Quotes: Richard Florida

"Creativity involves the ability to synthesize. Einstein captured it nicely when he called his own work "combinatory play." It is a matter of sifting through data, perceptions and materials to come up with combinations that are new and useful."

–– Richard Florida (b. 1957), American urban studies theorist, author, and professor 

Source: Richard Florida. The Rise of the Creative Class: and how it's transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life. New York: Basic Books, 2002; p. 31. 

via Commonplace Book 2003-2004, 2003, p.45.  

Quotes: Steven Heighton

"Novelty is nothing more than a fresh combining."

–– Steven Heighton (1961-2022), Canadian novelist, poet, short-story writer

Source: Steven Heighton. Work Book. Toronto, Ontario: ECW Press, 2011, p. 25.

via: Commonplace Book 2022, 2023, p.115. 

Quotes: Twyla Tharp

"Without passion, all the skill in the world won't lift you above craft. Without skill, all the passion in the world will leave you eager but floundering. Combining the two is the essence of the creative life."

–– Twyla Tharp (b. 1941), American dancer, choreographer, and writer 

via: Sketchbook 19, 2012, p. 104

Black History quotes: Betye Saar

"I am intrigued with combining the remnant of memories, fragments of relics and ordinary objects, with the components of technology. It's a way of delving into the past and reaching into the future simultaneously." 

–– Betye Saar (b. 1926), American assemblage artist