Connection: Creative Personality and Art

In class we are learning about being creative and learning about the creative mind as a whole. At the beginning of the year we were handed an article called "The Creative Personality" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The article was about how Mihaly believed were 10 characteristics of a creative personality. One of the traits that the authors lists is "most creative people are very passionate about their work, yet they can be extremely objective about it as well" (Csikszentmihalyi 40). I feel like I can relate to this trait the most as someone who has a creative mind.

A hobby of mine that has developed over the past year is drawing. I've found that it was a hidden talent that I never bothered to investigate, and I just figured I was no good at it. In relation to what Mihaly talks about, I feel like I am objective when it comes to my art. If I draw something I am always so hard on myself and am always looking ways to improve it. I hardly ever am 100% satisfied with what I do. I used to view that as a flaw, but I have found that it actually benefits me more and allows my creative mind to expand.

After reading the article and realizing that my criticism on myself actually expanded my mind, I developed a new insight on my art. I decided to go back and look at previous works of art to see if I could see any improvements to be made. It was a pattern in all of my drawings/paintings that something else could be added, but it wasn't until I went back and looked back at the art that I realized that. As a result of my objective thinking now I was able to fix the things that were wrong with drawings originally, or create a whole new piece.

In addition to reviewing my previous works, I allowed myself to let others tell me what could be fixed about my pieces. Sometimes other people would give me an idea that I hadn't even thought of. Without allowing myself to be objective and open minded, I would not have ever realized all the potential everything my art or my creative mind possessed. 

Captured Thought: New Car

Back in December of 2010, I was a sophomore with a driving permit and only months away from getting my license. My mom and I had gone to the Ford dealership and just felt that it was time to for me to get my first car. The one car I've wanted since I was 6 years old was a Mustang. 9 years later, I found myself looking at several different ones to purchase. White, silver, black, navy and light blue colored Mustangs. It was a moment I'll never forget when I finally saw and drove in the car I have now. A white 2010 Mustang with light Beige interior. The dashboard/lights changed colors and it was my dream car right in front of me.

I've loved my car since the day I bought it. There wasn't any other car that I wanted (within my price range). I had to wait until April before I could drive it alone, but I still enjoyed it in the 4 months I didn't have my license. When I did get my license even the guy at the DMV was impressed by my car. He asked me if it was my Dad's car, I just laughed and told him it was mine. Everybody was so impressed with my car, my Mom had found herself liking it as well. I thought my car was pretty cool, but I didn't feel like it was as good as everyone was making it out to be.

The coolness of my car did die down after awhile, and by that time my own opinion of my Mustang had changed as well. The new 2013 Mustangs had been released and I couldn't get over how cool the new ones looked. My car just didn't seem as special as it did the day I got it. It had awful gas mileage, and it wasn't technological enough for me either. Everything about my car had become so frustrating to me. I wanted the new 2013 Mustang, but in a navy blue. The look of the '13s was smoother and had a little bit of an edge at the same time. It was then that I really wanted the new Mustang, really, really bad. 

I felt determined to attempt to get the new car, even if I had to break my leg to do it. I noticed that there was a 2013 Roush RS Mustang that Ford had come out with. It was new to the "Roush" branded Mustangs. The car was virtually the same car that I had, but with the new sleeker look and a special grill to go along with it. I did my research to find out more about the new RS and found that it was more fuel efficient then the car I had by a lot! The Roush RS is the same price that I got my Mustang at, even more of a selling point to get another new car only 2 years later.

 I realized after thinking about it for a few days, that there was a lot more to just buying another car. I had to tell my insurance and my cost for insurance would be even more expensive then it is now, and that was a real downer for me. The only way I could get a new car is to pay for insurance and the car payments myself, and that's not possible with me going away to college in the next year. So my one captured thought and dream of having a new Roush RS Mustang had pretty much disappeared, but I still find myself thinking about it every now and then.