Creative Process

The creative process- what is this phenomenon that we often hear of as being more important than the actual artifact or end product? Many believe that the process of creating is where true meaning can be found in the synthesis of ideas and feelings. For example, world renowned Jackson Pollock believes in expressing his thoughts rather than illustrating them. The word "express" denotes a sense of personal voicing and he does so through the gestures and movements found in the intricate layers of paint.

Pollock's paintings suggest careful placement of each individual strand- like a painstakingly sewn tapestry. On his very first attempt to paint on glass, he washed off the paint claiming that he lost connection with the painting. Pollock shows us just how important the creative process is to him and his audience: he must maintain connection at all times. Pollock also attributes life to his paintings and allows them to live, suggesting that "there is no beginning and no end". One can develop a greater appreciation for art, music, architecture, automobiles, etc. when the creative process is taken into consideration. Take for example clean water.

We often take for granted the availability of clean water to drink, bathe, and wash with. It takes endless hours of work to create and build water treatments facilities to reach all homes and buildings. Just imagine all the work it takes to create a system that meets the needs of a million people in one city, all while hiding it underground so that it isn't a hazard or visual impairment on the aesthetics of the city. There too lies a creative process in designing a system to provide you with something as simple as the liquid that comes out of your faucet. Whatever the case may be, there is a creative process involved in almost all arenas of life.

As designers, teachers, creators, innovators, whatever we may profess to be, we all wish to create meaning in what we produce and prove it to the world. Why else would we work so hard? So, this "thing" called the creative process- this is where hidden knowledge is revealed.