Another beautiful day at the Grounds for Sculpture. The Keynote was right up my alley, with Phillip Alexander, arts and neuroscience expert. This is related to the higher-order studies I did in CT.
Some random thoughts: Creativity is inate, loves novelty, and arts and science are from the same side of the brain. In fact, the left side / right side dichotomy is losing some ground in the field. Logic and Creative are shared in the brain.
Three sections of the brain: the Lizard brain, where survival reigns, fear and emotion rules. The Back is the recognition area where we sense the world (what) and the Front (the wizard) is the conceptual area where we stratigize (how). The artist taps into the lizard brain and uses the wizard brain to interpret our world.
Wow – recognize the stimulation (back)
Pow – motivation (front)
Hmmmm – incubate, time off task, dream-time is important.
Creativity requires all three parts: perform, respond and connect.
An interesting fact cropped up in some brain scans. There is a part of the brain that is dark when someone is in creative action. Nothing happening. Someone suggested that perhaps the area responsible for ‘time awareness’, when time disappears when we are creatively engaged, in ‘the zone’. Makes sense to me.
Phillip ended with “namaste” – the spirit in me recognizes the spirit in you. He went further to extend this to the teacher in me recognizes the teacher in you, the artist in me recognizes the artist in you. Yes. I am always learning while I teach, while I live.
A great session.