Think outside of the box

I wanted to share something with many of you back in art school my teacher gave us a project once a month and it was called Think outside of the box... She would put up a picture of us to all look at and we were all to write an essay and it had to be in story form and instructional of what idea we thought of. This was the biggest eye opener for me and to observe all the different idea's and thought patterns we all had over the same picture. Then the teacher picked the one she felt would be a great challenge for all of us and we had to take the idea and create it. It was also amazing to see all the different ways everyone created. Some were alike and many were different. Then the teacher said something that stuck with me and till this day I carry it on to others. She said now you see a picture and you all were to have thoughts about it. Then you were to go and create it. The question is do you feel you own your thoughts? Do you feel your the only one that can have a creative thought and no one else can have your thought. And if someone had one of your creative thoughts would you then feel like they took your idea? Well hopefully we all the know the answer to it all we really don't own any thought its already out there.
Today giving a class we had think out side of the box. Now I can't wait for all of us to play the game. Even me too!!! This is expansion and growth in your own self and art. I have taken many class's along time ago and sadly to say many teachers in a class just teach what your going to make. They don't go beyond the project and find the story form.. I found with great teachers that went further and outside of the project we learned so much and more then if we were to just sit there and watch the teacher show the steps and then you follow. I want to thank my students for giving me the opportunity to expand with myself.