“So far as I am concerned, poetry and every other art was and is and forever will be strictly and distinctly a question of individuality.” - e e cummings, 1953
Creativity and the aesthetic response are among the most complex, pleasurable, and sometimes frustrating of human experiences. In this course, we will explore the psychological and neuropsychological science behind artistic creativity and appreciation in the arts. We will ask: What is creativity? What is the creative process? Is there more than one? Does creativity differ across various fields and various media? What do creative individuals actually do in the process of creating? Is appreciating a work of art also a creative experience? Is there a science of individuality? What is the role of collaboration?
As a class we will focus primarily on the visual arts, verbal arts, and music; however, in your final written project, you will be free to consider the creative process and aesthetic experience in any medium you choose. In addition to course content on psychology and neuropsychology in the arts, you will write several essays to satisfy the University’s First-Year Writing Requirement. You will write and re-write, listen and discuss, and learn to give and receive constructive comments on your writing. Most writing in this course involves the use of evidence in support of an argument or point of view; evidence can include your own experience, that of others, and of published writing and other media, all properly cited and credited. In addition to time in class, we may attend a University Musical Society event outside of class, either in-person or virtually, on an evening or weekend.