Creativity and problem solving

For the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to harness creative thinking, and how to help people who would like to add more creativity to their lives. Since starting this blog, I’ve realized that so much of what I do (art, craft, design, DIY, repairs) all have the same basis – my problem solving skills. Thinking about it, I’ve come to the realization that even art is an opportunity to solve a problem, even if it doesn’t appear that way at first. For example, let’s say I’m super inspired by an exhibition I’ve seen, and I decide to make some art to “release” that inspiration in a physical form. I’m faced with dozens of “problems” that need to be solved – what media should I use, how many pieces do I want to make, and what exactly do I want to make? A still-life painting of some flowers or a free-form life drawing? Even after I’ve decided my general direction, I’m constantly making decisions and solving problems about how to make his ear look more realistic, how do I get his skin tone to be less sunburnt looking, etc. With most media, there is never any stage where you reach the finish line. That’s another problem – when do I know it’s done, and how do I know it’s good enough? I struggle with these questions every time I make something (except for physically doing a cross stitch, at least you know when you’ve reached the end of your pattern). But I think that’s why I enjoy creating anything, whether it’s art or a new shelf out of foamcore. I’m constantly pushing my creative boundaries, and I’m always learning more about my limitations and strengths. It can be a humbling process, but I’ve also found it to be quite liberating and very challenging. To me, easy is boring. I love learning, and using creativity to problem solve is one of the best ways I know how to keep learning (even if all you learn is how the plumbing can’t actually be repaired the way you’d tried and the next appropriate move is to call in a professional). What are your thoughts, what are the challenges and opportunities you find in creative problem solving?