Knowledge and Creativity:

 Does one depend on the other?

            Knowledge is defined as an acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation (dictionary.com). Knowledge is something that is acquired.  No being on the planet is born with knowledge; they must learn everything.  Having knowledge of a skill or subject can sometimes spark imagination and that is what drives people to invent new things or produce beautiful pieces of artwork.  Creativity is defined as the ability to transcend traditional ideas, and to create meaningful new ideas (dictionary.com).  Many people can have ideas, but being creative requires a person to take something that has been done and taking it to an entirely new level that has never been done before.  Creativity is often brought on by extensive knowledge of a subject or skill and trying to form it into a new idea or process. 

Both creativity and knowledge are traits that are dependant on each other in many ways.  In order for one to be able to create new things they must have the knowledge of the particular subject that they are creating upon.  For example, Albert Einstein was faced with a dilemma and he created a mathematical equation to solve his theory of relativity.  If Einstein didn’t have the knowledge of math, he would have never found a needed to solve any problems.  A great example of an individual that took his knowledge of art and put his own spin on it was Pablo Picasso.  Picasso painted in a very traditional style for most of his young life, yet when he matured into a more experienced adult painter he branched out and created his own style, Cubism.  Picasso had to have very good knowledge of how colors, lines, balance, and even the anatomy of a human work together to make successful pieces of work.  Lastly, Andy Warhol used his knowledge of printing to bring ordinary products to life with his choice vibrant colors.  In one of his most notable pieces of art, the Campbell’s soup can print; he took a can of soup, which someone else had made, and took it to another level by using repeating patterns and colors. 

 There are exceptions of the connection between knowledge and creativity, because there are a few people who are just naturally talented; however, it can be very hard to recreate a masterpiece if one doesn’t have the knowledge or skills to recreate it.  Also, many people who may not be formally trained or that may not have a strong knowledge of a subject can create many things, but to truly make an impact on the world with creativity, knowledge is required.