone.