Author: Patricia Hoy

Leadership Lessons from the Arts

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date June 19, 2022

Leadership has become more complex in today’s world of changing circumstances, emerging technologies, and increasing globalization. Understanding and applying an artistic mindset can positively impact personal and organizational success and enhance leadership capacities for those in both formal and informal roles.

A work of art represents a different way of seeing, and artists make choices about how to best communicate their message. An artistic masterpiece is imaginative with multifaceted layers of meaning that make significant connections, often between disparate things, to create a unified whole. Similarly, leaders must be able to alternate between an internal and external focus, seeing in new ways, making connections that others don’t see. Leadership is essentially a state of mind, a way of seeing, and a commitment to create positive change for yourself and others.

“The most fundamental reason one paints is in order to see.” ~ Brett Whiteley, Australian artist (1939-1992)

The possibilities for this kind of expression come from openness:

A flexible mindset, open to change, risk, and mistakes
A will of mental and physical grit to work through chaos until the tension reveals a new way forward
The energy to tear apart recognized patterns and relationships and put them together in new ways
The focus to truly get inside and explore your thoughts and beliefs

Creative work arises with desire and courage from the depth of the innermost self. It manifests through the artistic process in a way that allows the artist to share it with others. Although it takes practice, everyone can learn to tap into this imaginative power. You don’t have to become an artist to benefit from this knowledge. You can gain significant knowledge and insights by learning from works of art themselves and the artists who created them.

While it’s not possible to cite every possible lesson in leadership from even a single work or artist, here are four examples. To get the most benefit from this approach, however, it’s important to take time to take a class or study works of art and their creators. More and more business schools are offering management programs with sessions that include artists and artistic processes in their approaches to management and leadership.

Picasso continually reinvented his art. His Cubist works are multilayered and offer different perspectives simultaneously, depicting the subject from a variety of viewpoints. How can you look at a problem differently? Are there alternative perspectives you might consider when looking for a solution?

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” ~ Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

2. While Beethoven’s compositional style is innovative and often highly disruptive, his work was also deeply rooted in the tradition of masters such as Bach, Handel, and Mozart, who came before him. Likewise, in leadership, it’s valuable to rely on previous traditions, but move beyond that to new methods that build on lessons of the past.

“I have always counted myself amongst the greatest admirers of Mozart and shall remain so until my last breath.” ~ Ludwig van Beethoven(1770-1827)

3. Michelangelo used visualization to create his art. Although he was known primarily as a great sculptor, when he was asked to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling, he accepted, fully believing in the quality of his imagination. He had a clear picture in his mind’s eye before he began his work. A great leader believes in his imagination and knows that visualizing what a strategy looks like when successfully implemented helps it to become a reality. Can you see where you are and where you want to go?

“Your greatness is measured by your horizons.” ~ Michelangelo (1475-1564)

4. Steven Spielberg is known for developing and maintaining partnerships with a variety of people who worked together to make each of his movies a success. He worked with the same people for long periods of time on multiple projects. They shared in creatively telling the story. When collaborative, leaders have access to more information and different perspectives. They can seek out diverse opinions and ideas to build strategies and solve problems. As a result, everyone becomes more engaged.

“When I was a kid, there was no collaboration; it’s you with a camera bossing your friends around. But as an adult, filmmaking is all about appreciating the talents of the people you surround yourself with and knowing you could never have made any of these films by yourself.” ~ Steven Spielberg (b. 1946)

The possibilities are limitless. Dancers, choreographers, poets, composers, musicians, actors, conductors, and more all have the potential to provide insight and guidance. Learn the value of finding unexpected connections, of challenging yourself, of learning through the experiences of others, of noticing and making use of patterns, and of looking and moving around your business, institution, or organization.

While artists use the elements of their art forms, quality leaders provide meaning and context in complex settings using environmental and relationship elements. The diversity of values and viewpoints in business, institutional or organizational management and leadership are similar to the way materials interact in the artistic process.

“There is a natural, beautiful, and deep body of knowledge embedded in the artistic process that we haven’t even begun to tap.” ~ Patricia Hoy, from Arts Awareness: A Fieldbook for Awakening Creative Consciousness in Everyday Life by Patricia Hoy

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Dr. Patricia Hoy

Tags arts based leadership

The Arts Expand Connectedness

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 23, 2022

The arts can offer us a glimpse into the vulnerability and human side of others and help us defeat the discouraging divisions we often experience in today’s world. No matter how we choose to engage with the arts, our involvement helps us to see and hear and feel things that may have previously left us disconnected and untouched.

