Slice and Dice, Twist and Shout -and - Turning (with a little Myth Dispelling thrown in)
Turning, probably more than any other form of woodworking, lends itself to experimentation - and "creativity". Wild Hare germ of an idea to a real world prototype can occur in a matter of hours, maybe a day. Refining the idea and the technique may take several days - or go on for as long as it takes to go as far as you chose to go.
Here's where I'm going with what follows.
Folks often ask - Where Do Creative Ideas Come From?
Though obvious - They're Everywhere! - too many people convince themselves that they're just NOT "creative" - and CAN'T ever become "creative". It's like "math". Too many people tell themselves they CAN'T do MATH - yet they do it every day.
When I hear someone say "I don't have the creative gift . It's just not in me." - I want to yell "BULLSHIT! We ALL are "creative" - and do "math" - almost everyday. The thing is - the "creative process" isn't spelled out - no step by step instructions on How To Be Creative - no sign that flashes "YOU'RE BEING CREATIVE NOW!" to let you know when you're doing it. So even when we are being "creative" - we don't KNOW we're being creative.
Let's drop the label "creative" - too many mental blocks associated with the term. Let's call IT "synthesis" - putting things together, combining things in way you've not combined them before. It doesn't HAVE TO BE HARD - honest. We ALL "synthesize" everyday - often multiple times a day, sometimes all day long. Do YOU make scrambled eggs the same way - everytime? "Let's see - I've got two eggs, some butter, some salt, some pepper - and hey - here's some cheese - and some green onions!" Cooking can get pretty darn creative. You have "cooked" right?
I'm PLAYING with an idea ( note the emphasis on PLAY - NOT WORK). I'll try and go through how I think this idea came into being, how I've been playing with it and what I've "synthesized"
Here's the genesis of a Wild Hare idea.
You have to have seen a commercial for The Ginzu Knife - or maybe one of those Kitchen Miracle Slice and Dice Wonder Machines. The Master Chef takes a tomato (or cucumber or pickle or carrot) and PRESTO - cuts it into paper thin slices and then "fans" them out like you've seen a black jack dealer do with a deck of cards (or maybe not), Then you sit through the rest of the SLICE 'N DICE infommercial - or not.
And at some point, you're driving along in your car and are scanning for a radio station. You hit an Oldies station - which happens to be playing the Beatles' Twist and Shout, so you stop there and listen to the song. Maybe you really get into it and start singing along - and get REALLY into it to the point that the guy in the truck next to you looks at you like you're some kind of raving nut case. But you're enjoying the music and singing along so who gives a rat's ass what he thinks. (hmmm- maybe not worrying about What Other People Think is part of being a good "synthesizer"?)
SLICE 'N DICE and Twist and Shout are now tucked away - little electrical charges, unconnected - stored somewhere in your brain.
As you've become a Turning Addict / Devote you've seen "segmented pieces" and have wondered about how the hell Malcom Tibbetts came up with a pretyy wild hare idea and wonder how he actually makes his amazing creations.
But when you find out what's involved in doing these pieces - well, if you're not THAT into turning - you kiss off trying it -WAY too much time and effort.
BUT - IF there was a way to play with something like that - without dedicating months - or years - learning the techniques . . .
While falling asleep, during that Not Quite Conscious but Not Quite Unconscious period, a Window of Opportunity opens. The Conscious Mind and the Unconscious Mind can, and do, talk with each other. THAT''s when strange connections can be made.
SLICE 'N DICE
Twist and Shout
Slice and Shout
Twist and Dice
SLICE AND TWIST!
Then you're off to rest in the Arms of Morpheus.
Hours later, when you're not quite asleep yet not quite awake
- another Window Of Opportunity opens.
The Unconscious Mind has been playing with SLICE and TWIST - and Turning. And before that Window of Opportunity closes, when the Unconscious Mind and Consciuos Mind can talk to each other, the Unconscious Minds says "Pssst - try THIS!"
So I did - sort of. First an approach and way of visulizing things - and then - maybe - I'll apply this idea and see where THAT goes.
So On to The Idea and Methodology (don't you just love Techno Speak?) ---->