Category: creativity

art, creative, creativity, education, health, medicine, music, philanthropy

Genius Awards – $500,000 "no strings attached"

Christa Avampato

How would you like a half a million bucks with no strings attached? All you need to do is be a genius, and by genius I mean someone who is “creative, original, and has potential to make important contributions in the future.” The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awards 25 people every year with their Genius Awards. The Genius Awards for 2008 have been announced and the variety of recipients is encouraging.


When I heard that they were awarded based on originality and creativity, I naturally assumed that the awards were primarily for artists. And many of the recipients are indeed artists from many different areas of the arts. But there’s also an urban farmer, a critical care physician, and an astronomer. This variety supports the sentiment that artistry and creativity can, should, and will be found in every discipline the world over. 

We are all creative, inspired people regardless of our title at work or the discipline in which we work. The trick is how to leverage that creativity for the greatest benefit of the world at large. In short how do we take our precious, common gift of idealism and make it extraordinary? Geniuses take what we all have – this innate ability to imagine things the way they could be – and they go global with it. Well worth a half million dollars for their priceless contributions to humanity. 
The image above can be found at http://www.wilywalnut.com/Genius-choice.jpg
art, books, creativity, economy, education, jazz, music, New York City, politics, society

Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life

Christa Avampato

I gave up my horn about 10 years ago because truth be told I wasn’t even mediocre, and even if I practiced for hours a day I’d never be great. I want to be a lot things, but I have no intention of getting in the habit of spending my time being mediocre. I love jazz, but I couldn’t play it. I just don’t have that ability. My creativity is in my writing. 


So for years now I have socked away all of the academic knowledge I built up around the music. (I studied it for a year in college and played in a few different bands.) People ask me if I miss playing, and truth be told I don’t. I never even think about it. Playing music doesn’t hold any kind of magic for me, but I still very much enjoy listening to it, and really what I enjoy is the history, all of the stories that come along with musicians. And there are plenty of stories to go around. 


My brother is a trumpet player and because he is 6 years older than me, I learned about Wynton Marsalis and the Marsalis family at a very young age. When I saw that Wynton would be at my local Barnes and Noble I decided to go hear some of his stories. He was so engaging and charming that I bought his book on sight, which I never do at author readings. And once I started reading Moving to High Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life, I couldn’t put it down. (And it helps that his co-author is the brilliant and well-spoken historian, Geoffrey Ward.)


For me the genius of this book is not to tell you about all the drugs that musicians have done, or all the women they’ve had or how down and out and poor they were. It talks about what the music has to teach us about living other aspects of our lives. How we treat each other. It teaches us about acceptance and nurturing and compassion. Wynton lays out the value is studying jazz not to be great, but to realize a certain aspect of humanity that comes through generosity.  Its is a living, breathing thing that connects the generations. It allows us to learn from generations of people who were long gone before we were every a twinkle in our parents’ eyes.  


Wynton goes on to talk about how we all hear something different in the music. He talks about arrogance and greed and the darker sides of our personalities that the music uncovers. But mostly he talks about how musicians with disparate styles can come together, should come together, to create something wholly different than they could ever make on their own. Nobody gets through this world alone in the same way that no jazz musician builds a career alone. Jazz is a way of capturing what it means to be out and about in this world. It’s a way of sharing that experience with others whom we will never meet but for whom our music could be a beacon of freedom if we are strong enough to tell our own stories, look them in the eye, and harvest the very best of what they have to teach us.


Wynton’s thoughts on community come at a particularly poignant time. Throughout the book I thought a lot of about the state of our world. How scary all these moving parts are – the economy, our national security, our political systems, health care, education. There is a lot to be afraid, maybe even more to be afraid of than at any other time in our history. What jazz, and musicians like Wynton teach us, is that the only way we can be safe is to let go of that fear with the confidence that those around us will support us. Their harmonies will carry us through. And if all else fails at least the swingin’ will give us enough encouragement to keep our chins up and the rest of us moving forward with grace.  

creativity, education, failure, imagination, work

JK Rowling’s Commencement speech – The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination

Christa Avampato

I read JK Rowling’s commencement speech she gave at Harvard last month. She talks about one thing that new graduates are abundant with – imagination. And she talks about one thing that terrifies them – failure. 


