Creative Scavengers
So, what makes a product creative? Hmmm…perhaps if it makes your eyebrows raise by even an imperceptible amount or maybe it elicits an emotional response beyond that of the usual environment. To what degree does initial shock value or novelty factor into classifying a product as creative? On my journey to find creative products, I stumbled across a variety of ideas. I submit, to consider the following:
1. “The Foreigner”, a play I attended recently the UVA drama department’s Culbreth Theater, written by Larry Shue and directed by Richard Warner. The set design was by Rachel Witt. The late Larry Shue was from Shenandoah, VA and wrote several plays including this one for a Broadway production back in the 1980’s. This production was interpreted through the lens of local director Richard Warner and illustrated the method of creative interpretation of a product through a more modern viewpoint. The play follows the mis-adventures of an introverted English man who is distraught over the illness of his wife and is taken to a lodge in the Georgia hills to get away for a few days. In an attempt to make sure his friend is left alone, the members of the lodge are told that he cannot speak English and that nobody should talk to him. Ho
wever, in the best of southern traditions, they soon begin to talk to him, educate him, and even get him involved in their lives. As a “fish out of water”, this character learns how to grow in many ways through being someone other than himself. I tended to think about how ironic it was that a play was tackling the theme of how we all tend to need to get out of ourselves sometimes to find ourselves, which is exactly what actors IN a play do. In this way, I thought that this was a very creative idea for a play and very well interpreted by the actors, director, and set designer. It illustrates that often
a good creative product not only provides a surface level of interest, but has a bit of depth to it that can elicit a creative response FROM the audience or people viewing or experiencing the product. The more people who develop responses, the more varied the interpretations. In addition, a creative performance is interpreted through the lens of the director, actor, and scene designer in that any singular performance gives each audience member an opportunity to connect to the themes and ideals of the play in a unique way. A creative product should present such depth of expression, skill, or innovative thought such that it can be viewed from multiple perspectives and at multiple “angles” by many diverse individuals. The thought of each person “projecting” his or her own set of experiences onto the canvas of the performance is what allows each to really assemble their own set of themes from both the nature of the performance as well as the prior experiences now connected to it. In essence, this type of creative product CHANGES THE MIND…in some way and MAKES one assimilate and accommodate something new into the current schema.
So, what makes a product creative? Hmmm…perhaps if it makes your eyebrows raise by even an imperceptible amount or maybe it elicits an emotional response beyond that of the usual environment. To what degree does initial shock value or novelty factor into classifying a product as creative? On my journey to find creative products, I stumbled across a variety of ideas. I submit, to consider the following:
1. “The Foreigner”, a play I attended recently the UVA drama department’s Culbreth Theater, written by Larry Shue and directed by Richard Warner. The set design was by Rachel Witt. The late Larry Shue was from Shenandoah, VA and wrote several plays including this one for a Broadway production back in the 1980’s. This production was interpreted through the lens of local director Richard Warner and illustrated the method of creative interpretation of a product through a more modern viewpoint. The play follows the mis-adventures of an introverted English man who is distraught over the illness of his wife and is taken to a lodge in the Georgia hills to get away for a few days. In an attempt to make sure his friend is left alone, the members of the lodge are told that he cannot speak English and that nobody should talk to him. Ho
wever, in the best of southern traditions, they soon begin to talk to him, educate him, and even get him involved in their lives. As a “fish out of water”, this character learns how to grow in many ways through being someone other than himself. I tended to think about how ironic it was that a play was tackling the theme of how we all tend to need to get out of ourselves sometimes to find ourselves, which is exactly what actors IN a play do. In this way, I thought that this was a very creative idea for a play and very well interpreted by the actors, director, and set designer. It illustrates that often
a good creative product not only provides a surface level of interest, but has a bit of depth to it that can elicit a creative response FROM the audience or people viewing or experiencing the product. The more people who develop responses, the more varied the interpretations. In addition, a creative performance is interpreted through the lens of the director, actor, and scene designer in that any singular performance gives each audience member an opportunity to connect to the themes and ideals of the play in a unique way. A creative product should present such depth of expression, skill, or innovative thought such that it can be viewed from multiple perspectives and at multiple “angles” by many diverse individuals. The thought of each person “projecting” his or her own set of experiences onto the canvas of the performance is what allows each to really assemble their own set of themes from both the nature of the performance as well as the prior experiences now connected to it. In essence, this type of creative product CHANGES THE MIND…in some way and MAKES one assimilate and accommodate something new into the current schema.
