Creativity Inc

All artists struggle against the unseen forces. Fight them — it’s more playful!

This is a photo taken at Pixar Headquarters the hour Steve Jobs’ death was announced on October 5, 2011. Pixar was-is an amazing company, and so much of its luster was tarnished in this past decade with the misdeeds of John Lasseter.

Creativity, Inc by Ed Catmull, Pixar’s other co-founder, is a book that reminds of us of the radiant ideas behind the company. It’s worth reading by anyone in the arts. Self-doubt and self-sabotage are part of the shadow elements of imagination. These powers must be vanquished if art is to be made. The subtitle of Catmull’s book says it all — “Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration.”

IMHO, Walt Disney and Steven Jobs are the creative wunderkinds of the 20th century. It is interesting to note that CalArts was started by Walt Disney as a feeder-school for future animators. Disney was concerned that the high-level of animation would be lost without it being taught as art. So, what started as an idea with Walt Disney, became a reality. The students at Cal Arts, including John Lasseter (pictured), did not only feed Disney animation. They were the ones who started Pixar which is now owned by Disney.

Don’t just dream. Fight against the unseen forces that attempt to stop it from becoming real. All artists struggle against the forces. Fight them — it’s more playful!