Category: Artists

Challenging Conventions: The Life and Legacy of Marcel Duchamp

Marcel Duchamp, was born in 1887, in Normandy, France. He became a painter, sculptor, writer and chess player who is now recognized as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. He was one of seven children who were brought up in a creative and intellectual household. Four of the seven became successful artists. At school he won prizes for Mathematics but his great love and skill... Read More--

How Messing About can pay off in the Arts

Many innovations in the arts, music, and entertainment came about through serendipity, experimentation or just “messing about”. Here are eight examples. The Beatles’ “Revolution 9”: This experimental track on the White Album was created largely by accident, when group members were fooling around with tape loops and studio equipment. “Smells Like... Read More--

What Price Success?

We are encouraged to strive for success and if we achieve some level of success we are encouraged to try for even more. But great success often comes with a cost. Pressure, anxiety and depression can be the companions of attainment. Liam Payne took part in the TV show, Britain’s got Talent at the age of 14. He was chosen to join a freshly created boy band, One Direction, which went on... Read More--

Adversity can spur Creativity

Without Hope by Frida Kahlo Many artists have drawn inspiration from suffering and adversity, using their struggles as a catalyst for creativity. Here are a few examples: Frida Kahlo (1907-1954): The renowned Mexican painter Frida Kahlo faced numerous hardships throughout her life, including childhood polio, multiple miscarriages and a bus accident that left her with severe injuries. Her paintings... Read More--

If You Want to be More Creative, Mix With More Creative People

According to Jim Rohn, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.  The people you associate with help shape what you think and who you are.  We tend to congregate with friends who are like us in background, interests, education,  attitudes and opinions.  This is comfortable and reassuring but it inhibits creativity or independent thought. Instead it encourages conformity... Read More--

Great Women Innovators and Pioneers – the Quiz

Women are under-represented in the lists of great inventors, innovators and pioneers.  How many can you name in this quiz? 1.  Who was the first woman to be elected head of state in modern history? 2.  Which pioneer of nursing was the first person to use pie charts and was the first woman member of the Royal Statistical Society? 3.  Which female mathematician is considered to be the world’s... Read More--

Which Rock Band is the Model for your Innovative Startup?

It has been said many times that founding a startup is similar to launching a rock band.  For example: You gather a small, talented team with different skills but a common passion. You practise for long hours to improve your product. You create a demo tape or prototype product to show people. You network like crazy to get exposure to the right people. You choose a target audience who likes the kind... Read More--

Deliberately Look in a Different Direction

Until 1954 there was only one television channel in the UK.  It was the publicly owned BBC.  In that year the government auctioned licences for commercial TV stations.  These would be regional operations which could offer advertising on TV for the first time.  Various companies were interested in this opportunity and they naturally focussed on the regions with the best demographics – it seemed... Read More--

For Innovators Rejection comes with the Territory

Joanne K Rowling is the British author of the Harry Potter series of fantasy novels which have become the best-selling book series in history with over 400 million copies sold.  She acted as screenwriter and producer on the Harry Potter movies which is the second highest-grossing film series ever.  Rowling was born in Gloucestershire in England in 1965.  She worked as a researcher and secretary... Read More--

David Bowie – The Arch Innovator

David Bowie Born David Jones in January 1947, David Bowie renamed himself in 1966 to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees.  He was a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, arranger, painter, and actor. He was a highly influential musician who continually re-invented his sound and persona, from the 1960s hippy of Space Oddity, through Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Pierrot,... Read More--