prototype magazine

photography by jim richards
written by sharlene gandhi

Creativity is defined universally and quite simply as ‘the use of the imagination’. Were we, hypothetically, to redefine creativity, would we take it further than this action of the mind? Would we go as far as saying that creativity is a lifestyle choice? Or perhaps the complete opposite, just a pass-time. The term that I am most likely to go with is ‘saviour’, but keep in mind that this debate, is of course, open to all; the more creative your responses, the better.  

In Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, ‘creativity’ currents sits at the very top, on the self-actualisation level, accompanied by ‘problem solving’ and ‘the acceptance of facts’. Maslow’s theory was that without the fulfilment of all the needs beneath, the likes of which include breathing, nourishment, security, belonging and confidence, the highest level cannot even be understood, let alone attained. I do, however, find myself counteracting this theory. To me, my confidence and self-esteem lie in my ability to be creative. Long story short, if somebody were to, one fine day, inform me that an imagination was no longer in my possession, I would be mentally bedridden and reliant on somebody else to think on my behalf.

The state of mind that is classified as ‘creative’ is a beautiful one because it is limitless; time need not be a constraint, nor is there a concern for spatial awareness. Creative people- designers, writers, artists, filmmakers, choreographers, dancers, musicians- live in this mindset comfortably for a large chunk of their lives, causing, what I like to call, EDS… Extreme Daydreamers’ Syndrome. Your own thoughts become a means of transport by which you travel to the stepping stones to your next big idea. The creative mindset won’t cease to inspire ambition at nightfall either. It seems to me that the brain does its most imaginative thinking after hours, when access to writing material means leaving your warm bed with a heavy heart and equally heavy ideas buzzing between thoughts.

Inspiration is key to formulating creative thoughts, however. Writers take inspiration from authors, columnists and poets, whilst designers could exploit their visual surroundings and capture these in garments or prints. Inspiration is often fairly misunderstood; people think ‘inspired by’ equates to ‘stolen from’, which, any creative would assure you, is preposterous. We should be able to appreciate that to be entirely original is a challenge within itself, and to be able to use another’s art as an influence upon your own is a stage in the creative process that aids growth and development, both on personal and professional levels.

I maintain the belief that everybody has creativity within them; a reflection of your creative thinking almost always comes across in how you choose to dress, in the manner in which the working woman subconsciously matches her accessories with her choice of footwear. But there is a huge difference between people who occasionally have the odd creative thought, and those who ‘live’ creatively. And that difference is defined by the ability to interpret inspiration from a wide variety of sources; from nature to industry, from hair fibres to toenails, from the pot of gold at one end of a rainbow to whatever unknown treasure awaits you at the other end.