The standard Webster’s dictionary defines creativity as:

“The ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.”

Creativity isn’t a process solely used in the arts, it’s a function used by the brain for problem solving. Everyone is capable of creativity, whether it is using your jumper to dry your hands in the absence of a hand towel or using language to tell a story, creativity lies within all of us.

There is evidence that creative pursuits positively affect memory. This due to the strengthening of the connections in the brain.

Put simply creativity relies on memory. Memory would tell you that you need to dry your hands after washing them, creativity offers the means to do so. And whilst different areas of the brain are responsible for different functions, they all are connected by pathways. Using different parts of the brain strengthens these pathways and the stronger these pathways become the easier it is for us to access them.

At Layston Grove we try to get involved in creative pursuits as often as possible. As a group we really enjoy them. We hold craft clubs and poetry days, we knit, we paint and just recently we have dabbled with clay modelling.

I haven’t made anything out of clay since my children were little and even then, I made what I was asked, I did as I was told. This week it was totally different. We were all handed clay and told to let our imaginations run wild.

The feel of the clay is therapeutic and it’s easy to mould. Knowing that mistakes are easily rectified by rolling said clay back into a ball and starting again makes for a relaxing experience.

I was amazed at how inventive people were with their clay, we ended up with a variety of models ranging from fried eggs to houses. They were quite impressive.

Once dried we painted our models, it was lovely to see them come to life.