WEEK 5- Mindmapping

TED Talk- Amy Tan- Where does creativity hide?

In this TED Talk, Amy Tan shares about her creative process as a novelist. 

Identity Crisis

The roots of the creativity is to have a sense of identity crisis, to know who you are, and why are you like this. 

Childhood Trauma

When one is faced with the prospect of death very soon, you'll start thinking about everything. That's where creativity sparks, in a survival sense. Creativity is also found in the inability to stop looking for associations things in life.

There was a part of the talk where she mentions that her mother does not believe in randomness, and that she does not believe in absolute truths. Personally, I disagree with that point because I believe in God as an absolute truth. However, constantly questioning ourselves and our existence does help us learn and discover.

Ambiguity

Ambiguity is something uncomfortable. Nobody likes moral ambiguities in some sense, yet it is necessary when writing a story. We will have a response when we see a situation. And there will be an ambiguity of what we should do, and we will do something. Sometimes the result of that may not match our initial intentions.

In conclusion, I think there are no complete answers, if there is even an answer, it is to remind us that there uncertainties in everything that is good, and through that we can discover something new.

Mind mapping

Documentation of our responsive discussion towards the final mind map.

Adding final touches to make the poster look attractive.

Feeling confident, we smoothly presented our presentation as how we rehearsed together previously.

For this week, we are supposed to work on a mind map titled "How does education fit with our dreams of a happy life?" Before the presentation, my group confidently volunteered to have a go as the first group of the class to present. We held up our mind map confidently, facing the class and Ms. Debra with great satisfaction. However, Debra's first statement totally shot us down, to our dismay. Little did we realize that we've totally forgotten about the key aspect of this topic- 'Family'. I was partially ashamed for this mistake.

Indeed, how could we ever survive without our family? Without the support of our family, could we ever really achieve anything? Personally, without recognition of what I have achieved from my family, I would not consider that as 'achievement'. 

Besides that point, the presentation went on smoothly. Everyone came prepared as they'll ever be, I'm so proud to say that the most introvert group member, Victor, definitely aced the presentation this time.

Looking 10x2

Our group member, Victor, pasting up one of his points onto the whiteboard.

This was beautiful mess. We worked as a group efficiently and the tasks were delegated evenly.

Our final mind map about Van Gogh's Starry Night painting.

After this activity, I was able to scrutinize a situation given, list out all my thoughts and understanding it. I think 'Looking 10x2' breaks down my complicated thoughts when I'm first given the painting. It untangles each thought and lay them out side by side to be analysed. I feel that it is definitely an important skill to hone in the creative industry.

A Picture A Day

Day 1

Tranquil waters from the artwork and the dramatic painting gives me a soothing feeling.

Day 2

Standing in these dusty streets, I realize this place is a window to the past, To a time of life's simpler pleasures.

Day 3

When I saw this scene, I pictured a love triangle as the grey and dark brown cat are both in love with the adorable white-brown cat.

Day 4

The desaturated colour of this cactus species from Gardens By the Bay has the same tone with the metal railing, which makes it aesthetically pleasing.

Day 5

Words cannot describe how adorable this chinchilla is, though it makes me wonder how it could survive in this warm weather?

For this week, I felt like my feelings were all over the place this week. I feared that my abilities were not up to standards. I constantly have doubts of my decision to pursue art. I felt lost about my future, often questioning myself where would this path that I chose lead me to? But then I tell myself, God has a plan for each person in this world, I just have to believe in the plan he has given me. Eventually, I will see the light and find my way to success if I am willing to work hard and earn it.