2. The Monticello Visitor Center. The recent addition to our local historical presidential home was designed to look ancient, but function as a modern visitor center. Now, normally one might think these to be crossed purposes, but this structure illustrates many of the creative ideals of not only Thomas Jefferson, but also such architectural styles as those of Frank Lloyd Wright. The structure appears to grow out of the landscape and then to have elements from an old mountain cabin. However, when 
one enters, there is an amazing amount of natural light through a specially designed skylight system. The unique COMBINATION of many elements to make this structure function aesthetically as well as practically, make it a creative product.
one enters, there is an amazing amount of natural light through a specially designed skylight system. The unique COMBINATION of many elements to make this structure function aesthetically as well as practically, make it a creative product. 3. U2 Stage! I had to include the recent stage and set of the U2 concert in this list 
mostly because it was an amazing feat of creative construction! The shape and dimensions of the stage as a giant claw as well as the incredible amount of innovative engineering to get all aspects of this production to work in so short of a time make it a quite creative product. It provided the backbone of inspiration and setting for an amazing show. In this case, the product is creative because its function goes BEYOND what one would normally equate for such an item. In a sense it does MORE than an ordinary stage of this type. Watching people respond to just the stage was quite interesting…much pointing and questioning as well as the “awesome” factor of the size and complexity of this structure made it quite a conversation piece. A unique combination of previous ideas and items, along with the sense that it provides aesthetic as well as functional fuel to the musical performance, make this a creative product.
mostly because it was an amazing feat of creative construction! The shape and dimensions of the stage as a giant claw as well as the incredible amount of innovative engineering to get all aspects of this production to work in so short of a time make it a quite creative product. It provided the backbone of inspiration and setting for an amazing show. In this case, the product is creative because its function goes BEYOND what one would normally equate for such an item. In a sense it does MORE than an ordinary stage of this type. Watching people respond to just the stage was quite interesting…much pointing and questioning as well as the “awesome” factor of the size and complexity of this structure made it quite a conversation piece. A unique combination of previous ideas and items, along with the sense that it provides aesthetic as well as functional fuel to the musical performance, make this a creative product.4. Three bear puppetry at the Old Michie Theater. Although, I have worked with OMT before, I had not seen this particular show. It goes through the classic tale of Goldilocks, but with a bit of a happy ending. The puppets show remarkable artistry as well as providing a unique view of the appearance of a “bear”. In addition, the sets and scenery, scaled for these characters, was often the source of fascination by many of the young audience members. They connected with the story (like in the Success method), as well as the simplicity, unexpectedne
ss, concrete puppets, credibility of the story, and the emotional responses elicited by the music and the puppetry. In many ways, this type of show illustrates much of the SUCCESS method from Heath’s book, “Made to Stick”.
ss, concrete puppets, credibility of the story, and the emotional responses elicited by the music and the puppetry. In many ways, this type of show illustrates much of the SUCCESS method from Heath’s book, “Made to Stick”. 
5. A glass violin! On a recent trip to Williamsburg, Va, I had the privilege to view a performance by an artist who uses glass instruments including a glass violin! It is quite a rare item and very difficult to design and craft such that it will not break and so that it will produce the proper sound as a violin. In this case the rarity and difficulty in terms of artistry, skill, and craftsmanship required to produce this type of item make it remarkably creative. The material and nature of it are definitely outside of what one would expect for this type of instrument which also makes it quite a creative p
roduct.
roduct. Now, I can’t go forward without showing at least one example of something that I consider to be “not creative”. Downtown there is an unfinished hotel building that has been standing for almost a year. It was proposed as a way to draw tourists to the downtown area, but due to many factors has remained an unfinished eyesore and stalwart of traffic and progress. It illustrates that even the best ideals of a creative impulse can go awry when not conceived properly. This project was not properly supported or funded and stands not only incomplete, but it’s very future existence may be questionable. Much expenditure of time and effort went into it, but very little of benefit has resulted. So, what makes something NOT creative? Perhaps the broken promise of greatness, or the underlying resolute pursuit of economic gain over purity of form comprise part of this disappointment.
So, in summary, the items viewed as creative did the following:
1. Shifted the mindset or schema of the audience.
2. Provided depth and breadth of interpretation and interest
3. Combined products or ideas in new or unique ways
4. Followed many aspects of the Success method
5. Were rare or unique in at least one aspect of their creation.
And, the “not” creative item did the following:
1. Had conflicting or alternative agenda related purposes
2. Was produced for a practical need that was not clearly defined
3. Was superfluous or just re-used many aspects of previous projects in the same way
4. Was incomplete in vision or scope
5. Expended much effort or resources for very little return.
Keep scavenging for creative stuff...
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