Where is creativity? 

 

            A hard point to define such as this lies in the realm of questions like, the age-old riddle of the ‘chicken and the egg,’ ‘How much wood would a woodchuck chuck…’ and “Where is a person’s soul?”  Speculators may say that creativity is a conglomeration of many parts of the brain working together.  There is still much that scientists and neurologists do not know about the human brain, however throughout history, astounding relics of creativity are just as impressive today as they must have been years ago.  3^rd grader, Jimmy Whisnant describes creativity as, “When you make something off the top of your head.”

            Creativity is such a subjective concept to describe.  In other words, it is influenced by personal feelings, tastes, and opinions.  My assumption is that creativity may stem from human beings’ desire to be entertained.  In ancient Roman times, theatres and coliseums were created to entertain the public because at the peak of the city, it was possibly home to several million people.  As a cultural center, ideas and concepts were easy to share which allowed human expression to flourish. 

            Creativity is not only limited to heavily populated areas.  Nomadic groups like the Native American Tribes of the Great Plains or even as far as the nomadic Mongolian cultures of Asia clearly have demonstrated creativity throughout time.  Using materials found in nature, these groups have made instruments, colorful clothing, and works of art that only the human brain can fathom and realize.

            It seems as if creativity flows best when there are a multitude of ideas that can be pondered and analyzed, then interpreted into intimate bits of art.  In the case of children, I have found that creativity is drawn out of the inspiration to create something personal and meaningful to the individual.

Watch as Mrs. Groom’s 3^rd Grade Class from James Love Elementary expresses their creativity.  Every week in music class, the first ten minutes or so are spent on time with the students presenting songs and dances that they have learned, created, or improvised.  The video found at www.shelbyinfo.com/music depicts raw energy and individuality of these children.

So I ask, “Where is YOUR creativity?”