WHAT INSPIRES AND MOTIVATES US TO CREATEBONNIE CRAMOND, PH.D.

THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

INSPIRATION COMES FROMCOMES FROM THE LATIN WORDWORD INSPIRARE--

G OMEANING TO BREATHE INTO

CREATIVE INSPIRATION AS A SPIRITUAL GIFT

The Ancients believed that the muses gave humans gifts of creative inspiration to g g pallow them to be more god‐like, at least temporarily.

PEOPLE OF MANY CULTURES BELIEVE THAT CREATIVE INSPIRATION IS SPIRITUAL AND HUMANS ARE MEREINSPIRATION IS SPIRITUAL AND HUMANS ARE MERE CONDUITS

▪ Black Elk 1863 ‐ 1950Oglala LakotaOglala Lakota

▪ “I cured with the power that came through me. Of 

course, it was not I who cured, it was the power from 

the Outer World; the visions and ceremonies only 

made me like a hole through which the power could 

come to the two‐leggeds. If I thought that I was doing 

it myself, the hole would close up and no power could 

come through.”

LIONEL RICHIE▪ Believes his success as a songwriter comes from God, his "co‐

composer." p

▪ "I give credit to my co‐writer because all I did was write down 

h t H t ld t it d "what He told me to write down." 

▪ Richie also revealed that he prefers to collaborate during the night. "In other words," he said, "from about eleven to about 

seven in the morning is a very wonderful time because ... God  American singer, songwriter,

ain't worried with too many other folks ... I know He is very busy 

during the day, so I wait for late night, and it works for me.”

g , g ,actor and record producer;Winner of 5 Grammys, 13 American Music Awards, a Golden Globe and an Oscara Golden Globe, and an Oscar

SOMETIMES OTHERS’ WORK, AND COMPETITION INSPIRES USCOMPETITION, INSPIRES US

’ “ fTitian’s “Venus of Urbino”

Circa 1532

Gaugin’s “Spirit of The Dead Walking”

1892Circa 1532 1892

Manet’s “Olympia”18651865

OR EXTENDING THE WORK OF OTHERSOR, EXTENDING THE WORK OF OTHERS

SOMETIMES INSPIRATION COMES FROM DESIRE TO EXPRESS EMOTION ABOUT ANDESIRE TO EXPRESS EMOTION ABOUT AN EVENT

OR TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS

To share emotions such as anguish, longing, and loneliness, as in these sculptures by Camille Claudel

B.Cramond, University of Georgia

these sculptures by Camille Claudel

American writer, Kurt Vonnegut, g

INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION MAY DIFFER ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF CREATIVITY

INVENTIVE OR INNOVATIVE: EXPRESSIVE:INVENTIVE OR INNOVATIVE: addresses a worthwhile problem novel and appropriate solution

Illustrates the creator’s emotions &aestheticsoriginal and valuableoriginal and valuable

INNOVATIVE OR INVENTIVE CREATIVITYINNOVATIVE OR INVENTIVE CREATIVITY IS INSPIRED MORE BYOBSERVATION OF A PROBLEM

Ocean Clean Up Array Designed by 19 Year Old

Plastic in the OceanDesigned by 19 Year Old Boyan Slat

AND CURIOSITY

NOT REAL DICHOTOMY  INVENTIVE                                             EXPRESSIVE▪ Aesthetic experience in the prealization of an elegant solution to a problem

▪ There are many problems to be solved in the completion any artistic expressionartistic expression  

“When I am working on a problem, I thi k b t b t b t h Inever think about beauty, but when I 

have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, it know it is wrong."  American architect, systems theorist,

author,

B.Cramond, University of Georgia

,designer, and inventor.

AESTHETICS AND SCIENCE?AESTHETICS AND SCIENCE?“Aesthetic considerations can be d i i Th h h f ldecisive. Though they often attract only a few scientists to a new theory, it is upon those few that its ultimate triumph may depend” (p. 155). 

Examples: Copernicus’ astronomical theory DeBroglie’s theory of matter andtheory, DeBroglie s theory of matter, and Einstein’s general theory 

Monteleone’s Plastic Ocean Art Exhibit

Hokusai’s The Great Wave Corona Beer’s Ad Campaign

INSPIRATION IS MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ANDINSPIRATION IS MULTI DIMENSIONAL AND DIRECTIONAL

INSPIRATION IS NOT ENOUGH; MOTIVATION MUST DRIVE ONE TOMOTIVATION MUST DRIVE ONE TO REALIZATION

INSPIRATION = SPARK MOTIVATION = DRIVE

"GENIUS IS 1% INSPIRATION AND 99% PERSPIRATION"

THOMAS EDISON

AMABILE’S COMPONENTIAL MODEL OFAMABILE S COMPONENTIAL MODEL OF CREATIVITY

PSYCHOLOGISTS ONCE BELIEVED THAT EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION LOWERED

CREATIVITYCREATIVITYHOWEVER, THAT VIEW HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE TOO SIMPLISTIC.

