white space Denise R. Jacobs Skissernas Museum University of Lund Lund, Sweden 6 November 2013

@denisejacobs #skissernasmuseum #whitespacreate

My own blocks caused me to binge-create

But I was still afraid: am I truly creative? Photo: Denise Jacobs

After writing this

I had an epiphany http://www.flickr.com/photos/44085287@N05/4055814772/

In terms of http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/

We ALL hold the power http://www.flickr.com/photos/assbach/267598910/

Its highly valued http://business.time.com/2013/04/26/the-time-creativity-poll/

Ive decided its my life work Photo: Derek Kearney

THE CANVAS The State of the Create

Whats our most important tool for creating? http://www.flickr.com/photos/ogil/1507585665/

Precisely. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APSM_V14_D495_Side_view_of_the_brain_and_spinal_cord.jpg

Time http://www.flickr.com/photos/33909700@N02/3159761620/

Attention http://www.flickr.com/photos/copperfeesh/147493122/

Focus http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambdachialpha/203904103/

However, what happens is this http://www.flickr.com/photos/7693102@N07/2536807562/

And you run http://royhoes.deviantart.com/art/Out-of-Inspiration-85588391

Cant access all of your great ideas http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/

When we are in the creative flow http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfear/289257055/

We are alchemists http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Faust_image_19thcentury.jpg

Creativity is newness produced. - Sir Ken Robinson, Out of Our Minds

It feels like http://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/2761300969/

Creativity is magical, but it is not magic. - Dr. Charles Limb, Your Brain on Improvisation TED talk

NEGATIVE SPACE Perception & Lies

It starts early http://www.flickr.com/photos/barretthall/3036598475/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3135103537/

Age 6

Dad Photo: Deloria Jacobs

Mother & Sister Photo: Deloria Jacobs Photos: Deloria Jacobs

Me? A graphic artist Photo: Deloria Jacobs

Age 10

Oldest friend in the world Photo: Deloria Jacobs

Age 12

Camp Whip-poor-will Photo: Deloria Jacobs

My genetic heritage Mom: 511 Dad: 63 Photo: Deloria Jacobs

Taller than everyone, all the time

Age 24

Happy graduation! Now what? Photo: Deloria Jacobs

First airplane ride! Photo: Deloria Jacobs

Internalized the critical voices http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeapalooza/553545517/

These lies that we tell ourselves http://www.flickr.com/photos/emayoh/4589881812/

Leave parts of us paralyzed and imprisoned http://www.flickr.com/photos/b3ni/2990601183/

Adds up

GIVE & TAKE Creativity and Power

Power

Afraid? Photo: Denise Jacobs

Were powerful http://www.flickr.com/photos/89927155@N00/2144275209/

Overwhelmed http://www.flickr.com/photos/freeflyer09/7574540716/

Instead of using it fully http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-k-d/3310336516/

Try to contain it http://www.flickr.com/photos/gc_photography/4662878037/

We give our power away https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6D-O5ECr5EUow5jrck2A2A

NOISE & CLUTTER Distracting Complications.

Internal http://www.flickr.com/photos/boojee/4457378697/

Look outside ourselves http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtcatbagan/1557200142/

Distractions http://www.flickr.com/photos/generated/2084287794/

Addicted to hyperconnectivity http://www.flickr.com/photos/andersdenken/2082816707/

Intermittent reinforcement http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristoferbjorkman/6910216819/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jepoirrier/422469526/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/foreignoffice/2671039488/

Unclosed mental loops http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/Zeigarnik_Effect

Hyperconnectivity gives us the perception of getting more done. It makes us feel like we're doing more, because we're using every free moment of every waking hour. - Jonathan Fields

Unleash it? http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanekemp/6152286326/

Multiple places at once http://www.flickr.com/photos/figliodiorfeo/2393269886/

Bored = http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

Seeking distraction/entertainment http://www.flickr.com/photos/modenaroid/4103509077/

Something else http://www.flickr.com/photos/djgarage/3680441291/in/photostream/

The in-between http://www.flickr.com/photos/aguslepe/5512044294/

Allows creativity to blossom http://www.flickr.com/photos/beigephotos/16139685/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/beigephotos/16139686/

Genius is the offspring of the in-between. - Jonathan Fields

CLARITY Changing Focus

Maximize http://www.flickr.com/photos/cblue98/7254347346/

A balanced brain http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=left%20brain%20right%20brain&order=9&offset=48#/d10qlpq

