The Adjacent Possible® Blog
Explore The Adjacent Possible, a foundational pillar for creativity on The Artist’s Journey. Insights into intersections of art, psychology and science.Get weekly Art & Creativity Tips on the blog from Nancy Hillis
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The Cowboy, The Composer & The Adjacent Possible
If you can resist the temptation to just copy something familiar from yourself or someone else, you’ve got a powerful path for expanding your repertoire while remaining anchored in your legacy.
From The Ends Of The Earth To The Depths Of The Psyche
We are back from the ends of the Earth, one of them at least
To tell you about what we found on our doorstep when we returned
And how the path forward is illuminated by a cast of characters,
ranging from Walt Whitman to Wallace and Gromit.
With cameo appearances by Bach, Picasso, Rembrandt, and Stephen Jay Gould.
Journeying To The End Of The Earth
We have a story to tell- of journeying with our daughter to the end of the earth. Following in the footsteps of a man
who followed his vision seventeen centuries ago. Golf plays a part, but we didn’t play a single round.
Kimy’s new beginning in a seemingly unlikely place was ultimately engendered by a very old beginning, that of St. Regulus landing (or perhaps being shipwrecked) on the stone ramparts of St. Andrews, resolutely defying the open North Sea. Unlikeliness begets unlikeliness, and stories grow like fecund plants, we have only to let them.
The Adjacent Possible: The Art Of The Possible
The adjacent possible is about paying attention and purposely stumbling over things.
Book Release: The Adjacent Possible: Evolve Your Art. From Blank Canvas To Prolific Artist – Nancy Hillis, MD
Working with the concepts of simplicity and constraint, gave us the big idea for the book- The Adjacent Possible- a principled way of exploring the unknown and generating relatable surprise. This is surprise that is close enough to your existing world view that it can be incorporated- it is adjacent, not distant. It’s a healthy stretch, not a futile lunge. And, since the process of surprising one’s self with creativity is an open-ended experience, it is up to you to decide when to finish and leave other elements for your next creation.
The Adjacent Possible: Book Reading
At the pivot point between creation and collapse, you’ll experience a state of poised instability. This is the art and science of the possible- a world of continuous creation.
The Adjacent Possible: Poised Between Creation & Collapse
You are an ecosystem of ideas and they develop and evolve inside of you. One of the things that can happen is you start accumulating unanswered questions or inconsistencies. You pursue a path as far as you can until you can’t get any further. I think what happens at that time is you pursue something new.
The Adjacent Possible: The Science Of Creativity- Phase Transitions
History matters. The path matters. At each point you have options available to you. This is the adjacent possible – what am I going to do next? Which many people could think of as the fundamental question of life,
Creative Haven Interview: Finding Freedom In Constraint & Embracing Vulnerability
Art mirrors our life and our inner state. Mitchel Dumlao interviews Nancy Hillis MD on finding freedom in constraint, embracing vulnerability, flow of ideas & embracing ugly art.
Success Disasters In Life & Art
A groundbreaking scientific result or a spectacular debut as an artist have an implicit danger. The temptation is to keep doing what you’re doing because it works. Until it doesn’t.
Creativity, Perspective & The Threat Of Translegality
The challenge as an artist is to maintain an attitude of provisionality, of nimbleness to be able to step into the adjacent possible. It’s a creativity tightrope act.
Creativity At The Boundary Of Robustness & Brittleness
Abstraction allows a work of art to be experienced in many different contexts, free of the burden of specificity created by representation. A profound work is relevant to many different observers and is in that way robust.
FREE WORKSHOP: The #1 Secret to Creating Authentic Abstract Paintings You Love!
You question your talent. Painting becomes arduous and painful. You feel lost, wanting to express yourself but not knowing how. Learn the #1 secret to paint with joy and create art you love.
