The Search for Creativity

My husband and I like to travel places to search for creativity. I’d like to share one of our latest discoveries.

Our latest find wasn’t too far away.

We found a creative gem called the Shangri-la Miniature Stone Village in Prospect Hill, NC. After a pleasant drive in the country, we arrived at this special village that Henry Warren constructed on the property next to his house.

Its twenty-seven structures include a theater, a school, a hotel, a church, a hospital, and a mill with a water wheel. The buildings are approximately five feet high, and Mr. Warren used white quartz stones from a local quarry to construct all of them.

The entire village has an oriental feel to it. Did Mr. Warren get his ideas from pictures, or did a trip to Asia inspire him? We don’t know, but regardless, he created an amazing storybook world.

How do some people manage to accomplish such feats?

We all admire individuals who come up with creative ideas. Sometimes, their flashes of brilliance seem to appear out of thin air. We are in awe, and we call them “creative geniuses.”

The name is a misnomer.

The truth is, these people don’t really create anything in the purest sense of the word. True creation is fashioning something out of nothing. We humans can’t wave a magic wand and accomplish that feat.

What we actually do when we “create” is to re-arrange substances that already exist. We make changes to them until we have a different outcome. Although the result may be new to us, it is only a new combination of available materials. As King Solomon once said, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

How can we become more creative?

If we want to, we can get our ideas flowing better. The basic requirements for creativity are:

a. observation

b. inspiration

c. time to experiment

d. access to the right materials

e. perhaps a little boredom

Creative people keep playing with the materials until they discover the best combination. They don’t allow numerous failures to stop their work. They keep on plugging away at it until they have success. These individuals also flock to other people’s works for inspiration.

Henry Warren had all the requirements he needed to be creative.

Mr. Warren had an abundance of white quartz stones to fashion his buildings. And since he was retired when he started this project, he had plenty of time to plan and execute it. Also, he had acquired the necessary building skills, and he was probably a tiny bit bored at times. Since he lived in the country with few entertainment outlets, this project filled his time and kept him challenged.

He had worked on this fascinating place for seven years. After his death, his family erected a memorial sign that invited the public to wander through his village.

Our visit inspired us to try a different project of our own.

When my husband and I walked around Shangri-La, we spied evidence of young visitors. Mr. Warren’s grandchildren or visiting kids must have played in the village because they left behind some toys.

Batman hung from the second story window of the hotel, and the Incredible Hulk stood on the balcony of another building. The sight brought smiles to our faces because it meant the children had gotten caught up in the magic of the place.

What challenges you to be creative?

Do you observe problems that need to be solved? Can you find a better way to do something? Does a sunset inspire you? Do you recycle castaways to make something artsy? What is calling to you today?