Mini Series: Exploring Types of Creativity in Serial

These mini series posts have been more of one shot wonders uploaded on Thursday than an actual series, but this month we are getting back into the spirit of a serial with a focus on different umbrella groups of creativity.

This week I want to introduce the creative family groupings, and with each subsequent week we’ll take a deeper drive into the nuance, alignment and activities within each creative family.

I’ve broken down creativity into three main branches: Functional creativity, Cerebral creativity and Artistic creativity. This isn’t to say one is better or a more true representation of creativity than another. The idea here is to highlight the different reasons or ways creativity can exist in the world as well as shine a light on some more unconventional pathways that we don’t culturally associate with being creative.

The most heartbreaking moments in creativity are the ones where someone slumps their shoulders, bows their head and mutters under their breath about how non-creative they are. The moments where a mentor or teacher, parent or friend puts this box around what creativity is supposed to be, how it has to look, are some of the most limiting and harmful, especially to anyone just starting out on a creative journey. But perhaps the most painful are when we neglect our own creative spark because what we do isn’t in alignment with societal expectations of creativity, when we limit ourselves into believing that we aren’t good at creativity, that we don’t have creativity.

Creativity is an energy that exists in the world. It is the essence of humanity, survival, and resilience. Creativity is a beacon of hope and joy. It is an invitation to share in another perspective.

This week is an introduction in its simplest form. Creativity exists all around us. I have collected some of that energy and categorized it into three main family branches. I hope as the weeks continue you see yourselves reflected in one or all of those branches of creativity. Creativity is for everyone, accessible to all, and essential to living.