The Art (and Science) of Creativity

How art is made is cloaked in mystery, not just to the audience but also, in many cases, even to the artist. How does creativity work? How do you know when the artwork is finished? What is "productive failure" and how is it important to the creative process? How do you become creative?

Creativity, however, isn't only restricted to making art. In everyday life, we also use creativity in our workplace and our leisure time. Whether playing a video game or sport, solving a complex logistical problem, or trying out a recipe, creativity -- that is, aesthetic and scientific problemsolving -- is at work. In this issue we've asked several practicing artists about their creative process in various art disciplines, from music to theater, from visual arts to folk arts. We're also talking with other creative practitioners -- a scientist, a game designer -- about how creativity relates to learning and thinking creatively in other disciplines.