Engaging with the arts in a wide variety of genres, whether as creator, participant, viewer, or member of an audience, helps us develop personal and social competence as we learn to understand ourselves and others. We can become better able to deal with the emotions and situations of others, appreciate diverse perspectives, and understand different needs. Arts Awareness helps people build an understanding of each other, enhancing our ability to exist side by side.

Whether viewing a single work of art or walking through a gallery, taking an art walk, or attending a performance or festival, people leave with a deeper understanding of the artistic process. They frequently have an appreciation for things they have never experienced and perhaps a global perspective that transcends cultural differences that often cause trauma in everyday life. The arts unite people and give voice to feelings we all share; they can communicate where a reasonable idea exchange might otherwise be blocked.

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.“ Edgar Degas

Artistic expression is the result of imaginative possibility that comes from making connections.

Artists make connections within themselves—between heart and mind; they develop a relationship with the innermost self and with the world at large; and they pursue imaginative possibility linking old and new perspectives. Artists and observers alike are all beneficiaries of these connections.

While it’s not possible to describe a precise personal experience for everyone upon of hearing a performance of Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, most people do recognize its powerful expressiveness and a theme of praise and wish for freedom and peace between all people. Although written in the mid-1820s, it’s a visionary political message that is relevant even today.

“By adding the text by Schiller, a philosopher whom he greatly admired, and incorporating the sound and inflection of the human voice, Beethoven conveyed a broad existential philosophy that embraced his belief in unity, tolerance, peace, and joy.” ~ Marin Alsop, conductor

The strong emotional reaction most people experience when they see and study Pablo Picasso’s 1937 painting, Guernica, can inspire them to consider the tragedies of war and the suffering it causes. The 11 feet tall and 25 feet long painting in monochrome colors portrays the consequence of the violence and chaos we inflict on one another. The pain and grief depicted in the painting are images we can compare to things we now see on the news nearly every day. In today’s world, it might inspire us to consider our connection to one another and the value of peaceful coexistence.

The recent release of a second film adaptation of the of the 1957 musical, West Side Story, reminds us of the problems of racism, poverty, and the destructiveness of violence we face every day. People in the United States and throughout the world continue to fight with one another, ignoring the toll it takes on all sides. It’s one of the most popular stories of all time, and still relevant—mass shootings, gangs, guns, and even in politics, the division is destructive. Today, we face oppression and discrimination on all sorts of the topics—sex, gender, orientation, religion, belief, race, wealth, and many others. The music, story, dancing, and images in West Side Story might inspire us to ask ourselves, “How can we develop and broaden our understanding of community and belonging?”

“Couldn’t you see he’s one of them? No, I only saw him.” ~ Bernardo and Maria in West Side Story

These are only a few examples of how artists use their artistic voice to expand connectedness.

If we commit to creating space for depth of understanding about the arts and artistic process—in family settings, schools, community events, and neighborhoods—we can transform our lives and experience more vibrant, healthy communities.

“My goal as an artist is to create art that makes people look at the world in a different way.” ~ Autumn de Forest

Dr. Patricia Hoy

Books: Arts Awareness: A Fieldbook for Awakening Creative Consciousness in Everyday Life by Patricia Hoy, GIA Publications

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 22, 2022

With the changing circumstances and events in today’s world, it is worth our while to consider artistic expression as a model for the flexibility we need to succeed. Creative artists are flexible and imaginative in their approach to change. When you’re flexible, you think in a creative way and find innovative solutions to solve problems.

“Creative individuals are remarkable for their ability to adapt to almost any situation and to make do with whatever is at hand to reach their goals.” ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, psychologist, professor, and author noted for his work in the study of happiness and creativity

The artistic process requires flexibility—the willingness to let go of something and to take a new direction. Artists are well poised, through their ability to stay open, responsive, and resilient, to adapt to complex challenges in their own world and in the world at large. Artistic expression is a transforming process that involves facing and grappling with something, letting it go, and bringing something new to life.

While it is difficult to follow increasingly unsettling world events without some angst, fixed attitudes and denial of significant changes can lead to anxiety, depression and ultimately, failure. On the other hand, if we choose to be more flexible—stretching ourselves, taking on new challenges or learning new skills—we can open ourselves to new perspectives. We cannot succeed without flexibility. Fortunately, with practice, it is a skill that can be improved.

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ~ Maya Angelou

In a sense, a creative artist remains flexible and surrenders to the work in progress. The works of art, the artists themselves, and those who are involved from the periphery learn to appreciate the beauty in this flexibility. They understand the value of growing and detaching from strict predefined aims that can hold them back.

