Kenny Arnold: On Creativity
Marianna
Do you have a routine for entering into a creative headspace?
Kenny
My main way of practicing creativity is through drawing or physically making things. While I don’t practice this routinely as much as I would like, I generally will try to draw first thing in the morning just after waking up and meditating because otherwise it surprisingly becomes something I forget to do. It’s too easy getting caught up with screen-based work.
I also incorporate warm-up drawings to activate the muscles, eyes and become more aware of the sensitivities involved in drawing. In terms of making things as a creative act, I have a range of items close at hand from wire to cardboard and paper. To get into the flow state of making I usually just let my hands do the thinking at first, and let my idle mind explore openly.
Outside of art or design, I love to play around with new flavors while cooking. I’ll mix sauces and spices together to see what they taste like, to sum up, I guess playing is critical, in the sense that you have an intention of exploring possibility.
Marianna
Do you have any habits you've built for yourself to foster creativity?
Kenny
Aside from making it part of my morning routine, I really enjoy going through museums and exhibitions. Recently I have tried to make it a “pre-step” to scroll through online sites like Dribbble for visual inspiration if I aim to focus my creativity in a certain direction. However, for my morning session of drawing, I am more interested in letting my mind wander while I practice form, proportion, and perspective.
Marianna
Where do you think ideas come from?
Kenny
Inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere. Nature, urban life, your room, collections, the tiniest details. I find that the process of going from inspiration to an idea begins by wondering and investigating. Some questions can only be answered with further questions, other questions can only be answered by taking action and discovering what happens. Those are the ones you want to orient yourself around when it comes to creative pursuits.
Marianna
What does creativity mean to you?
Kenny
It is the process of establishing something new, it can be new to yourself or new to the world. It's the act of making a bridge between something that exists in the world and something that only exists in your mind. The creative act is about making the imaginary reality.
Marianna
When do your best ideas hit you?
Kenny
Often times at night, in the shower, or doing the dishes. I suppose when I am most relaxed and my subconscious brain can simply just ruminate on thoughts that are swimming around. I find activities that draw my attention enough where I am free to daydream are the best.
Marianna
Do you use a process to come up with ideas?
Kenny
Yes, I think there is always a process, whether that’s something logical and organized or more organic and random. The steps that you take can become clear in hindsight, and other times you can lay out the path before you with a process. For me, that’s part of what I enjoy about design. Because whether it was deliberate or accidental, a series of actions and reactions took place which resulted in the design currently in front of the viewer.
Even in the most methodical of processes, it is wise to leave room for serendipity…I had a teacher once who called them happy accidents. However, the role of your own perception plays a big part in the act of creation and what you think is possible. Although by becoming aware of what filters your perception you can reframe your field of possibilities.
That’s probably part of the reason specific processes exist so that we can shift our perception. Some techniques that come to mind which I use are, the cone of possibility exquisite corpse bisociation, design thinking, and biomimicry there are many many more though- notable person who contributed to beginning of Design Thinking: John E. Arnold
Marianna
What sources of inspiration do you use to foster creativity in your work?
Kenny
I am a big fan of music. I like to have it on when I am designing and it energizes me.
Marianna
What are some creative accomplishments you are proud of so far?
Kenny
This is a tough one. To be honest…I don’t really know. I am proud of little things like maintaining a creative morning routine and I suppose I am proud of my graduation project. It was a very unique response to the topic of plastic pollution in the environment and it made a serious topic approachable to kids and adults of all ages.
Marianna
How would you describe your creative process?
Kenny
In the best case, I get into making stuff physically as quickly as I can. There is a time and a place for desk research, but taking action is the best way to learn. Tinkering puts me in a state of flow, I can fiddle and test things for days on end.
Marianna
What do you think is something that all the most creative people in the world have in common?
Kenny
Probably we never think we are as good as we are, and there is probably a shared interest in experimentation, open-mindedness, and trying to improve things. Maybe I am just projecting though.
Marianna
How do you make sense of chaos in your life?
Kenny
I try to go with the flow, stay open to possibilities, and keep searching for what interests you.
Marianna
Why do you think people get stuck on problems?
Kenny
People fixate on things and can’t see past what they are focused on sometimes. It happens to me at different points on my projects and I just have to reframe where I am at, appreciate what I have accomplished, and refocus on where I need to go. When you’re stuck I find something that helps is to go for a walk or read something unrelated to what you’re working on. I suppose it is a bit like when you say or look at a word too many times and it loses all meaning and becomes a sound.
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About Kenny Arnold:
Kenny Arnold enjoys using a playful approach to engage people, make a positive impact, and explore the boundaries of possibility. Kenny has a background in toy design and has worked on projects that combine education with design for a range of organizations including, the LEGO Foundation, KIDmob, and Publicolor.
His current focus is on developing projects that can accelerate the transition to the circular economy. He received an MA in Design Products at the Royal College of Art and received his BA at The University of Michigan, Stamps School of Art & Design in Industrial Design.