Creative Process

Yesterday, I took a walk to the Brooklyn Bridge, a notorious tourist trap but also a beautiful and marvelous feat of engineering. I wanted to photograph it (a cliché, I know) so I can make a print for someone as a gift. Hours passed in what felt like minutes. This experience, this immersion in creation for its own sake, is what makes me call myself an artist. So when a friend of mine–who reads this blog–made an off-hand comment critical of the fact that I call myself an artist, I wasn’t offended, but it did get me thinking about: who is an artist? What makes someone an artist? Is it enough to just make art? Do you have to show it? Sell it? Call yourself an artist on your LinkedIn profile?

Artistic expression represents a fundamental human capacity—one that exists within virtually everyone, regardless of formal training or recognition. While our educational systems often position art as supplementary rather than central to development, the creative impulse appears deeply woven into our nature. Though I engage with creative practices regularly, I maintain a humble perspective about my own artistic abilities, viewing myself as an enthusiastic participant rather than a polished expert.

Tools as a Hallmark of Human Innovation # The creation and use of tools has long been recognized as a significant aspect of human development. While we now understand that many animals also utilize tools in various forms, humans have uniquely developed meta-tooling—the ability to create tools that in turn create other tools. This capacity for recursive innovation sets our technological development apart in remarkable ways.