Creativity as a Remix

I want to cover the act of creativity as I experience it.  As has been documented several times in this blog, I spend a certain amount of time searching the World Wide Web for ideas for knitting and other creative ventures as well.  Then sometimes someone points me in a direction that captures my imagination.

After I find the spark of an idea I seem to mull it around for a while.  Sometimes this takes weeks, other just a few moments, in both cases this degree of thoughtfulness requires quiet time to live inside my head.  At times I invite others to comment on what I am thinking about and in many cases the idea or how to execute it is improved.  Generally however I keep this seedling of the idea to myself.  It seems so vulnerable at this point, any whiff of discouragement could stifle it.

Then comes the actualizing where materials need to be gathered, imaginations of how it should come together are tested and rethought and the materials and testing continue.  Again this can take time because sourcing the proper materials, in my case often yarn, can take time.  I also do other creations where paint, driftwood or other raw materials are used.

It is rare an idea about how things are going to turn out, it correct on the first test.  But there are some I want to share with you.

Item ~~ Paul and I visited the Seattle Art Museum several years ago.  There on display was an artist's work, whose name I didn't record, that used repeating shapes to create interesting optical illusions.  This professional did work on a very large scale and standing in front of it I felt as if I was pulling into its vortex.  It moved me to try to create something like it for myself.  Below are three small panels created in one setting.  I used the black background like the inspiration piece and a template to paint the ovals.   It was a success in the first attempt and was a remake of something I'd seen.

In person there is more of a descending spiral feeling, it is lost in this two-dimensional rendition

Item ~~ the UND scarf.  After knitting the O scarf from the Camas Creek kit I was moved to think about knitting a scarf for a university logo not licensed by the company.  The idea of planning the intarsia to knit the logo on the scarf  was too daunting for me.  But using the duplicate stitch, that is embroidering over stitches after they are knit, that was something I was pretty sure I could do.  Making it that much easier is the fact that putting lettering on graph paper comes easily to me.  It did take two attempts to draw the logo to the proper size, but look at the results.  I think it looks pretty good for an amateur designer.  (BTW, that little orange colouring is in fact meant to look like a flame.  Check out the UND logo here.

My remix of the UND logo in yarn

Item ~~ there was this sent to me by someone who gets my sense of design, an is idea for my walls.

I have mentioned before the project of melting crayons together to make a wall hanging where colours literally run together.  I love the way this designer, Nike Schroder uses thread to accommodate this blending of colours.  I have purchased a wide and rather strong ribbon to wrap the thread around.  My intention is to use hooks and loops or magnetic tape and metal tacks to hold it to the wall.  And how does the start of this project look?

I have only just begun, but it is clear to me this will work

The various threads to be used to complete this project

So creativity as I experience it is taking something someone else has already developed and changing it to better take advantage of my skills, materials and sensibilities.  It is a personal adventure, mainly, that can be shared with others for input, but may not be shared until the entire project is complete.  My creativity is a remix and has nothing to do with originality of an idea.  But in the end, I truly enjoy the process and the end products also work for me.  And to stay creative I try to follow many of these suggestions.