On Creativity under Constraint
Creativity is often misunderstood.
Many believe that creativity is bestowed on individuals or those (such as myself) who started their creative path from an early age.
This is incorrect.
Neuroscience research confirms that creativity is a trainable skill rather than a talent. Specifically, creativity in neuroscience is defined as the ability to produce original and relevant ideas in a given context, to solve a problem or improve a situation.
In other words, creativity is a muscle that requires consistent training. And creativity compounds. The more you use it, the more you have. Creativity isn’t the end result. Rather creativity happens in the process of creating, when three neural networks are in the state of interplay.
Default Mode Network (DMN): Responsible for spontaneous thought, mind-wandering, and generating ideas (the "brainstorming" phase).
Executive Control Network: Responsible for evaluating, selecting, and refining the ideas generated by the DMN (the "editing" phase).
Salience Network: Acts as a switch between the default mode and executive networks, determining which ideas are worthy of attention
As an artist, these neural networks are consistently conversing while I sketch or paint. For example finding the inspiration from the external world, editing which subject or frame is captured and determining how much or little is sketched or painted.
Personally, I believe creativity thrives under constraints or limited resources - a term coined as neuroplasticity in neuroscience. This is of one of the reasons, I mix secondary colours rather than buying it off the shelf. It’s actually a problem solving exercise inflicted on one self. Through such process, the brain is learning new skills in the mixing and rewiring itself to adapt to the challenge of creating secondary colours. It is always in my colour mixing that I have those sudden eureka moments for life.
Creativity isn’t limited to the arts. Rather creativity and training your creative muscle to problem solve under pressure, think flexibly and find an answer that didn't exist before. These are not artistic skills. They are life skills. And in the working world, they are among the most valuable anyone can possess.