In 2014, a long forgotten essay written by the prolific science fiction writer Isaac Asimov was published by MIT Technology Review. Originally written in 1959, the essay entitled Isaac Asimov Asks, “How Do People Get New Ideas?” presents the author’s thoughts on the creative act and makes suggestions as to how creativity might be encouraged. Asimov was uniquely qualified to propose what he did. In addition to being a professor of biochemistry, he wrote and edited over 500 books during his lifetime. Among these were I, Robot and the Foundation trilogy, some of the most iconic works of science fiction ever written.
In his essay, Asimov notes that creativity isn’t a simple matter. Not only is it impossible to predict, but it can be stifled by the culture one finds oneself in (due to conformity pressure), or prevented by patterns of thought and preconceptions one already possesses (known as a perceptual set in psychological literature). In sum, it is a difficult practice, and if one hopes to thrive creatively one must face these hurdles head on. Making creativity happen, Asimov states, “requires a certain daring. It must, for any cross-connection that does not require daring is performed at once by many and develops not as a ‘new idea,’ but as a mere ‘corollary of an old idea.’ ”
In other words, a creative act cannot, by definition, be derivative. It requires one to push beyond the boundaries of the known, the conventional, or the fashionable to find new, innovative results. For those of us who require security and certainty, this is a frightening proposition. It involves a lot of risk.
Asimov, well aware of the resistance creative thinkers have faced over the years, understood the risk one takes while exploring new ideas, and he understood it takes a certain mentality to endure it. “A person willing to fly in the face of reason, authority, and common sense must be a person of considerable self-assurance,” he wrote. “It is only afterward that a new idea seems reasonable. To begin with, it usually seems unreasonable. It seems the height of unreason to suppose the earth was round instead of flat, or that it moved instead of the sun, or that objects required a force to stop them when in motion, instead of a force to keep them moving, and so on.”
In order to explore ideas which diverge from the norm, Asimov believes, one must necessarily find the courage to do so. But this isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Today, in this hyper-competitive world, with its shrinking social safety net and a cultural bias that emphasizes “hustle” and individual achievement, many of us have been trained to avoid the inherent risks posed by creative thinking. Instead, we rely on established programs, skill indices, and tracking metrics to evaluate our progress and pinpoint our precise position upon an imaginary spectrum rating accomplishment. What we’re left with, as a result, is a widespread internalized intolerance for ambiguity, exploration, and speculation, as well as a societal narrative which leads us to spurn those who strive to lead different lives. While there are those who might deny this, the proof can be found all around us, most notably in the fear that prevents many of us from exploring our particular curiosities and the devalued sense for that which we might uniquely contribute to the world around us. Artists are among those who have felt the brunt of this for generations, and despite the incredible opportunities available in this day and age, many still struggle to find the confidence to begin their own creative journey.
Brooke Mack is a Wyoming artist who found it in herself to clear that particular hurdle. The realization she had while on her own journey was an empowering one. “Artists need to thrive and if we don’t value our importance as artists and the impact we can make with what we create, then who will?” She told me. “What we artists have is a gift that is truly valuable. We can’t take that for granted and doubt ourselves.”
I first met Brooke at the AVA Community Art Center’s 18th Annual Gala Fundraiser and Art Auction in Gillette, Wyoming in January of 2020. It was the first art show and auction she had ever participated in, and her piece “Gentle Soul” had been awarded “Best in Show.” It was a high honor, especially given the fact her work was judged alongside that of a number of other established regional artists. I imagine it must have been a heady experience for her, made even more fantastical by the surroundings we found ourselves in. The decor of the night had been inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, so we were immersed in a world of whimsical top-hats, pocket-watches, brightly colored table decorations, and other light-hearted absurdities. The staff was dressed to fit the part as well, sporting quasi-Victorian costumes with extravagant frills and tidbits, all of which added to the dreamlike quality of the night. The celebratory environment seemed apt in Brooke’s case. Her achievement that evening was one many artists go years without having experienced themselves. It was made even more extraordinary by the fact it came so soon after she began her artistic career.
