Creativity from Without

When I was young, I remember my sister made “Share World.”  In this universe, the earth was apparently flat blue construction paper and the people who lived in this world were made up of buttons, wires, and pieces of old circuit boards.  Unfortunately it’s now no longer existent (it was thrown away…), but for many years it was on display and received much praise and attention from my family for its creativity.

As already mentioned, designer’s must be able to make “Stone Soup” by crafting together random and various things.  But another skill that designers must have is the ability to see things out of objects that are otherwise overlooked.  To be cliché: “To take the ordinary and make extraordinary.” 

I visited the Jon Natsoula’s Art Gallery in Davis this summer, and one of my favorite pieces was an American flag made up of ordinary objects you find in the daily American life:  red plastic cups, ticket stubs, gum wrappers, and other common place things – all which caught me by surprise.  Unfortunately, I don’t remember the artist’s name and the Gallery was closed today (I am now on a hunt to find out the name of this artist!).  But, in the process of searching for this artist, I came across another who was able to find “creativity from without.”

Deborah Butterfield is a San Diego native who constructs her works of art from “junk materials.”  In looking at her work of horses, what caught my attention was her stark contrast in choice of medium.  Some of her horses were made with branches, highlighting elements of nature and grace.  In another, she used metals and dense objects, conveying characteristics of strength.  These two didn’t clash or conflict in their portrayal, but rather complimented each other.  Horses possess all these characteristics: a natural beauty and elegance while also exhibiting an essence of power.  I myself was fixed that she was able to emphasize and draw out the different qualities in each of them.  

Her success in able to communicate a kind of message through her work is what good designers do.  Good designers aim to communicate not just an image, but a message.  My sister named her little creation “Share World” because she wanted to portray a world where people share and where people care.  Each one of her people were happy and in the company of another “Share Person.”

I think she got it. 

The point is this:  We were made to share life, to share in each other’s lives, genuinely care for one another, let other’s in on what’s going on, and work together.  I guess you could say living daily life can become pretty mundane.  But this is the perfect opportunity!  - the opportunity to make something ordinary into extraordinary.  This little guy was made during the “Share World” Era, though not actually a part of it.  However, he still possesses the quality of that time.  Every day he might sit on the top of my mother’s desk, go through periods where he collects a nice coat of dust, but nevertheless he is there.  And no matter if he goes unnoticed or not he still sits there sharing some part of your life, even if just “Hi there.  I’m here!”