The above video is from Chris Staley from his time as Penn State Laureate from 2012 to 2013. Staley did a series of short talks and this one tackles creativity, trying to disabuse his audience of the notion that some people are creative and some simply are not.
Staley is an optimist in this video. It’s his opinion that what holds many people back is fear. He compares creativity to young children being excited to draw a house or a dog, but those same children several years later saying that they cannot. At some point as you grow up you convince yourself you don’t have talent. Staley expands on this idea as he works in the studio.
The video is by Cody Goddard with additional footage shot by Ryan Bergman.
Above image: Screenshot of Chris Staley from the video.
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I enjoy Staley’s sensitivity and listening to him talk -but I’m not sure he addressed the basic premise of “can we TEACH creativity” -he gave a couple of examples of possibly creative acts but skipped any thoughts as to if, when, and how they may be taught. I agree with his premise that creativity is stifled by FEAR but he neglected to explain how one can overcome that fear… or how a “teacher” can minimize that fear in a student…