Years ago, I observed a group of college students rehearsing the Trio Sonata from Bach’s Musical Offering in preparation for an upcoming concert. I noticed tensions among them building over the weeks as challenging personal issues and the usual pressures at the end of the academic year impacted their relationship with one another. All these issues seemed to multiply and weave together into a complex web of weight and worry. They were surprised that every time they emerged from their rehearsal, they laughed and enjoyed themselves, talking as if there were no problems anywhere in the world. Music performance is an excellent example of the value of flexibility. While the part you play is always important, you must be ready at any moment to assert yourself or give way to someone else in a fluid exchange of ideas. You can become so deeply engaged with the movement of the music that its strength and sheer joy carries you forward toward a common goal. Insurmountable problems seem to disappear within the environment of flexible exchange.

Samuel Barber found success in his Adagio for Strings only after he pulled out the middle movement of his String Quartet in B minor and arranged it for string orchestra. He continued to revise it for seven years between 1936 and 1943.

In the late 1930s, Henri Matisse made a triumphant return to painting after he was proclaimed by critics in the 1920s as a “has-been.” He adapted his style several times as he travelled and read, eventually becoming one of the leaders of Fauvism, a painting style that was an important influence on subsequent artists.

Picasso’s work transformed many times throughout his career as he experimented with different techniques. His means of expression was in constant flux until the end of his life.

These are just a few examples of how artists use the artistic process to transform—to stretch themselves and grow. Mental flexibility is not limiting. Rather, it moves us beyond limiting thought patterns to more openness and possibility. With a more flexible mindset, we can all benefit from less stress and more creativity. In everyday life experiences, the arts can support the understanding and mental capability to function with the flexibility that is so necessary for success in the shifting circumstances of today’s world.

“Flexibility is a requirement for survival.” ~ Roger von Oech, American speaker and author whose focus is the study of creativity

Patricia Hoy

Are you interested in learning more about the value of the artistic process?

Check out my book on Amazon: Arts Awareness: A Fieldbook for Awakening Creative Consciousness in Everyday Life by Patricia Hoy, GIA Publications

Blogs:https://artsawarenessexpressions.teachable.com/blog and http://artsawareness.com/blog/

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 21, 2022

In today’s complex world, unity is an artistic concept that is worthy of our attention. We can gain much needed encouragement and perspective through the compositional strategies that artists use to make the parts of a work of art hang together as a whole.

“Art inspires us to visit the concept of ‘Unity’ and see ourselves as part of a bigger universe.”~ Leni Kae, Australian contemporary artist and illustrator

While uncertainty fills much of what we’re experiencing today, the arts can play an important role in helping us see current situations and events from a different perspective. Artists give us a sense of unity in their works by creating the feeling of familiarity. All the parts have some relation to each other. While unity means that nothing detracts from the whole, too much sameness is boring, and artists strive for just the right amount of variety to stimulate and maintain interest. Various elements are placed in supportive relationship with each other.

In a world obsessed with differences and division, it might be difficult to imagine that an environment like artistic unity can be achieved.However, we cannot thrive without connection. If we choose, we can find the common elements that bind our families, communities, country, and world together as one. Malcolm Forbes spoke of unity as he described diversity: “the art of thinking independently together.”

Unity is like an invisible glue that joins all the separate parts together, so they look, feel, or sound like they belong together—a sense of oneness, of things belonging together to make up a comprehensible whole. Works where all the elements seem to fit together visually or aurally or in action or words allow the whole to become greater than the sum of its parts.

A few years ago, I heard a live performance of Glagolitic Mass by Leos Janácek. Janácek’s music is deeply influenced and inspired by Moravian and other Slavic folk music. From early in his career, he committed his energies to folkloristic research that informed his work throughout his life. He developed a sensitivity to the melodies and rhythms of speech and used the essence of the inflections, cadences, and emphases of Slavic spoken language in his works. In many ways, the Mass brought together his research and lifetime of experiences.

What is perhaps most interesting is the way the basic form of the traditional Catholic Mass, along with the ninth-century Slavonic language of his countrymen, was used to give voice to his faith in the survival of the nation. Janácek set the Mass in Old Church Slavonic, which uses a distinctive alphabet called “Glagolitic,” the first written form of the Slavonic language, to celebrate and unite the Slavonic people as they spread across Europe. Listening gave me a sense that the principle of unity in musical composition was mirrored in Janácek’s desire to celebrate the common ties, or cultural roots, they shared.