What struck me most about her speech was her unfailing sense to be brutally honest. She grew up without money, and admits that while it is a scary proposition to live that way as an adult, growing up poor makes you fearless in a way that frees you to follow your imagination. She articulately put into words the way I have been living since I graduated from college 10 years ago. When you’ve gone to bed hungry, you’ve hit bottom. And you begin to build upward – there’s simply nothing else you can do. 

art, creative, creativity, Cubby Bernstein, theatre

Cubby Bernstein is waiting for Tony

Christa Avampato

I can’t believe it – I am actually going to have to watch the Tony Awards this year. My friend, Trevin, who has every Tony show since the dawn of time on video in pristine condition, will be thrilled that I am finally joining him in watching the broadcast. Now the show is guaranteed at least two television viewers.


Despite the fact that I love theatre and used to make my living in company management for Broadway shows and national tours, I have never liked the Tony Awards. I blame that on the fact that there is rarely a surprise award and that the critics seem to run everything. It has none of the elegance found at the Oscars and none of the fun found at shows like the CMAs. And despite the fact that the industry is built around live entertainment, the staging is awful for a televised audience, through no fault of the Broadway companies that put so much effort into the performances. 


However, I am so enjoying the Cubby Bernstein webisodes at http://www.cubbybernstein.com that I am routing for Xanadu to deliver on its promise of “Yes it can”. And therefore, I need to watch to see what happens, and because I want to see what the Xanadu producers have in store for Tony night. 


There’s something decidedly unique and inspiring about a little show that the public and critics laughed at when first announced, and has now been open a year, coming from behind and taking the top prize. Instead of the usual Broadway materials, actors, and producers who win over and over again, more for their reputations built on achievement from shows gone by rather than their current work, it’s refreshing to see a whole new crew take on an industry that is in desperate need of reinvention.  


Just announced, Patti LuPone and Cynthia Nixon will give Cubby a hand on the latest YouTube webisodes to promote the show. See the full announcement at: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/118490.html. (Thanks to my friend Dan for sending this link to me.) Nathan Lane also recently made an appearance. My only regret is I didn’t get to purchase a Cub-cake to support the company, and I missed my chance to meet Cubby at the promo event. Even if the show doesn’t win the Tony, the producers have breathed life into the stale Broadway marketing business. And in that cause, Xanadu moved from “Yes it can” to “Yes it has”. Congratulations Cubby, you did it!

art, books, creative, creativity

The Creative Habit

Christa Avampato

I have started reading Twlya Tharp’s book, The Creative Habit. A celebrated choreographer, I am struck by her honesty and candor as she describes her deeply personal commitment to the art of dance while also revealing a very personal side of herself that she often protects from public opinion. 

The book reads like part memoir and part workbook. It’s useful for people who want to jumpstart their creative nature, and for those who are still searching for the activity that sparks their long-buried sense of creativity. Tharp has clearly done her homework on a number of celebrated artists, getting under the hood and finding out what makes them tick.

Tharp is also unafraid to deny some long held public “truths” about creativity. My favorite example is Mozart. While we honor him as a boy genius that basically came out of the womb composing symphonies, Tharp reveals that with his father’s strong guidance Mozart developed his natural talent for music through obsessive study and practice. His dedication to music was at the very least equal to his innate gift. So while we often tell ourselves that we can’t draw, or have two left feet, or can’t read music, in truth our creative ability in a discipline is largely a matter of choice. 

To be sure, we are all inclined toward certain disciplines. Tharp isn’t denying that. What she wants to emphasize is that creative mastery can only become just that through habitual practice and commitment.   

My friend, Dan, recently did some work with Bebe Neuwirth. She is a strong supporter of dance and dancers. In a recent speech, she recounted the many times she’s been approached by fans that have said to her, “I’d give anything to dance like you.” And every time this happens, she thinks, “Actually, dancers do give everything to dance like they do.” Tharp would agree, and she’d encourage all of us to find that creative pursuit that so inspires us that its practice is a welcome habit.   

animals, creativity, environment, green, Josh Klein, sustainability, TED

Crows: Man’s Best Friend? Possibly

Christa Avampato

Joshua Klein is a Principle at frogDesign, an incredible design and idea house based in New York City. I read their blog, frogBlog, religiously and everyday find new ideas and POV that give me new perspective. Klein recently spoke at TED about crow and corvid behavior, his unusual passion for the last 10 years. 


