Art as play

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK_7fTHTGSg

I love this video from Rex Ray that the extraordinary Pip over at Meet Me at Mikes shared a while back. It seems that for any truly creative work to happen, in any discipline, there's got to be a period of turning off the critique. Certainly there is a time and place for evaluation and that's a crucial step as well, but before that phase, there needs to be a phase of freedom, play, unconditional idea love, if you will.

One way that I'm practicing stepping into this uncritical space is a regiment of creative exploration without a strict agenda, at least once a week. Last week was the first one and it was FANTASTIC. I have to admit though, the decision to take a full day on unbridled creative exploration was a bit scary, but it helps to know that some big names who's bottom lines are just fine do the same kind of thing. Google, for example, pays their employees to pursue their own curiosity 20% of their working hours....one day a week.  That's pretty phenomenal. Stefan Sagmeister chooses to take a year every seven to recharge creatively and therefore professionally. His completely inspiring TED talk shares his rationale and the outcome of his sabbaticals.

Is there a way that you make space for uninhibited creative exploration? I'd love to know.