WHAT MOTIVATES US?WHAT MOTIVATES US?

Motivation is complex—• Usually more than one • May change in type or 

i itpriority• May not be apparent to us• May differ in intensitiesMay differ in intensities• Must persist for completionp

https://www.primermagazine.com/2012/live/what‐is‐hard‐work/2

SOME EXAMPLESSOME EXAMPLESAND WHAT EDUCATORS CAN DO TO HELP STUDENTS

INTEREST▪ Sometimes the problem is toSometimes the problem is to generate interest; sometimes it is to maintain it.

▪ Why are there so few of his paintings remaining, other works unfinished?▪ Some lost▪ Events intervened▪ Polymath too busy▪ Procrastinator▪ Slow worker▪ Took on complex tasks▪ Lost interest after the problem was solved

DaVinci’s study for the bronze equestrian statue of Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan—S l t d i l b t t i bsolved Sculpted in clay, but never cast in bronze

EDUCATORS CAN HELP STUDENTS▪ Find interests and talents▪ Find interests and talents

▪ Learn to set reasonable goals and standardsgoals and standards

▪ Use milestones and timelinestimelines

▪ Use interests to maintain work during more routinework during more routine tasks

CHALLENGECHALLENGE

Sony co founder Akio MoritaSony co‐founder Akio Morita 

EDUCATORS CAN HELP STUDENTS▪ By posing appropriate▪ By posing appropriate challenges to them

▪ To find appropriate▪ To find appropriate challenges for themselves

▪ Systematically meet▪ Systematically meet challenges

▪ Learn to succeed and fail▪ Learn to succeed and fail

AUTONOMY MASTERY & PURPOSEAUTONOMY, MASTERY, & PURPOSEPeople are more motivated ifmotivated if 

▪ they feel they have some choice and controlchoice and control, 

▪ they are learning, and 

▪ there is a real reason and important outcome from their workfrom their work.

Pink, D. (2011). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. New York, NY: Riverhead Books.Pink, D. (2011). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. New York, NY: Riverhead Books.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc&feature=youtu.be

EDUCATORS CAN HELP STUDENTS▪ Giving some choices in▪ Giving some choices in content and form

▪ Using problem based▪ Using problem‐based curricula to solve real problems (e.g. Future Problem Solving)

http://www fpspi org/http://www.fpspi.org/

GLIMPSES OF “SONGS” AND “COMPOSITIONS”GLIMPSES OF SONGS AND COMPOSITIONS WHILE STILL “LEARNING THE SCALES”

▪ Jason Cantarella, University of Georgia mathematics professor, analogized, “In art there is a tension between technique and inspiration It’s important to have both K 12 math appears to be allinspiration. It s important to have both. K‐12 math appears to be all technique and no inspiration.”

“ ’ lik if h i b h i [ d ] l l f l▪ “It’s like if we taught music by having [students] play scales for twelve years without ever giving them the opportunity to play songs…”

THE HIGH OF CREATION▪ Maslow called it B‐Cognition; Peak▪ Maslow called it B‐Cognition; Peak experiences

Csikszentmihalyi called it Flow▪ Csikszentmihalyi called it Flow

▪ Altered state of consciousnessTh ti t it lf i th ti t

▪ There is evidence that creative people experience a different level 

The creative act itself is the motivator because of the altered state of being it produces; the product is less 

of cortical arousal during a creative process than do less creative people (e g Martindale 1999)

important

(e.g., Martindale, 1999).

EDUCATORS CAN HELP STUDENTS▪ Pacing lessons so that there is a balance of stimulation and quiet time.stimulation and quiet time.

▪ Finding what motivates each student and helpingeach student and helping them be aware of their motivations

▪ Helping them learn to bridge the work times between the highs

Download worksheet by Mark McGuinness at:http://lateralaction com/wpcontent/http://lateralaction.com/wpcontent/path� nder‐resources/Path� nder21Motivation.pdf

TORRANCE’S MANIFESTO FOR CHILDREN,TORRANCE S MANIFESTO FOR CHILDREN, 1983▪ Don’t be afraid to fall in love with ▪ Find a great teacher and mentor whoDon t be afraid to fall in love with something and pursue it with intensity.

▪ Know, understand, take pride in, practice develop exploit & enjoy your

Find a great teacher and mentor who will help you.

▪ Don’t waste energy trying to be well‐roundedpractice, develop, exploit, & enjoy your 

greatest strengths.

▪ Learn to free yourself from the i f h & lk

rounded

▪ Do what you love and can do well.

▪ Learn the skills of interdependenceexpectations of others & to walk away from the games they impose on you. Free yourself to play your own game.

▪ Learn the skills of interdependence.

The Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent DevelopmentThe University of Georgia

323 Aderhold HallAthens GA 30602Athens, GA 30602