A bit of  background: In my last post I wrote about Keri Smith’s book “How To Be An Explorer Of The World.”  I also suggested you read some of her tips and consider how they might also apply to your conversations, even those on Twitter. This is my attempt at providing some tips (based on Keri Smith’s list) on looking beyond the tools and discovering the amazing conversations, people and their ideas through social media.

1. Always be looking. (Notice the ground beneath your feet.)
Don’t just broadcast or consume information.  Pause and notice the things people are saying around you and take time to nurture relationships. There are some wonderful people out there.

2. Consider everything alive and animate.
Notice the many ways your connections express themselves. Enjoy being part of living, breathing and sometimes even abstract conversations. Animate your own conversations, blog posts and tweets through photos, music and video.

Image by Simon Lee

3. Everything is interesting. Look closer.

4. Alter your course often.
In a recent post about the need to connect with all kinds of people, Stacey Monk from Epic Change wrote how societal change is“created by musicians, politicians, journalists, technologists and so many others”. Michele Martin has written some interesting thoughts about cultural connections and online homophily. Do you alter your course to discover and explore new conversations?

5. Observe for long durations (and short ones).
You can learn a lot, just by listening. Which conversations really grab you, inspire and motivate you?

6. Notice the stories going on around you.
Be amazed by the stories around you. Practice childlike fascination. If you pay attention you’ll notice some wonderful stories going on around you.

7. Notice patterns. Make connections.
Explore individual conversations, and notice patterns. Incredible things can happen when a group of people connect the dots.

8. Document your findings (field notes) in a variety of ways.
Take your observations one step further by interacting (commenting), sharing (eg a tweet or shared bookmark) or write a blog post to capture and explore those moments of inspiration.

9. Incorporate indeterminacy.
Keri Smith explains this concept in an interview with About Creativity. When you use social media, be ready to let your ideas take on a life of their own. Other people will interpret your idea in new ways, drawing upon different influences to express themselves. Embrace the unseen and prepare for the unexpected. Join in a collaborative creative blogging project or group Flickr challenge.

10. Observe movement.
Social media perpetuates a moving, creative dialogue. A song, leads to a mashup, leads to another mashup. Interpretation becomes open and serendipitous.

11. Create a personal dialogue with your environment. Talk to it.
Interact. Engage. Explore. Share your ideas. Be brave.

Image by FD

12. Trace things back to their origins.
If you appreciate a photo in a blog post, go to the original Flickr image, see if the creator has a blog, or a Twitter account where you can connect with them. Share your appreciation.  If you enjoy a quote, find the original source. If you’re inspired by a mashup, search for others.

13. Use all of the senses in your investigations.

• Look (at imagery, fonts, avatars, white space).
• Listen (to a tone of voice, a concept, a podcast).
• Touch (interact – online and  face to face through conferences, Tweetups or even just for coffee!)
• Taste (savour the moment, take time to pay attention and notice the details).
• Smell (distinguish different approaches).

I’d be interested to hear what you think. How do you explore social media?

I was reading the introduction and I noticed something. This, from page 5 of her book (thanks to Keri for letting me share these images, because it looks so much better in ‘written in the dark’ handwriting :

Now read the same list again.

Now read it again and think about how you engage with people. Yes, even on Twitter.

* * * * * * *

I’m looking forward to investigating my world over the next couple of months. I might even do some of the explorations with the kids.When my boys play with my camera I get a real insight into how they view the world, and their little explorations. This apparently, is how they see things.

Keri Smith’s book reminds me of the way we grew up, taught to find faces or people in everyday things (one of Keri’s exercises) and encouraged to notice the works of art to be found around us.  It’s an approach to looking I hope I can pass onto my own children.

Do you like to explore the everyday? How do you like to capture those moments?

Over the last month a number of people gave towards a project  called #SOS09 (Shout Out Social) which had two purposes; to help raise funds for an Opportunity International project and to encourage people to be creative for a cause.

Around the world, individuals used their creativity to express something that mattered to them, including topics such as Healthcare, Hope and Green Spaces. They submitted their images to a Flickr Group, and the images were displayed as part of a digital wall show at Horse Bazaar over the weekend.

Eileen Clegg graciously created a mural to shout out for Creativity and explains her message on video

She says,

“The more we can express ourselves and what is authentic about us, we are sharing with others to add to (this) collective knowledge…

..” so the more we can define ourselves, our creative selves, what we are interested in, our knowledge – then it makes it easier for other people to find us as well, so we can work together..

When we use visuals to express ourselves we are saying: ‘this is a picture of what I am thinking right now’ we are not passing judgment on the world or trying to tell it like it is. We are saying ‘this is what I see right now’

And that’s the best part about creativity – it’s completely individual, nobody can argue with it – and it’s always wonderful.”

Shahin Shafaei reminded people of the importance of creativity and expression in our day to day lives, by sharing his experience of nearly two years in isolation at an Australian detention centre.

Although the event (unfortunately) didn’t raise a stack of funds, being part of this project and event was personally fulfilling. Eileen and Shahin spoke from the heart. A  number of individuals around the world took a few minutes to use social media for positive change, and a small bunch of people braved the rain to come along to the SOS09 event. Even the decor of the venue represented the importance of people, history and culture in a technical and creative context.

Saturday evening I left the event knowing that people around the planet had made a difference, however small, and that each of us had experienced something good through our individual contributions to this project against poverty.

Have you been part of a creative project that made a difference? How important is authenticity and “speaking from the heart” to you?

