Originality by Design: Exploring Creativity ~ by Guest Richard Bist

Exploring Creativity ~ by Guest Richard Bist

I’ve always been someone who has been interested in creativity. Part of that comes from being a writer and having a curiosity for the world. I admire other forms of art: painting, music, sculpture, cooking, or anything that involves self-expression and imagination. I love to learn how things are created, how the paint it mixed, how the pieces of a song come together, how chefs can mix and match ingredients to create a beautiful and tasty dish.

It’s like seeing a magician perform an amazing bit of slight-of-hand and then having the trick explained. Knowing how it’s done doesn’t diminish the trick, but instead the knowing makes it more interesting. What I enjoy is learning how an artist can envision something in their head and the process they follow to make it become real.

The other reason I wanted to explore creativity is because I didn’t have much opportunity to do so when I was growing up. While I had support from some members of my family, there was a vocal group who discouraged my creativity because - in their words - it wasn’t masculine. So my love of writing fiction and poetry was something I expressed quietly and with a degree of reservation. I continued to write, but most of it I kept to myself and only showed to a few close friends. Other forms of art were more difficult to hide.

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally broke free from that toxic mindset. I realized that I have a need to express myself, not just in words, but in ways I hadn’t yet explored. One of the things I’ve had on my ‘want to try’ list is podcasting. I think it’s an interesting format to express and exchange ideas, sort of like terrestrial radio used to be back in the day. The big difference is that with a podcast, I could do what I wanted. There’s no restrictions on format, length, or subject matter. Complete freedom of expression. I like that.

As I began planning the show, thinking about topics I’d like to explore, I had an epiphany. You see, I originally wanted to do the show for purely selfish reasons. I wanted to explore creativity, figure out how artists performed their magic tricks, and maybe expand my own creative boundaries. While I felt empowered, I realized that my thinking was too narrow. That was due to a conversation I had with an acquaintance.

The young woman I spoke to told me about how she was struggling with her fiction writing. She was the creative one in her family, and they didn’t quite understand her need to be creative. They didn’t want to read the stories she wrote or provide any encouragement. I found it sad and it hit close to home because it was similar to what I had gone through.

That’s when I decided that my podcast needed to be broader. Instead of focusing on how things are created, I thought I’d still discuss creativity and the creative process, but I also wanted to include motivation, inspiration, keeping focused, and nurturing ideas. Basically, I wanted to help people - artists and creators - who were going through the same things that I had. I understood what it felt like to be teased for being creative, for being different. While I couldn’t go back in time to fix things for myself, my hope is that I could instead help others.

The only thing left to do at this point was come up with a show name. That was actually the hardest part. If you’re at all familiar with podcasting, you’re aware there are hundreds of thousands of podcasts out there covering almost every conceivable topic. That meant finding an appropriate name was

important. I spent the better part of two weeks researching names before I stumbled upon the perfect one: The Prometheus Project.

Why Prometheus? A very good question, and one I’ve been asked a few times. If you aren’t familiar with Greek mythology, Prometheus was a Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, thus bestowing knowledge and civilization to the world. Additionally, he was also seen as the creator of the arts and sciences. In my mind, that was perfect. Not that I think I’m a Greek god. Narcissism isn’t one of my strong suits. No, I felt that the purpose of the show - to inspire, motivate, and explore - fell in line with the acts of Prometheus. I’m trying to share my creative fire with others.

To me, what it comes down to is a need to express myself and my ideas. I’m not the best writer, best musician, or best artist. However, being best isn’t what I’m striving towards. I simply want to explore ideas and imagination. I want to try new things, broaden my horizons, and maybe along the way, inspire others to do the same.

I think art is often underappreciated by the general population. What I mean is, while many people listen to music and watch movies, for example, they usually don’t consider where it came from and the process it took to become real. I think that the more people who get to see behind the scenes, who get to see how the trick is done, will end up with more appreciation for art.

But it doesn’t end there. I also think that self-expression is necessary for good mental health. I know that when I take the time to do something creative every day - writing, playing guitar, cooking, whatever - I feel better than on the days I don’t express myself and my ideas. Maybe it’s a release of endorphins, or maybe it’s simply cleaning out the junk drawer in my brain. All I know is that it helps me.

When it’s all said and done, I know that I’ll look back fondly on the stories I’ve written and the music I’ve made, but what’s really going to make me proud is knowing that I helped other people to explore their creativity and hopefully built up their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Writing will always be my first love, but I feel that inspiring others to be creative gives me more satisfaction.

Richard Bist has been writing professionally for over twenty-five years, but he’s been writing stories

since he could pick up a pencil. His work has been published in a wide variety of both online and print publications, and he’s recently self-published two short story collections.

When he’s not writing, he works on his creativity podcast and cooking videos, plays guitar and keyboards, and finds time to procrastinate with his two mutts. You can contact Richard by clicking on the links below.