Integrate http://www.flickr.com/photos/47691521@N07/4639590640/

Neurons firing well http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorelei-ranveig/2294885580/

Know your Brainwaves

Alpha: the gateway to creativity

Spacing out http://www.flickr.com/photos/frinthy/4680321558/

Daydream http://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzylittlemanpeach/4633972431/

Mindless activity http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabi/2499381396/

Being prone http://www.flickr.com/photos/snazzy54/4581347651/

Showers http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3761878381/

Get physical http://www.flickr.com/photos/miguel77/2728104156/

Breathe to refocus http://www.flickr.com/photos/guiniveretoo/1573049301/

Laughing http://www.flickr.com/photos/wickenden/3644297054/

Playing/Fun http://www.flickr.com/photos/kkendall/3613416741/

When you are playful, you are activating the right side of your brain. The logical brain is a limited brain. The right side is unlimited. You can (do and ) be anything you want. - Madan Kataria, The Laughter Guru

Instead of this http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielsilliman/4489863368/

Intend Alpha http://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg

When your brain is supposedly doing nothing, its really doing a tremendous amount. Marcus Raichle, Neurologist

THE INVISIBLE Aid from the Unseen

Sometimes dabbling in mysticism can be a fun way to understand and solve a problem. - Carl King, So Youre a Creative Genius, Now What?

Natalie http://www.flickr.com/photos/barretthall/3036598475/

From the mind of a 4yo Photo courtesy of Laura Bohill (@LauRARbee)

A little help from (imaginary) friends

Travel our internal lands http://archivingthecity.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/maps_of_the_imagination.jpg

Your subconscious http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Themuse.jpg

One form of a genius http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Albert_Einstein%2C_by_Doris_Ulmann.jpg

Another form of a genius

Daemon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babel_fish_(The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy)#Babel_fish

Muses http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:NAMA_3_Muses.jpg

The Three Original Muses Mneme Memory Melete Practice or occasion Aoide Voice

Muses were thought to be the true speakers for whom an artist is merely the mouthpiece. Muses were also thought to inspire people to do their best.

Mneme (Memory) Photo: Denise Jacobs

Melete (Practice/Occasion) http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayray/4069381837/

Aoide (Voice) Photo: Denise Jacobs

The spirit of the idea http://www.flickr.com/photos/generated/3152875826/

Ideas want to take form

The world is being circled by ideas and creativity that wants to made manifest and are looking for portals to come through - Elizabeth Gilbert

Ideas use us (not vise-versa)

Listen http://www.flickr.com/photos/theory/3193684688/

Converse http://www.flickr.com/photos/tojosan/181249465/

Trust is everything. - Scott Berkun, The Year Without Pants

Voila! http://www.flickr.com/photos/bohman/174718774/

CHOOSE How will you move forward?

The choice is yours http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoneppink/80772661/

How you use your creative brain power Untitled by Americo Morales

Creative flow lies in-between http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgeithner/5290115839/

True. http://www.flickr.com/photos/stealingsand/5563317146/

Reclaim our power http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8216666102/

Value yourself, ideas, and process http://www.flickr.com/photos/pocait/2847866615/

Moving forward http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/6005503875/

Creativity makes day to day experiences more vivid, more enjoyable, more rewarding. When we live creatively, boredom is banished and every moment holds the promise of a fresh discovery. - Mihali Csikszentmihalyi, Creativity

Leverage white space http://www.flickr.com/photos/cdoublew/2663137942/

The End? http://www.flickr.com/photos/imuttoo/232100469/

Resources! delicious.com/denisejacobs/getunblocked delicious.com/denisejacobs/unfoldyourbrain delicious.com/denisejacobs/creativityhabit delicious.com/denisejacobs/brainoncreativity Always being updated as I find new relevant articles! Great Resources almost daily: @denisejacobs on Twitter

My articles for further reading netmagazine.com/features/ four-secrets-enhancingcreative-productivity alistapart.com/articles/ reigniting-your-creative-spark/ alistapart.com/articles/ banishing-your-inner-critic/

Art & Inspiration: Americo Morales Untitled 1 Mind map AmericoMorales.net

How to find me DeniseJacobs.com denise@denisejacobs.com Twitter.com/denisejacobs Facebook.com/denisejacobsdotcom Slideshare.net/denisejacobs Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/

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THANK YOU! Tack!