If you would like to thank the people who contributed to this project AND make a difference to a group of women living in poverty right now, you can make a donation or purchase some quality greeting cards or wall art (all proceeds go towards this Opportunity International project in the Philippines. Thank you for your kind support.)

You will have to come along to the event in Melbourne if you want to see the rest of her message this weekend along with guest speaker Shahin Shafaei, and some great images submitted by people around the world! Althought it’s too late to include your own Shout Out  image for inclusion in the exhibition – it’s not too late to submit one to the Flickr Group (tag sos09) and/or to make a donation of $10 (today)! to the Opportunity International microfinance project (that’s what this Shout Out project has been all about – fundraising to help women to get out of poverty!)

Many thanks to the following wonderful people who have given their creative time to this Shout Out Social project, including (in no particular order):

Marigo Raftopolous, Luke Grange, Debbe Kennedy and Sally K. Green,  Melissa Sader, Sagart, Karen Tipping, Amy Jussel, Bad Koala ,Bernie Michalik, August Boehm, David Armano, ePredator, Bettina Cutler, Jared Woods, Vasundharb, Janelle Amet, David Masters, Rucsb, Siddharth, Sean Lew, David Talamelli, Penni Russon, Gypsychk, Andy Piper, Aaron Julius Kim, Ric Hayman, Amy Palko and Michelle Zamora.

I look forward to seeing how this project all comes together on Saturday night! Hope to see you there!

more films available for viewing on the VCA website

I know some of you have a real passion for narrative therapy, creative programs for shaping youth and the use of social media for non profit programs amongst other innovative endeavours. Are you looking for potential partnership opportunities to discuss your area of interest? Are you curious about the role of the arts in “cultural democracy; community leadership and cultural citizenship; youth arts, creativity and urban culture; and the role of the artist in social innovation strategies?” Are you interested in the evaluation of the arts in community cultural development? With your dreams and skills in mind, would you also like to be involved in programs, conferences and alliances with the VCA Centre for Cultural Partnership (CCP)? Please let me know.

I’m both flattered and excited to attend the first VCA CCP Advisory Committee meeting this week and would love to share your interest. This is a such a great opportunity for discussion and collaboration.

Do you have a passion for community cultural development? Who has inspired you? Which great examples have you had the privelege to participate in or view?

She recently issued a photo challenge responding to the theme of “the changing seasons”. Some of the contributions to Amy’s Flickr group are breathtaking. It’s springtime in Melbourne, which means we enjoy summer, autumn, winter and spring wrapped up together in 24 hours. I couldn’t find any blossoms, but I did find these lovely girls in the garden

And here’s my token Halloween photo, taken down at the beach after a kids’ Halloween party. Overcast, but warm enough to dip your feet into the shallows at Elwood beach. My little monsters had a wonderful splash!

You still have 24 hours or so to add your photo to the changing seasons challenge (before Sat 1 Nov) which also happens to be the deadline for the Women’s Investment writing (for charity) challenge! Amy sent in her poetic response and photo:

I’m putting together the slides right now…so let me know here or on Twitter if you would like to add your quote! Be creative! And enjoy observing and capturing the incredible things around you everyday…

I’ve also joined Amy Palko’s Photography Less Ordinary Flickr group. She’s a very creative individual who wrote a great series on taking photos, worth a look-see.

Do you set aside time to explore your creativity? Do you set yourself challenges? How does it add to your quality of life?

ANDREW DENTON: … you made a very interesting comment once where, just almost in brackets, you said, ‘fame the enemy’. What does having a huge hit like that do to your work, do to your career?

MEL BROOKS: First of all two things. One, unconsciously you get lazy, you feel, well, it’s like you’ve climbed somewhere and you’ve hit a plateau. So you say well, I’ll sit down, I’m famous so I don’t have to worry about it, which is very bad for creative people. Creative people should always be striving, they should always be hungry, they should be looking for the next place to go. And secondly, the terrible thing is that the audience, it stops you from experimenting because the audience gets jaded, they want a hit, they want a big success, and so you don’t want to experiment because you say, well, I’ll disappoint the audience, they may not like it, I better do something that I think is more commercial. And nobody knows, no creative writer knows what is commercial and what isn’t. You just write from your heart, you write from the deepest, creative urges in you, and you write from your soul, and you just either get lucky or not.

When we use social media and engage in social networks we are more aware of our potential “audience” than ever before. Do you stick with a formula, based on what you suppose people might like to read? I like the notion of writing from your soul, being authentic in what we say and seeking a pure, fun kind of creative ethic. Do you?

Photo by Okavanga Delta

Photo by okovanga delta

And here I am, working for IBM. Guess what? I love technology. I’m amazed to see how technology is improving the way we communicate. New media mashes up the medium. Virtual worlds are bringing a new dimension to traditional online interaction. I’m impressed with the way social media helps people to connect with each other, share knowledge and ideas. Purposeful innovation using technology is a wonderful thing. There is so much potential for emerging technologies to improve the way we live, communicate, do business and help one another. Web2.0 has made the difference for me.

Who would have thought working in IT could be so creative?

I’m enjoying the creative process and seeing the results of five fun, creative minutes each week. It helps me to think about new ways to take a photo of the same subject (um…me) and look for new ideas as I appreciate beauty and design in my environment more each day. I discovered the delightful blog of Amy Palko recently, who summed up the experience of observing the beauty of our surrounds in a recent post.