Not only did this monumental work reinforce connections within Janácek’s own life, bringing together a lifetime of personal experiences, but it also celebrates the value of finding connection to one another.

“Art has the power to reframe our vision of the world.” ~ Leni Kae

Janácek used the principle of unity to express the profound bonds underlying the disparate cultural traditions of the Slavic nations. Finding common ground and connecting with others does not mean absolute agreement. Rather, it’s an opportunity to discover the invisible glue that unites diverse opinions, experiences, and cultural practices. How can those varied experiences be placed in supportive relationship with each other with a focus on the bigger picture? All the arts provide conceptual or compositional insight for understanding the value of unity. In our everyday lives, we don’t truly ever forget the diversity of our experiences and beliefs, but we can certainly gain greater awareness and understanding when we step back and seek connection.

“The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.” ~ Felix Mendelssohn

Patricia Hoy

Are you interested in learning more about the creative process and the value of the arts? Check out my blogs: https://artsawarenessexpressions.teachable.com/blo… and http://artsawareness.com/blog/

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 20, 2022

While the arts can’t stop the COVID-19 virus or the social unrest we see in the world today, they can provide clarity and give us insight into the choices we make when moving through the tensions of crisis and chaos. The arts invite everyone to think in new ways.

“Art is a wound turned into light.” ~ Georges Braque (1882-1963) French painter and sculptor

We often experience works of art as something that’s pleasing to our senses without a full understanding of the creative effort. Great art often shows us contradictions and crises, and we can learn a great deal from their resolutions. Through our understanding of art, we can gain a deeper understanding of how we might surmount our own challenges. In understanding extremes of contrast, we can see the beauty in art with themes that are not simply pleasing for their magnificent features or qualities.

Similarly, the tension of opposites fills our lives with the striving to move from one point to another. When we describe our emotional lives, we use words such as “happy,” “sad,” “angry,” “calm,” “quiet,” or “chaotic.” The contrast in good art often reaffirms opposites such as these; it can help us recognize and feel them as real and honest. Ultimately, a deeper understanding of how these bits of experience can fit together to create something new can provide you with ideas about how to resolve conflicts in your own life knowing that resolution is natural and achievable.

If you are open to the transformative nature of the artistic process and how to apply it to what you contribute to the world, you also know the feeling of creating something with intention. A difference between this artistic process and other forms of patterned, principle-based, process thinking is the involvement of all your senses in a deeply genuine personal goal. The outcome can take many different forms and serve many different purposes, from simple communication to the expression of profound insights or ideas to the world at large.

Several years ago, I attended a Boston Symphony Orchestra performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem. It offers an excellent example of a work of art that brings great contrast within the structure of an eighty-five-minute piece of music. I realized—listening and later reflecting on the performance—that its power comes from the way Britten worked through and used the compositional elements in imaginative ways to express the tensions and contrasts of suffering and hope. In the end, the shock, pain, and revulsion of war brilliantly mix with the peace, comfort, and stillness of everlasting rest. The experience of opposite extremes of human emotion creates a special kind of lasting beauty, the mixture of elements creating a new wholeness of understanding. Even in our everyday lives, we don’t truly ever forget the hopelessness of anguish. Instead, we’re constantly renewed by its contrast with love and unity. When we step back and see things in context over time, we have greater awareness and understanding.

Beethoven offers a wonderful example of moving artfully through crises and chaos. He composed his Symphony No. 9 as his hearing loss became more and more pronounced. The opening of the Symphony seems to come out of nowhere, from near silence in the opening to a full expression of what many consider to be the joy of freedom and universal brotherhood with Schiller’s Ode to Joy. Beethoven appears to have created a work of art that not only freed him from his personal struggles, but one that also, amid the repressive political environment of Europe at the time, speaks to the joy of living together in peace and harmony.

“It’s not just a question of conquering a summit previously unknown, but of tracing, step by step, a new pathway to it.” ~ Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) Austrian composer and conductor

Imbalances in the world today are evidenced by the anxiety, fear, and state of chronic stress that many people experience every day. You can contribute a great deal to your own life, your work environments, and the lives of others by developing the strength to balance, bringing together contrasts within yourself and in every aspect of your experience. Your overall well-being is often influenced by the paths you choose during this evolution.

“Have a dialogue between the two opposing parts and you will find that they always start out fighting each other until we come to an appreciation of difference… a oneness and integration of the two opposing forces.” ~ Frederick Salomon Perls (1893-1970) German-born psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and psychotherapist.

