Playtime

by Patty Lakinsmith

Lately I've been a little too caught up with To Do List items, and my creative soul has been famished. In addition to polishing up some decidedly rusty lampworking skills, I've been having some playtime in my studio and have been making all kinds of bead caps using copper and brass. Nothing fancy, just good old soldering, punching and dapping, and you know what? I found it very difficult to stop. I tried all sorts of things - some just didn't work out at all (like trying to solder a fine silver bezel onto a brass back), and others may work out eventually.

I had no real agenda with most of these (that's the point of play, right?), and found myself almost hypnotized by the flame, and the predictable changes that solder goes through as it heats and finally melts. There's also something soothing about repetitive tasks while your mind is busy working out other issues in the background.

I'm love love LOVing the richness of copper and brass as its rendered by the flame, and captured with renaissance wax. It just looks as if it has a story to tell.

I found an interesting read on the value of creative play, that makes me think I should try harder to get some of this into my normal routine. Here are the main points from the article:

1. Play can inspire you to think differently.
2. Play can bring you peace and joy, stress reduction, and ultimately increased longevity.
3. Play can increase your creativity and enhance your energy levels.
4. Play can let you experiment without fear of negative consequences.
5. Play can make you a person that others enjoy being around.

I can certainly attest to most of these benefits. My husband knows when I've been away from the studio too long, and (bless his heart, 'cuz I can get super cranky) will encourage me to get my fix. It would seem that adults in creative professions like architecture can attest to this idea too.

When is the last time you played just for the fun of it? Is it hard for you to play without a specific goal in mind?

On Creativity and Flow

Indoor rock climbing. Photo by www.cliffhanger.com.au

by Patty Lakinsmith

I've been reading lately on the topic of creativity and Flow. You may have heard of the term "flow". Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the author of "Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life" describes flow as, "the sense of effortless action they feel in moments that stand out as the best in their lives". To an athlete this is often described as being in "the zone", and others describe it as ecstasy, joy, aesthetic rapture, being in the moment, and such. Simply, it is completely focused motivation.

Activities or situations that can induce a flow experience have a number of things in common:

1. There is a set of clear goals.
2. Immediate feedback is received.
3. A person's skills are required to overcome a challenge (e.g. a technical problem in your medium or design) that is just shy of his or her ability to meet.

Presumably, flow occurs when someone has a clear set of goals that require appropriate responses. So, in a game these would be the "rules" of the game, and in art they may be more self-imposed, such as those faced in some kind of challenge. Feedback is available to tell you whether you are succeeding or not in the activity, and lastly, the activity provides a challenge that is difficult enough to sustain motivation and interest but just within reach of your skill level.

I have personally experienced flow in a wide variety of settings: in graduate school projects, in work projects, some athletic activities, and in lampworking, but most notably and memorably in the latter. It's classic - I'm completely focused and don't hear the phone ring, I lose track of time and fail to hear messages my body is sending me ("your shoulder hurts!", "you really should go to the bathroom, don't you think?", and "when was the last time you ate?"). This is flow, and I must say, it is highly addictive and divine.

I usually can't achieve flow when I'm doing something from someone else's playbook. That is, a highly prescribed custom order (which I rarely do), or things that I know I have to do. But give me a challenge, e.g. a bead that can double as a mechanical element in a piece of jewelry , and a stretch of time where I know I have no other obligations and won't be interrupted, and I'll lose myself in blissful concentration.

Have you experienced flow in your creative adventures? What does it feel like to you? Have you noticed any trends about when it may or may not occur? Do you have a time tested method that is sure to get you in a flow state?