A personal exploration of the creative process
Date
2006-03
Authors
Bader, Angela
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
In this thesis I concern myself with a rather particular process of making
jewellery – a creative process which epitomises repetitive, labour-intensive and timeconsuming
actions, results in an “optimal” experience (Csikszentmihalyi 1990) and
leads to meticulous and refined products. In dealing with this process I present its
conceptual framework which I understand as a sequence of physical, mental and
emotional elements through which I move from fascination (the initiating factor of the
process) to product (a concrete and legitimising by-product of the process). As I
progress from fascination to product, I move through the distinct, yet interwoven
stages of ideation, planning and preparation, production, meditation, incubation and
insight. These stages, together with fascination and product, constitute a continuous,
three-dimensional spiralling form which characterizes the conceptual structure of my
process.
Within that conceptual structure, I differentiate between the phase of decisionmaking
and the “experiential” phase (here signifying “to experience”). The former
phase comprises the stages of ideation, planning and preparation, and production;
whereas the latter phase stretches over the stages of production, meditation,
incubation and insight.
I define decision-making as a sequential thought-process and distinguish
between an open-ended and a highly restricted or defined type of decision-making.
The open-ended type takes the form of free experimentation and dominates the stage
of ideation, leading to those ideas which I choose to translate into concrete jewellerypieces.
As I move from ideation to planning and preparation, and subsequently to
production in developing and implementing my idea, I increasingly make use of the
restricted type of decision-making in the form of relying on previously accumulated
knowledge and experience. Understanding decision-making as “a logical process
leading to a conclusion” (Loy 1988:146), I interpret decision-making in general, and
the restricted type in particular, in terms of the philosophical notion of dual thoughtprocesses,
based on the causally and sequentially linked elements of decision-making.
As the stage of production progresses, the dual thought-processes of decisionmaking
are increasingly relegated to my sub-conscious. Consequently, my
consciousness is free to engage in what I refer to as meditation, as a result of which I move into the experiential phase of my process. My meditative state of mind can be
ascribed to non-dual, spontaneous and random thought-processes which bring with an
atmosphere of incubation out of which insights arise. As a result of my non-dual
mind-set I experience both my thinking and my acting during meditation as non-dual,
accumulating or resulting in an exhilarating, overtly positive, worthwhile and
fulfilling experience.
Even though this experience acts as a motivation for engaging in the process
and is therefore of enormous significance, the tangible product of the process does
serve a legitimizing function as it endows my almost excessively time-consuming and
labour-intensive acts with purpose. However, as a result of the input of enormous
amounts of personal energy over prolonged time-spans my process leads to an
intimate relationship between my products and me, causing a dilemma and paradox as
I struggle to let go of my jewellery-pieces.
Description
Thesis (MA (VA)(Visual Arts. Jewellery Design))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Art, Theses -- Art, Dissertations -- Visual arts, Theses -- Visual arts, Dissertations -- Jewellery design, Theses -- Jewellery design, Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.) -- Psychological aspects, Creative ability -- Psychological aspects, Art -- Psychological aspects, Jewelry making -- Psychological aspects