A Sensitive Artists Network and Academy - Reverse Idea Generation

Using the practice of Reverse Idea Generation as a creative approach to problem solving with two peers from our course group - we look at the problem of an artist discouraged from his passion of painting by an allergy to paint. We take the problem to the extreme and our artist gives up his dream and gets an office job eventually falling in to a spiralling decline of unemployment, homelessness, addiction, poor mental health until reaching rock bottom. From this place he goes looking for community and people like him and starts a network, uses his experiences to help others and is compelled to imagine ways to help other sensitive artists - he starts experimenting with plant dyes and natural pigments. He becomes an expert at using these, applies for funding and starts a new academy to train others in their use.

I loved this approach and felt really creatively stimulated by it. I felt the ideas had more coherence by introducing the realm of story - I could see how many possible stories could be created each generating ways to solve problems. I will try to use and practice this approach in a number of settings.

We also met the artists in residence. We worked on a collaborative embroidered piece. Again I could see an application for found things, using meaningful fabrics perhaps cut up and how the loose weave of sackcloth could accommodate that. It was a relaxing way to chat and create story with my peers.