The arts offer many lessons that can help you gain the knowledge you need to move more confidently in today’s competitive and uncertain environment. An openness to arts-based solutions will give you more control over your future.

Patricia Hoy

Are you interested in learning more about the creative process and the value of the arts? Check out my blogs at: https://artsawarenessexpressions.teachable.com/blo… and http://artsawareness.com/blog/

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 19, 2022

“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” ~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Prolific and influential eighteenth-century composer

This Mozart quote is especially relevant considering the social distancing and stay at home orders we face today. It’s easy to underestimate the power of silence. People tend to feel uneasy when there’s a pause in the flow of sound or movement. One might have the uncomfortable feeling of wanting to fill pauses with sound or worry or some sort of activity.

Artists of all kinds use the power of silence and negative (empty) space in their compositional techniques to enrich the meaning in their works. And while musicians spend hours expertly playing or singing the notes in music, they spend lifetimes perfecting the pauses between notes and appreciating the qualities of a sustained tone.

We can all learn from these artistic processes. The creative and positive use of space and silence is a soft skill that can serve everyone well whether in work or everyday life. It’s possible to experience greater balance and emphasize what’s most important. Ideas, insights, and creative solutions to problems come more easily. The experience of space and silence can give you more energy and help you get things done. You can become more focused and aware of all the things happening around you.

“I always listen to what I can leave out.” ~ Miles Davis (1926-1991) American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer

Several years ago, I attended a semi-staged production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. It’s no wonder that this opera has captivated audiences for more than 200 years. It was particularly enjoyable to experience it in an intimate setting with performers, orchestra, and action so close that it felt as if we were all part of the production.

While The Magic Flute’s overarching story speaks to the many tests we must face as we move through life, the real interpretive magic comes through reflection, awareness, and ever-deeper personal understanding of who we are as human beings. That experience doesn’t necessarily happen in the notes or dialog, but rather through the stillness that can be found in everyone’s innermost thoughts and feelings.

Mozart builds anticipation through his compositional technique to create dramatic pause, building tension and withholding resolutions. The pauses prolong the tension of the preceding buildup of tension creating a dynamic, charged silence. Silence is part of what gives the music such beauty and life.

I also recently heard an interview with Kevin Bacon where he talked about his role in a new movie. He said that early in his career, he thought the best roles were the ones with the most lines. He counted his lines to check his importance. But in the new movie, it turned out that he had very few lines. When the interviewer asked him about it, he said that he realized at some point along the way that it’s really not about the number of words, it’s more about the opportunity to “play between the lines” that’s so meaningful and rewarding.

“Space is the breath of art.” ~Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) American architect and interior designer

Silence and space provide breathing room. Just because it might appear to be empty doesn’t mean that it lacks power.

The world can be a noisy place. Consider the opportunities you have to experiment in a creative and positive way with the power of silence: drive your car without music, set your phone aside for a while, enjoy your home without music or television for a period of time, take a moment before responding to what just happened or what was said. Explore the silences between sentences.

“Music and silence combine strongly because music is done with silence, and silence is full of music.” ~ Marcel Marceau (1923-2007) French actor and mime artist

Patricia Hoy

Explore three online courses designed to help you develop essential soft skills: https://artsawarenessexpressions.teachable.com

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 18, 2022

“The ability to imagine things pervades our entire existence. It influences everything we do, think about and create. It leads to elaborate theories, dreams and inventions in any profession from the realms of academia to engineering and the arts. Ultimately, imagination influences everything we do regardless of our profession.” ~ Tao de Haas (psychotherapist, social ecologist, corporate trainer)

In interviews, Albert Einstein attributed his scientific insight and intuition mainly to the daily practice of music. Music worked for him as a brainstorming technique. His scientific ideas were often first created as images and intuitions and later converted to mathematics, logic, and words. Music helped him in this thought process, guiding him in new and creative directions.

Imagination is everything, it’s the preview of coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand. ~ Albert Einstein

Imagination is what makes an idea or a solution stand out. Others might look at the same or a similar set of circumstances, yet they continually create the same challenges, problems, and experiences over and over again. No matter whether it’s a work-related situation, a business challenge, or personal issue, the ability to recognize patterns, to make new connections, and to offer imaginative alternatives is key to the advancement of our world. Imaginative alternatives are big picture. All the parts of an issue are connected to the whole and they work together to create something extraordinary. They are alternatives that wouldn’t be considered otherwise.

