How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum
By Keri Smith
This is a creativity book for busy people. It appeals to me for the whimsical sense of adventure it evokes through Smith’s art and design, and for the simple activities you can do to give your creativity a boost. The goal of the book is to teach you the creative skills of artists and scientists—such as how to develop your powers of observation, see things in new ways, collect, and document—to spark your own creativity.
Smith’s advice:
The activities encourage you to experience the world first-hand through your senses, rather than via your computer. For example Exploration #46 is about pattern finding: “Collect or document as many patterns as you can find while on your travels.”
I’ve started doing just that, because it is so easy to whip out my iphone and take a shot. The more I look, the more I notice, and that alone is a great way to refresh my creativity. It’s also inspiring me to create photo-based art, because its easy and fast.
You can buy How to Be an Explorer of the World on Amazon
The Creativity Revolution
By Dr Ashfaq Ishaq
Dr Ashfaq Ishaq has a diverse background as an educator, economist and business executive, and his knowledge about these topics really shines through, in this compelling book about creativity in all its facets. Ishaq presents some original thinking about creativity through the lens of history, knowledge systems, philosophy, psychology, economics, spirituality and ethics. He proposes a new paradigm for creative development based on the interconnectedness of these domains that distinguishes individuals as native, nomad, savant, empathic, or spiritual creators. He also discusses what he has learned about creativity from his extensive experience studying children’s art, and he provides guidelines to help you develop your own creativity.
I am fascinated by the multi-disciplinary perspective Ishaq brings to the field of creativity, and I am interested in seeing how his paradigm evolves.
Dr Ashfaq Ishaq is currently executive chairman of the International Child Art Foundation (ICAF). ICAF has a vision and mission to use the power of the arts to nurture children’s innate creativity, develop their intrinsic empathy … and improve the lot of humankind. Click on the link to find out more about the International Child Art Foundation and the great work they do.
Buy “The Creativity Revolution” on Amazon
Creative Thinkering: Putting Your Imagination to Work
Creative Thinkering: Putting Your Imagination to Work
By Michael Michalko
When I first glanced through Creative Thinkering, Michael Michalko’s latest book, the illustrations looked like more of the same-old approach to creativity. However, as I delved into the book, I realized that while it contains classic puzzles, and techniques, it’s also loaded with inspiring new stories, and clever real-world examples from business, art and science. Each story brings to life a principle and/or practice to enhance your creativity.
Creative Thinkering is fun to read, the step-by-step thought experiments are easy to understand, and there are plenty of practical tips to help you expand your imagination and liberate your creativity. Click here to read an excerpt
