What is a Creator?
Is everyone creative, or is creativity limited to a chosen few?
Creator Luminosity is about making something new and shining or reflecting the light of creativity to the world. Yet many of us think we need to be more creative. We cannot paint, write, make music, dance, create plays, or write poetry. We have not innovated, designed, built, or made something new.
My very analytical, rational, thinking best friend says she is not creative. Yet, when taking pictures on a trip to Maine, she focused on a wall of brilliant red vines from the top looking down, unlike I had from in front of the wall. Her photo was more interesting, puzzling, and creative than mine. Each of us sees the world uniquely; for her, it was her literal view of the wall when looking down below. Her perspective differed from mine and gave me a new way of seeing the world and the wall of vines.
We see with our eyes and comprehend with our minds, filtered through our biases and experiences—all those things that make us who we are. We can grow up in the same house, with the same parents, in the same community, experiencing identical things, and still have a different perspective, understanding, and unique perception that makes us who we are. We are all creative—our culture—Western, American, capitalistic, patriarchal, religious, militaristic—and its education system conforms the creativity right out of us.
Creativity is innately human. Our ability to be creative differentiates us from other animals. It imbues life with beauty, innovation, originality, the ability to find solutions and incubate ideas, and the ability to have our thinking diverge from the norm. According to Keith Simonton, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, creativity enables us to evolve as humans (Simonton & Lebuda 2019). He explains that even a ‘simple walk in the park can stimulate creativity’ (p. 144) because it allows us to let our thoughts wander and different neural connections to be made.
A creator actively engages in the process of bringing something new into existence. Here's a more detailed definition:
A creator is an individual who:
Initiates Creation: Creators proactively generate ideas, concepts, or tangible creations. They take the initiative to start projects and bring their visions to life.
Expresses Creativity: Creators use their imagination, skills, and unique perspectives to express themselves through various mediums. This expression can be art, writing, music, design, innovation, or any other creative endeavor.
Generates Originality: Creators strive to produce original and innovative work. They seek to bring something new, fresh, and unique, whether a new idea, product, artwork, or solution.
Navigates Challenges: Creators are still able to overcome challenges or setbacks. Instead, they embrace obstacles as opportunities for growth and learning. They persistently pursue their creative goals despite obstacles along the way.
Shares Their Creations: Creators share their creations with others, whether with a small circle of friends or a global audience. They value sharing their work and connecting with others through their creations.
A creator actively engages in the creative process, from idea generation to execution, focusing on originality, expression, and sharing. Creators come from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, but they all share a passion for bringing new ideas and creations into the world.
Here are some questions to consider.
Are you a creator?
When was the last time you did something innovative or creative?
Do you want to be a creator or just more creative?
How do you feel when someone who says they are not creative creates something you see as more innovative than you?
What are the biggest obstacles to your creativity?
Your example of the two photographs is so helpful in understanding the meaning of creativity. In essence, it is each of our perspective of seeing the world around us, and sharing that perspective with the understanding that while it is uniquely ours, it helps to invoke and connect to emotions of others.