Comparable to scientific research, there are two primary types of creative production: basic and applied inquiry. Both have value as valid intellectual pursuits, but each has separate criteria for their relative academic importance, especially in the context of the College of Human Ecology. Basic creative production, art, and applied creative production, design, may use similar tools and processes, yet their differing contexts serve to differentiate the outcomes of the creativity.

Do these two different types of creative production fit into the College of Human Ecology’s mission? They do, and as the College’s lone tenured Master of Fine Arts degree holder, I will attempt to explain how and why. [Incidentally, the MFA is a terminal degree equivalent to the Ph.D, awarded to practitioners of creative disciplines, like creative writing, dance, drama, art, and design. While the emphasis of a Ph.D holder is formal research, MFA degreed faculty are likely to focus on creative production.]

Firstly, although art and design are often referred to as separate ways of working and knowing, and indeed as separate academic areas, they also exist within a continuum of human endeavor, with myriad confluences. Some artists design things, some designers create works of art; this is often determined by context, intention and economic influences. For example, an emergent area within graphic design is that of ‘self-authored’ or self-initiated projects, whereby the designer assumes a greater involvement with the message content, providing a personal point-of-view.

Basic creative production is what we recognize as art, where the desire for pure expression unencumbered by external parameters drives the creative process. Personal expression, alternative modes of communication, emotional investment, instigation, investigation, subversion, provocation, therapy – all these can inform artistic expression, whether in the visual arts, literature, theatre, dance or music. The benefit of this basic artistic inquiry to humanity is undeniable, for it is not superfluous activity, but essential to our common plight as social, spiritual, rational, emotional, political, self-aware beings. Art separates humans from animals, and indeed connects us to ourselves, to others, and into the realm of the unknown. Art inspires thought, stimulates imagination and invites emotional involvement. Art asks questions, not all of which result in comfortable answers.

Applied creative production operates in consideration of the world beyond the artist; we know this term in the College of Human Ecology: design. Often solving problems – and creating opportunities – of communication, building the near and far environments, and extending our physical and mental capabilities, design applies the creative process within a methodological context that must integrate the client’s goals with the needs of the end-user. Visual, spatial and tactile form combine with functional considerations in the creation of useable designs. The designer’s role can be to interpret, illuminate, simplify, enrich, codify, accommodate, organize, celebrate, and so on, whether in designing a book, an automobile, a shirt or a house. Limiting parameters in any design project can include time, budget, materials, the limitations of the end-user, the expectations of the client, the designer’s knowledge and experience, and the physical and conceptual environments for dissemination. Design provides answers, many of which lead to additional questions.

Artistic inquiry enables us to search out of curiosity, to explore possibilities, to challenge ourselves and those around not to fall complacent, to embrace a quest for personal betterment – a necessary condition for embarking on the work before us in “improving the human condition”. Design allows us to respond to immediate and latent human concerns by creating artifacts and systems that address shelter, health, safety, entertainment, information, distribution, communication, access, identification, and other needs and desires.

As for putting these activities into an academic context, especially for judging their merit as scholarly dissemination, here are some guidelines and observations. Works of fine art must be displayed or performed publicly for an engagement with an audience. Being juried into an exhibition by one’s peers, or being invited by a curator of repute based on selective criteria, is generally considered the primary indicator of accomplishment. An additional level of distinction within the chosen field comes from receiving an award, such as a “purchase award”, a “juror’s choice award”, “bronze, silver or gold”, etc. as evidence of outstanding recognition.

Exhibition venues vary widely, however, so qualitative scrutiny of show locations becomes necessary; was there a published catalog or checklist, was the audience critical and informed, were there reviews written? Additional qualitative criteria include:

+ the juror or curator’s professional standing (museum or university affiliation, professional distinction, etc.)

+ exhibition topics or themes (relevance to academic area, suitable training, innovative cross-discipline, etc.)

+ exhibition scope (inclusive or exclusive, limited or broad, local, regional or national, touring or not, etc.)

These criteria can be used to ascertain an academically rigorous dissemination. Almost all “call for entries” require the artist to submit 35mm slides of their work with an entry fee of $15-25; selectivity varies from venue to venue and is based upon number of entries, jurying standards, and display space available.

Another indicator of accomplishment is the acquisition of creative works by public and private collections. In this highly selective process, not only is the work validated by the imprimatur of connoisseurship, but generally represents a financial commitment on behalf of the collector. Qualitatively, museums, libraries, institutions, corporate and private collections are gauged by the strength of their holdings, reputations and potential for furthering the dissemination by future exhibitions and scholarly access.

Designed objects also have venues for display, though not as plentiful in opportunity as those afforded to fine art. Works of design are often entered into competitions sponsored by design organizations, or by the design media, where the greater part of the dissemination is through illustrated publication of the competition results. Graphic design in particular has several national competitions that are conducted by magazines, where critical discourse is mediated within the context of the professional discipline. These competitions tend to have hefty entry fees of $50-100, tend to be quite selective (5% or so of entries accepted from the thousands entered) and yet have readerships beyond 50,000, guaranteeing wide exposure. The more rigorous shows – whether conducted by a publication or an organization with a national roster of jurors – cast design work into a more critical light with written analysis and a contextual framework. Some of the same criteria apply from the fine art exhibition examples above, with additional considerations such as a design’s success in the marketplace, impact on an audience, establishment of an identity, and so on.

Art-making requires reflection, skepticism, curiosity, contemplation, often divergent and contrarian attitudes from the social norm, imagination, a confident ego, and engagement with the materials and medium of one’s art. Artists strive to improve the human condition by starting with themselves, by expressing themselves to others through sharing their souls, hearts and minds.

Design activity involves integration, synthesis, compromise, sympathetic views, creative thinking, speculation, coordination, initiation and adherence to a process. Designers strive to improve the human condition by concerning themselves with others, by improving the quality of our daily mediations with the built environment in a visionary way. By definition, designers must consider the triangular relationship between themselves, the client and the end-user.

How might the College of Human Ecology facilitate and recognize the value of creative production?

+ Encourage experimentation

+ Reward new ideas

+ Embrace alternative modes of expression and communication

+ Encourage untried allegiances

+ Stimulate discourse relevant to creativity

+ Express curiosity

+ Revisit assumptions about what creativity is

+ Apply creative problem-solving strategies and imagination in all facets of the College’s work

+ Realize that creativity manifests itself differently in all people

+ Endeavor to achieve the goal of “improving the human condition” through creative production as well as traditional scholarly rersearch

+ Seek diversity of opinion, especially through diversity of faculty, staff and students.

One last point: not only will the academic accomplishments of a faculty member involved with creative production read differently from a colleague involved with scholarly research in terms of their Curriculum Vitae, but the very design of their materials can, perhaps should, look differently. This aesthetic approach represents a desire for integration by applying creative skills in a manner that says,“I practice what I preach.”

For creative production to thrive in the College of Human Ecology, a new atmosphere should be created. The expected benefit will be a fuller definition of discovery, with other scholarly research methods enhanced by exposure to the creative process, and creative production assuming a reciprocal role by inviting the influences of traditional scholarship.