For example:
You may be aware of the music plagiarism cases that seem to be so prevalent nowadays. Several years ago, it was alleged that Led Zeppelin stole the opening bars of the hit “Stairway to Heaven” from Spirit’s song “Taurus.” And recently, Steve Ronsen claimed that Lady Gaga’s song “Shallow,” featured in her film “A Star Is Born,” plagiarizes his 2012 song “Almost.” The issues in these plagiarism cases—a descending bass line, a three-note progression, or other details—are most often considered as isolated from the essence of the work as a whole. What is perhaps more relevant is the imaginative use of the musical elements throughout the entire song—how they are used together, how they develop, and what kind of momentum and meaning they create as a result.

Leonard Bernstein addressed this idea of imagination and meaning in one of his 1950s Omnibus broadcasts. He mentioned how people have analyzed the famous first four notes of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, trying to determine their meaning and why they form such a powerful musical grouping. His explanation speaks to the genius of putting musical patterns together, developing them, and moving them through an entire composition in just the right way to create a masterpiece. In the following excerpt from his broadcast, Leonard Bernstein described Beethoven’s search for the right combination of musical elements, and the ultimate imaginative development of the first four notes that are so meaningful to those who listen even today:

…But none of these interpretations tells us anything. The truth is that the real meaning lies in all the notes that follow it, all the notes of all the five hundred measures of music that follow it in this first movement. And Beethoven, more than any other composer before or after him, I think, had the ability to find exactly the right notes that had to follow his themes. But even he, with this great ability, had a gigantic struggle to achieve this rightness: not only the right notes, but the right rhythms, the right climaxes, the right harmonies, the right instrumentation.~ Leonard Bernstein

To achieve the kind of rightness described by Bernstein, all the elements used are organized in an imaginative way. It’s the way those things are put together—and the relationships among them—that makes the difference and results in a solution that impacts you with a compelling message. The same is true for anything you choose to do in your work or life situations. When you’re willing to take things apart and look at the many ways those pieces can fit together—how they can develop and lead to something new—that’s when you can find imaginative solutions. Context and perspective are important in the process.

It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.
~ Jean-Luc Godard (French-Swiss film director, screenwriter and film critic)

It does take work, and even courage in learning from failed attempts, to find just the right combinations that build imaginative results, but it is well worth the effort. While you may not be a well-known musician like Led Zeppelin or an amateur musician like Einstein, you can learn to use the inner workings of the artistic process. You can also help young people gain an imaginative head start by supporting music performance experiences that will stimulate and keep their imaginations strong throughout their lives. Besides Einstein’s belief in the power of music, there has been a great deal of research about the positive impact of music on the brain. Who knows? Maybe as result of your personal immersion in the artistic process—or through the efforts of one of today’s children who grow up having had significant experiences in music—a solution will be found for one of the many problems we face in the world today. In the meantime, you can certainly use your imagination and find creative solutions to improve your work and life.

Creativity takes courage.
~ Henri Matisse

Are you interested in how to use the artistic process to improve your life? Check out my online courses at https://artsawarenessexpressions.teachable.com (Ignite Your Life and Expand Your Creativity and Possibility Thinking)

Patricia Hoy

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 17, 2022

The arts teach one how to look at problems in life and succeed. Learning to successfully move through problems is an important soft skill everyone needs if they are to achieve their goals.

I’ve always been intrigued by this 17th century haiku by Japanese poet and samurai, Mizuta Masahide:

Barn’s burnt down — now I can see the moon.

The haiku reminds me of a magnificent concert I experienced many years ago. The performance was exhilarating. At the final chord, the conductor motioned for everyone to end what was to be a resounding and reverberating conclusion to the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah, but wait—something was wrong. Everyone ended expertly except for the deep, low-pitched fundamental note on the organ. It kept sounding even though the performer stopped playing.

Have you ever been in a situation where everything was perfect and suddenly something happened—there was a shocking turn of events that felt like it changed everything?

The conductor gave the organist a look of panic and motioned again for the note to cut-off. The note kept going. He turned to face the organist now, motioning for the sound to end, ignoring all the other performers who had already finished their performance. What now? Finally, he motioned and yelled at the same time—turn it off…turn it off!

The organist turned off the power to the instrument and the sound gradually died away; the note sagged lower and lower in pitch and ended weakly as the air in the pipe lost its momentum.

The audience laughed at the predicament, but it didn’t negatively impact the fact that they were exhilarated by the performance. They understood that there was clearly a problem with the instrument. It had little impact on the overall power of the performance. In fact, the problem seemed to deepen the joy of the musical experience. When the sound finally died away in a halfhearted, meager surrender, there was at first a moment of silence as the conductor and organist stood facing the audience, terribly distressed by their dilemma. Suddenly, there was thunderous applause, a standing ovation, and several appreciative curtain calls. It was a beautiful ruined moment.

