Living Art by Kirsten Broadfoot


“All creative people want to do the unexpected.” ~ Hedy Lamarr


When we say someone or something is creative, do we mean imaginative, innovative, inventive, artistic or fantastic? Creativity is about being inquisitive and open to new ideas as well as new ways of putting those ideas together. Individual artists, who are naturally inventive, are central to sustaining the creative spirit for society as a whole.


However, a larger creativity comes alive through collective art making, where the creative impulse requires interac- tion between the artists and audience. Such animating experiences, which often take flight from the creation of familiar objects, bring people together in body, mind and spirit, and work to keep us connected.


Yielding to the Moment of Creation


“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Pablo Picasso


Communal creativity exists along a continuum between spontaneity and structure, and gives birth to myriad forms that are sometimes stunning in their simplicity. The most poignant of


26 San Diego Edition www.na-sd.com


these remind us of just how very human we are. Take, for example, the fourth plinth (think pedestal) raised in 2009 in Lon- don’s Trafalgar Square by Antony Gorm- ley. This piece of public performance art, entitled One and Other, encouraged anyone interested to ascend and stay atop the empty plinth for an hour to get a different view of the world. For 100


days, contribut- ing individuals


could do whatever


they liked for the assigned hour, but the most astounding revelation for all was the ways in which life came to life before their eyes (OneAndOther.co.uk). Consider the inspired vision that prompted residents of Fort Collins, Colo- rado, to devise a traveling pop-up art gallery that transforms empty downtown storefronts into vibrant art spaces until tenants are found. Since 2009, The Art Lab has filled Old Town with art, innova- tion, music and smiling faces. Anyone can come and create in the space, dis- play their arts and crafts or just sit, talk, brainstorm and share the good energy. This laid back, yet intimate, contribu- tion to community life ranges from plays and exhibitions to communal paintings (ArtLabFortCollins.org). Tom Borrup, a creative commu- nity builder in Minneapolis, sees such everyday cultural expressions as crucial reservoirs of community spirit (Com- munityAndCulture.com). He notes that festivals, recurring gatherings in parks, gardens or community centers and artistic activities of all stripes that gener- ate and sustain group traditions build community and contribute to every- one’s quality of life.


creativity inspires community


Credit: AArt Lab, FortCollins


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56