Welcome To The Leek College Art Department Blog

we are inspired....

Friday 8 March 2013

Ideas worth spreading: TEDTALKS

 
 
I 'stumbled' across TED Talks whilst googling 'creativity' on the internet! Having watched some of the talks I am hooked on this site; the mission statement of TED is great (see below)  and the talks are inspirational - check out the TED website and get watching! The talk by artist Janet Echelman  (see video below) is amazing - definitely watch that if nothing else...in my humble opinion! worth having a look/listen ...over 1400 talks to select from...can always switch them off if not 'inspiring' you!

TEDS mission:

Our mission: Spreading ideas. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So 'we're building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other'.


TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. ...over 1400 ted talks!
http://www.ted.com/talks

The Creative Spark - http://www.ted.com/themes/the_creative_spark.html

'Need a burst of inspiration? Wildly creative thinkers share ideas, strategies and warmhearted encouragement to let your genius out'.
The Creative Spark
'How are we inspired? Where might our imaginations take us? What does creativity look like in its wildest form? These clever, invigorating speakers plumb the wellspring of invention. 
Janet Echelman found her true voice as an artist when her paints went missing -- which forced her to look to an unorthodox new art material. Now she makes billowing, flowing, building-sized sculpture with a surprisingly geeky edge. A transporting 10 minutes of pure creativity.
 
   sydney_tsunami
 



 
 
...watch the video to hear Janet Echelman talk about her inspirational 'journey'.
 
 "Eat, Pray, Love" Author Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk. 
 
 
 
 
Writer, director and producer J.J. Abrams' exuberant talk explores the nature of storytelling, the changing face of filmmaking and the possibility that mystery is more important than knowledge. Artist and programmer John Maeda shares stories and observations about what complexity has taught him about simplicity, and how their relationship inspires him. Meanwhile, designer Philippe Starck explains how his iconic creations come by way of the primordial soup.Golan Levin shows off his "software art": spellbinding audiovisual experiences that incorporate eerie sonic textures and tangles of color that move with life of their own. Pianist Jennifer Lin, just 14 when she performed at TED, confects stunning, virtuosic compositions on the fly. And illustrator Maira Kalman considers the role of knowledge (or lack thereof) in the creative process -- and concludes that daydreaming is the best job on Earth.

Don't miss game designer
Will Wright's preview of Spore, in which players control the evolution of custom-designed critters -- and colonize a galaxy. Or the dancers of Pilobolus, who suggest a mutating organism that grows mouths and legs, slithers, drips like oil and turns itself inside out. And be sure to visit actor Anna Deavere Smith, who delves into history, crime, race and culture by channeling the voices of four authentic American characters'.