When things are perfect, that’s when you need to worry most.
~ Drew Barrymore

As the applause grew, the embarrassed conductor and organist, along with the entire ensemble of musicians, finally realized that the beauty came from the entire experience. The performers and more than 1500 people in the audience had together, as a community, experienced something transformative. Handel, who wrote the “Hallelujah Chorus,” created a musical score that is rich with imaginative energy. It is astonishingly expressive, and it was performed at the highest level. The note on the organ failed at the end, but it couldn’t match the beauty of everything that happened along the way.

Artists gain an awareness that, day after day, they must face problems often in a very public way. Awareness is the first step in acknowledging any life challenge. Think about how you might be responding to a negative circumstance or a situation with another person. What are your initial feelings? Why are you feeling this way? What is the bigger picture? Stop for a moment before you react. Can you see the moon?

There are many soft skills one can learn from experiences in the arts. Consider enrolling in my online course designed for anyone who wants to find new ways to enrich your life and reach your goals —https://artsawarenessexpressions.teachable.com/p/h…

Enroll Today!

If you teach music and would like ideas about how to incorporate deeper learning in your band and orchestra rehearsals, consider enrolling my online course—Transform Your Band and Orchestra Rehearsals from Ordinary to Extraordinary— https://artsawarenessexpressions.teachable.com/p/r....

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Dr. Patricia Hoy

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 16, 2022

“We need people who think with the creative side of their brains—people who have played in a band, who have painted…it enhances symbiotic thinking capabilities, not always thinking in the same paradigm, learning how to kick-start a new idea, or how to get a job done better, less expensively.” ~Annette Byrd, GlaxoSmithKline (a multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Brentford, London)

I recently read an article that reinforced this belief that the thinking gained from arts experiences can transform your life and work experience. The article, a June 2019 publication written by EdSurge reporter Emily Tate, focuses on conversations with tech students as they talk about how soft skills and the arts set them up for success. Connections made from deeper learning experiences in the arts enhance a person’s awareness and knowledge of the soft skills needed to succeed in today’s world.

What Are Soft Skills and How Does Arts-Based Learning Help?

Soft skills are a collection of competences and attitudes related to the willingness to participate in your life and work with a growth mindset, with openness and authenticity, and with collaboration and connection. While it’s not likely that soft skills have been a part of your education or technical training, they’re nevertheless important for everyone. Deeply understanding these more personal aptitudes can reinforce your knowledge and training in ways that lead you to a high level of success. Without them, you risk significant limitations on your vision and imaginative power.

The following list, adapted from The Arts and the Creation of Mind by Elliot Eisner (1933-2014), identifies some of the lessons that are learned through experiences in the arts. While this list is not all-inclusive, it does give you a sense of the value of arts-based learning in today’s complex and challenging world.

The arts teach one how to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the learning in a field of knowledge or training in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it is judgment rather than rules that prevail.
The arts teach that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer.
The arts celebrate multiple perspectives. One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the world.
The arts teach one that in complex forms of problem-solving, purposes are seldom fixed, but change with circumstance and opportunity. Learning in the arts requires the ability and a willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as it unfolds.
The arts make vivid the fact that neither words in their literal form nor numbers exhaust what we can know. The limits of our language do not define the limits of our cognition.
The arts teach that small differences can have large effects. The arts traffic in subtleties.
The arts teach one to think through and within a material. All art forms employ some means through which images become real.
The arts help one learn to say what cannot be said. When one is invited to disclose what a work of art helps them feel, they must reach into their poetic capacities to find the words that will do the job.
The arts enable us to have experience we can have from no other source and through such experience to discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling.

Examples

Some time ago I observed that several departments in a college had been operating for many years with a “silo mentality.” They were unable to see the value of opening up their processes and policies as part of a cohesive institutional initiative, fearful they would lose control and weaken their department, diminishing what they considered to be a position of importance. However, with coaching, they learned to use a process that could connect their deep knowledge of how the individual components of a work of art add meaning to the whole and extend that understanding to the dynamic relationship between the bigger picture and the viewpoints and expression of every part of the organization. They grew to understand that the greater the number of parts, materials and/or people involved in collaborative work, the greater the complexity—but the artistic principles are the same. They thrived as they discovered how the big picture added meaning to their individual departments and how their destiny was beneficially affected by this larger perspective. It allowed them to experience support they hadn’t previously experienced and a coherent problem-solving mechanism that expanded their options.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ~ Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