In the summer of 2018, after trading in a career in dental hygiene to be at home with her three children, Brooke rediscovered within herself a desire to create — a desire she had not felt in years. She began drawing with chalk pastels, and came to focus on creating a series of wildlife close-ups with a special emphasis on capturing the essence contained within the eyes of her subjects. “Beauty of the soul is in the eyes,” she told me. “Every time I take a moment to really look into the eyes of wildlife, there is an unwavering contentment I admire. They are beautiful creatures held strong in their primitive instincts and steady existence, which is refreshing to witness in our fast-paced, ever-changing world.”
Her process eventually shifted towards painting, and evolved conceptually in a way that allowed her to fully express the qualities she found so captivating about the wildlife she admired. Eventually her practice evolved, as well, into a full-blown profession as art commissions began coming her way.
“My first paid commission came shortly after I started drawing wildlife pastels,” she told me. “I was approached to paint a portrait of a family friend and his late father on a hunting trip. I had only drawn a handful of portraits and didn’t know if painting this portrait was beyond my abilities, so I went home and painted a portrait of my daughter. I sent it to my potential buyer, to show her an example, and she was all in.”
It was an invigorating experience, and one which added fuel to her creative fire. “The fact that she valued me as an artist and hired me to paint such a meaningful piece was incredibly liberating and gave me a fresh confidence to pursue this path,” Brooke said.
Her creative instincts had been rewarded, so she kept moving forward.
Because creative thinking is, in the words of psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, “messy,” it is often construed to be the habit of eccentrics, outsiders, or cynical iconoclasts. The assumption, too, is that it serves little practical purpose outside the domain of art, or that it is reserved for a select few. By all accounts, according to this societal narrative, creativity is an ephemeral trait, and a luxury that serves only to tickle the quaint little itch felt by a handful of unique individuals. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. According to famed psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “most of the things that are interesting, important, and human are the results of creativity.” (Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention, p. 1) In other words, creativity isn’t only a meaning-making mechanism, it’s common. It is not an aberration but an attribute, and one which every person possesses in their own distinctive way. Indeed, if there’s anything strange to be found in creativity at large, it’s in the way we’ve learned to dismiss it and, in some cases, how we have learned to regard it with a sense of anxiety.
But, really, it shouldn’t come as a surprise we feel this way in this day and age, considering the pressure to conform and perform has been drilled into each of us from a very young age. When we are led to believe success sits at the end of a well-groomed path, it’s no wonder we learn to fear creativity, which leads us to wander and explore. When we choke off funding for creative learning in the classroom and students are led to believe it’s a foreign concept, it’s no surprise they grow into adults who believe it’s peculiar and rare. The tragedy here is that in our societal rat-race towards achievement, we’ve effectively hamstrung our ability to work towards it by removing the best tool we have in our toolkit: creativity.
Mitchel Resnick, a professor at MIT’s Media Lab, one of the world’s leading research and academic organizations, has long been engaged in trying to counter this particular trend. “Creative thinking has been, and will always be, a central part of what makes life worth living. Life as a creative thinker can bring not only economic rewards, but also joy, fulfillment, purpose and meaning,” he wrote in his 2018 book, Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play. Resnick’s research group at MIT is dedicated to developing activities to engage people in creative learning experiences, utilizing an approach known as the Creative Learning Spiral, something Resnick refers to as “the engine of creative thinking.” His goal is to revitalize the learning process for all ages in a way that increases quality of life and results in innovation and economic advancement — by harnessing the inherent power of creativity in each and every one of us. It’s an admirable, worthwhile endeavor, but its existence is testimony to the fact we’ve forgotten how to access a part of ourselves that is unique, valuable, and meaningful. We’ve so neglected our creativity that our brightest minds are forced to spend precious time trying to reengage it. That, in itself, should trouble us all.
But if there’s hope to be found, it’s in those whose creativity has been renewed and who’ve discovered how to thrive while utilizing it — in people like Brooke Mack, who felt the creative spark and found the courage to pursue it.
We can find inspiration, too, in the evident joy she takes in her rediscovered creativity.
A Brooke Mack painting is a study in rapture. Vibrant colors and singular figures make her compositions stand out in any setting. Taken alongside painstaking, deliberate brush-strokes, and the feeling one is left with is that of reverence. There is no question Brooke has a deep, abiding respect for the wildlife she paints. If one were to isolate the eyes of her subjects that fact would still be clear. They appear to shimmer with joyful life.
