Creativity: Essential in Art and Business
Creativity: Essential in Art and Business
by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President
"Creativity is the big bang. It's the genesis. There would be no mathematics if it wasn't for human beings' infinite creativity. There would be no science because creativity's embedded within science and not the other way around," said T Bone Burnett, musician and producer.
One of my students gave me Two Beats Ahead by Panos A. Panay and R. Michael Hendrix. The book explores how artists and business can cooperate for innovation. It is not that art and business are at odds. It is that they benefit from incorporating both worlds.
"I have always believed that the best outcomes in life come from the discipline of business combined with the chaos of art. All successful musicians are entrepreneurs and all great business leaders are artists," Kevin O'Leary, investor in the book's review.
Artists have to develop some business skills to succeed and many individuals have skill sets that are complementary. "Leonardo da Vinci was both scientist and artist and seamlessly used one discipline to inform the other. Artists and entrepreneurs alike work and produce better work when they learn to listen, experiment, collaborate, demo, produce, connect, remix, sense, and constantly reinvent. Our world is no longer defined by brick and mortar. The possibilities are endless," from Two Beats Ahead.
Part of the equation with any project is who is a part of the team. "You want somebody you can rely on to be trustworthy on the business side, but also creatively. You want people you can trust in the room. So choose wisely, but also don't be afraid to experiment," said John Legend, singer and songwriter.
Collaborations can begin by looking at the edges of different cultures to create something new as Yo-Yo Ma did in his Silk Road Project. He included musicians playing instruments from across Asia that are not normally included in mainstream music.
New technology may create new efficiency, but inspiration is not usually efficient. It takes a lot of listening and thought to come up with new music, poetry, or dance. Sometimes it takes years to write a book and sometimes the words flow. Tenacity is required.
Having an idea and following through are enhanced by dedication and a willingness to open up. "I don't care what anybody plays, I just care who's playing it. I want that person to put all of his love and his whole self, his whole heart, into what he's doing," said musician and producer T Bone Burnett.
Hopefully you are creating your own art and enjoying the efforts of others. We see the benefits for all ages in our arts community. You can check out local arts groups on our website cedarcityartscouncil.
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