In another experience, I had the opportunity to view an outstanding performance of Handel’s Almira. Even though I sat near the top of the mezzanine of a large theater, when the opera began, I was immediately drawn in and held captive by the spectacle. Opera performers are singers, actors, dancers, and linguists. Besides the high quality of the singing, these artists hold your undivided attention through their acting, using every means of communication available, expressing their characters with honest and powerful body language. Actors communicate emotions—that is what moves you; they stir your passions and grab hold of your attention by moving authentically—not pretending but being honest in their non-verbal communication. If you were to watch without sound, you would see the way they use their bodies in the expression of sadness or anger or lighthearted mischievousness. They create something real out of various movements and gestures and—along with the relevant singing or vocal nuance—connect you to an authentic human being. They use every means of communication in a congruent manner, commanding your emotional response. You are taken into the drama. Everyone can learn to make as much of an impact as an opera performer in various roles in life by practicing interpersonal skills. When you’re authentic in your communication, you can gain the respect and trust of others.

Years of building belief systems that don’t align with the soft skills needed to thrive in today’s world can’t be erased in an instant. But when you begin to see the productive benefits of thinking and behaving with the skills covered in my online course —https://artsawarenessexpressions.teachable.com/p/h… —and you willingly open to risk a new way, you will find the remarkable ability to succeed in ways you might have never before thought possible.

Enroll Today!

Dr. Patricia Hoy

Post author By Patricia Hoy
Post date January 15, 2022

“In limits, there is freedom. Creativity thrives within structure.” ~ Julia Cameron

This quote by Julia Cameron reminds all of us that structure doesn’t dictate, but rather adds value, no matter what we’re doing.

Several years ago, I attended a symphony concert that featured violinist Joshua Bell. Since that experience, I’ve reflected many times about how he simply made the music come alive! Everyone in the audience was mesmerized by the way the music seemed to pour out from every cell in his body as he performed. It was the spontaneity of his playing that was so captivating. He played with incredible freedom, yet he still maintained the integrity of the musical line set forth by the composer. He knew the structure, and he owned the structure of the work in a way that allowed him to celebrate his own creative spirit and share it with the world. True creativity can occur when you’re able to find that kind of freedom within a structure.

It’s important now, more than ever, that we help students learn this kind of freedom and how to connect that knowledge to everything they do. In today’s challenging and rapidly changing world, everyone can benefit from the knowledge of how to express their creative spirit in a way that makes a positive impact on those in their life and work environments. And it’s more and more evident that freedom within structure is a critical step for long-term success in businesses and organizations.

When students truly understand that structure can help them celebrate their own creative spirit, it will help them succeed and find joy in their lives. It’s true in music, but it’s also true in work situations, in relationships, and in simply living life.

Everyone wants freedom—freedom to create their lives, to do their work, and to build their relationships. Music students can gain a keen sense of what it takes to express themselves without restrictions through their art form. They learn to perform the music within a context—and, yes, that context is structure, but despite what seems counter-intuitive, that structure can give them a sense of creative freedom that will positively influence them for the rest of their lives.

“Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly.” ~ Julie Andrews

Structure is the discipline and order that provides stability, direction, and power. Students can gain creative freedom by learning to expertly manipulate three basic dynamic forces within the parameters of music performance, or any art form for that matter. When provided the opportunity, they can learn:

What they need to do to put their art into practice.
How to take the steps to create meaningful art and achieve success.
To be consistent in applying their knowledge.

Only by learning to use the elements and structures of music can students communicate expressively. In fact, music rehearsals can teach them how to know the formal structures so well that they can use them without being stuck in a box of strict rules. They can learn that structure doesn’t dictate, but rather adds value, no matter what they’re doing. With deeper learning strategies in rehearsals, this is knowledge that will help them beyond music-making to successfully contribute as a healthy member of society.

Are you a band or orchestra director? Are you unsure about how you can use this concept in your rehearsals? Take a look at my online course—Transform Your Band and Orchestra Rehearsals: From Ordinary to Extraordinary — a course that’s intended to motivate you to open yourself to new possibilities, and to consider a deeper learning approach that helps students make connections beyond music to other situations in their lives.

Do you wonder how you can use this concept in your personal life and work? Take a look at my online course—Soft Skills to Kickstart Your Career: Little Known Benefits of Arts-Based Training to Catch the Eye of Employers—a course that’s designed to help you maneuver more confidently in today’s competitive environment and have more control over your future.

Patricia Hoy