Klein explains that we seem intent on a handful of things when it comes to wildlife. We are very concerned with endangered species, particularly those that are endangered because of human destruction of habitat and hunting of the animals. On the flip side, we show disdain for those animals who have learned how to thrive in spite of a human desire to crush their species – rats and cockroaches are examples.


The most remarkable specimen of a species that seems to thrive on human existence are crows. They always live within a 5km of humans, on every continent except Antarctica. Like chimpanzees, crows use tools, reason, and logic, and then teach these skills to their young and flock. They have memories, particularly of physical human descriptions, better than most humans. They have trained themselves o understand human systems like traffic lights, and then use these systems to their own benefit. They adapt to challenges quickly and can even be taught to use vending machines. Unbelievable you say? Watch the video. You’ll be blown away. 


Great observations, Josh Klein. So what? Who cares if crows are smarter than we give them credit for? What can crows do for us? Klein is asking these profound questions and he’s wondering how crows and humans can form symbiotic, mutually-beneficial relationships. It turns out that crows could be trained to do a lot for us, if only we apply a snippet of creativity. Collect trash? Participate in search and rescue? Salvage valuable items from a landfill? After all, crows have proven one thing to us that we cannot refute – they thrive on human interaction and they aren’t going away from us any time soon. And as long as they’re here and willing to be a part of human society, then we might as well make them as useful as possible. 


The photo above can be found here. 


Take a peek at Josh’s website: http://www.wireless.is/

art, crayola, creative, creative process, creativity

Crayola – elevating creativity to art

Christa Avampato

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. ~ Scott Adams”


I loved my visit to Crayola. The town is charming, residents friendly, the Crayola team beyond gracious, and the natural setting in the stunning Lehigh Valley. Somehow Crayola has absorbed all of this into its culture. I understand now why people stay for so long. 

My boss and I went out there to discuss innovation and the process Crayola has gone through – it has been a long and winding road. What struck me most poignantly is that about 5 years ago, Crayola was not an innovative company. They made crayons. And some washable markers and outdoor chalk. And they thought that way – with blinder on – and operated that way – in silos. 

Today, the story there is radically different. They are a company that had been on the right of peak on the trend curve and made the difficult and arduous journey to reinvent who they are and what they do. In three words, they are a company that “inspires limitless creativity.” To have a mission and reason for being that concise and powerful has such far reaching effects on product, on customers, on culture. 

At the crux of their reinvention was a commitment by their extraordinary CEO, Mark Scwab, and his ability to give team members permission to try new things, take risks, and then, even more incredible, permission to cut their losses on an idea that didn’t work in its current form. They have the support to try and fail, and because of that support, they have succeeded in not only limitless creativity, but limitless art.   

adventure, career, creative process, creativity, job, technology, youth

Is experience everything?

Christa Avampato
I have been thinking about experience on a regular basis lately. I notice that every time someone mentions wanting to do something new be it a hobby, a job function, or even related to travel or choosing a new city, one of the first questions people ask them is, “Do you have any experience with that?” or “Have you ever been there or done that before?” 
I got asked this question all the time about a year ago as I was interviewing for jobs post-MBA. It seemed that experience counted for far more than my education or my interests. I actually went to one interview in which an interviewer asked me what the hell I was doing there because I had never worked in the industry the the company was in. When I mentioned that the company, in desperate need of a turnaround, needed fresh eyes to look at old problems to find new solutions, the interviewer looked at me as if I had begun speaking in an unknown language. 
And in a manner of speaking, I guess it was a new language – the language of youth and energy and passion, three things the interviewer did not possess. And I don’t mean youth in terms of age, but rather in terms of attitude and thinking. The interviewer refused to believe that any problem could be solved using new methods. It was very much an “I’ve been there, done that” kind of deal. And then I considered the incredible success of Silicon Valley – it is an industry that was largely built by people who had no experience in the areas they were trying to master. They couldn’t have experience because they, and the world for that matter, were venturing into unknown territory. It was a great blessing that no one had the ability to say, “Well, when I was at X company, we did it this way.” With that attitude, we may have never been able to witness the www as we know it. 
I mentioned this concern about “old thinking” to my friend, Dan, recently, and he said that this may very much be a function of just getting older and more experienced. And that got me thinking, and then it got me worried. Am I destined to become one of those people who believes she has seen it all before, someone who will eventually discard the energy and fascination with newness that so many young people have?
No. I’ve decided that I just won’t be that way. I can’t be that way, for the sake of my own success if nothing else. So I keep challenging myself to go places and do things that I’ve never done before. I do things that scare me. Things that I believe are beyond the scope of my ability. And this is critical to retaining youth – because even if I fail at these new ventures, at least it will remind me that I don’t everything about anything. It will remind that there is always, always something new to learn. 
creativity, innovation, technology