To me, it seems her paintings lay her philosophy bare. There is no hiding from her call for a more attentive existence. She demands it of her viewers, albeit gently, and with a great deal of humility. But, interestingly enough, her work appears to be a meditation for her own benefit as well.
“My hope is that my art will give my audience an excuse to sit still and marvel at something beautiful, if even for a moment,” she told me. “Wildlife is such a focus for me because life is so precious and evident in these gorgeous creatures. We aren’t meant to rush through life, but I often find myself running from here to there, not taking a moment to pause and reflect. I am by nature a busy person that never sits still. When I’m in my studio, studying these beautiful creations and transforming a canvas into a piece of art, I’m forced to slow down and sit still for a moment.”
This sentiment is perhaps one of the most important reasons to take note of Brooke’s work. Hers is an acknowledgment of certain deficiencies we find in modern life, the hustle, chaos, and rush to get things done, a false equivalence into which we’ve become ensnared, believing, falsely, that in order to live a legitimate life one must sacrifice those qualities and desires which make life meaningful to begin with. By her example we can see the error in this thinking, and find encouragement to pursue those things we know to be purposeful in our own lives. Through her work we can find the ability within ourselves to reflect, explore and grow. And in this way, we can discover the unique gifts each of us has to offer the world around us.
So, too, will we discover the reward. For Brooke, it is something rarely found today in this frenzied modern age. “Painting gives me a great sense of peace,” she told me.
If only for that reason, refusing to allow her creative spark to be extinguished was well worth the effort.
If we accept that creativity is not only meaningful, but valuable, and if we accept that its expression is a vital part of what it means to be human, then the following question remains: how can we nurture it in our own lives?
The hurdles that face creative thinkers (or those who strive to be) are many, and the risks are real and can result in lasting impact. It is not a simple thing to find the kind of “self-assurance” Isaac Asimov says is required of those hoping to follow their own creative instincts. The courage to step into the unknown, to explore the unfamiliar and propose the unimaginable, isn’t something that comes readily to most of us. Instead, like most of the skill-sets we humans possess, that ability must be cultivated, encouraged, and allowed to blossom. It takes time, persistence, and careful consideration. Patience with oneself is key.
Begin with exploring one small curiosity, one small urge, one nagging question, and incrementally work towards solving that question and fulfilling that curiosity. Do so with humility and without expectations. Allow yourself the freedom to follow that trail of bread crumbs without imposing upon it the anticipation of any particular result — be curious for the sake of curiosity. Give yourself permission to take incremental steps in a number of directions and understand some of them will lead to dead ends. When you make a discovery, when you learn something, when you create something you’ve never made before, take time to reflect on your journey and revel in the excitement you feel. Remember, courage is less of an internal quality than a deliberate choice. Taking small steps will help you realize this, and soon you will find you are capable of much more than you originally thought. You will discover that creativity comes much easier once you’ve given yourself permission to engage with it.
Remember, too, that creativity covers the range of human experience, it is not relegated to one particular domain. That means the unique strengths it confers upon practitioners can be applied to numerous fields. There’s no reason to restrict creative thinking within one’s own life. So, if you are an artist, utilize your creativity to address challenges outside the boundaries of your canvas, in areas such as business and marketing, to help build the meaningful, thriving life you deserve. Don’t simply accept the societal narratives that tell you which route to take, or how it is you’re expected to live. Explore, experiment, and craft the type of flourishing environment you want to exist within. “[One misconception] is that you can’t thrive as an artist, [that] you’re doomed to be a starving artist if you take this path,” Brooke told me. “That doesn’t have to be true at all, especially with the countless platforms and opportunities there are to market and sell your art.”
“The sky is the limit if you’re dedicated to thrive,” she added.
The winds of change do not discriminate. Neither are they equitable. It is up to you to decide whether your creative spark is extinguished in the breeze or whether it finds the necessary fuel to gain in strength.
I, for one, hope you feed it.
“Be yourself and create what you love.” Brooke advises. “It’s a good way to keep the flame alive.”
Brooke Mack’s work can be found online on Facebook and at Magpie Designs in Gillette, WY.
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Nick Thornburg is a multidisciplinary artist and writer. Follow Nick and share the work on social media. Subscribe to his mailing list to keep up-to-date with upcoming features and other news.
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