Bulbstorm.com – a meeting space for innovators

Christa Avampato

You have a great idea for a product, or a service, or a business model, and you need some honest, credible feedback. And that doesn’t mean calling Aunt Sally or your best friend or chatting about it with your neighbor. They know you’re brilliant and innovative and achieve everything you set your mind to. But you have this nagging suspicion that you need to get advice from people who don’t know a thing about you, and self-identify as innovators. Your prayer to the innovation spirits has been answered and its name is http://www.bulbstorm.com.


Though still in beta, I suggest signing up to be kept up-to-date on its progress, and to possibly score a place in the beta test. Because everything is so well documented on Bulbstorm, with witnesses, your idea will not be stolen, and the service will connect you to investors and customers who are interested in working with you, along with fellow innovators who can give you feedback and inspiration. 


We’ve entered what I believe historians will regard as the Age of Design. And you might as well take your rightful place among the ranks of those who are advancing our society forward with creative thinking. I look forward to interacting with you on Bulbstorm, and sharing ideas! 

creative, creativity, design, Janet Grace Riehl.

What does "Curating a Creative Life" mean?

Christa Avampato

Many, many thanks to Janet Grace Riehl who left a comment on my recent post about how music and art can tap into a part of the mind that has been damaged to “re-teach” it. That post deals with a kind of therapy known as melodic intonation therapy. In a nutshell, the therapy teaches people to speak after a stroke by teaching them first to sing. Janet shared a very personal story about her mom, and I am very grateful for her comment.

She also asked if I could say a bit about the subtitle of my blog “Curating a Creative Life” and I realized that I may have always talked about this in a round-about fashion though never specifically discussed my philosophy on it. When I first moved to New York City over a decade ago, I was entranced by the window dressers of the department stores. And I was taken by set designs I saw in the theatres I worked in and by exhibits in so many of the incredible museums that make their home in New York. I wanted so much be someone who designs and chooses what goes where and how it all hangs together. I wanted to be a curator.

I went about my professional life thinking that design was beyond me, something that only the elite had a right to do as a profession. So, I put my business skills to work and toured with theatre shows, and later got into fundraising. I went to business school for my MBA, and now work for a toy company. All the while, I have been meeting interesting people in interesting places all over the world, and collecting their stories and my reactions to their stories. I recorded them in a journal for a very long time and now I write on this blog. In addition to my interest in curating, I am also intensely interested in narrative and story lines. I am a writer. And now I curate that writing.

“The hardest thing in the world is deciding what matters,” says Susan Monk Kidd in The Secret Lives of Bees. She right; it is always hard to choose. There are so many amazing things to do and see and be in this world. Our job, our only job, is to choose which experiences, places, and people are the ones most deserving of our time. We are choosing, and therefore curating, the different pieces of our lives. Our lives are creations always evolving, morphing into something different than they were yesterday. With every new interaction, there is a new learning and we incorporate that, somehow, into how we approach the next interaction, and so on.

Like a museum curator chooses what to put in the exhibit and where to put it, we all choose where and when and with whom to place the events that make up our lives. We are all creatives, carefully weaving a tapestry of the events, people, and places that make up our lives, designers of the highest order.

Thank you, again, Janet!

The photo above can be found at http://www.fotosearch.com/thumb/UNN/UNN256/u10097124.jpg