creative theory - exploring crosstalk and intermodal play in the mind of a functional glass art visionary with a deep dive on strange loops

Creative theory attempts to explain the complex framework of cognitive processes that influence everything from everyday decisions on problem solving to discovery and the progression of ideas and perceptions involved when visionaries create art.

In the mind of a visionary, "crosstalk and intermodal play" refer to the integration and exploration of ideas, concepts, or methodologies from different disciplines or modalities. This involves crossing boundaries, transitioning perspectives, or combining modes of expression to generate new insights, possibilities, solutions or creations.

Embracing this as a tool in the creative process enhances flexibility and adaptability. This enrichment feeds the fire of inspiration and removes limits from the mind's potential. Cross-pollination spurs exciting and endless, new possibilities throughout diverse applications. With the extensive variables impacted and promise of treasures revealed, this special synergy is essential to the mind's ability to break free from the confines of routine and repetition. Playing a pivotal role, this effect of two unrelated elements having such a surprise impact on each other is a key feature of human cognition, and perhaps also a gateway to deeper things beyond our understanding.

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In science and art alike this phenomenon persists. It is so profound that it didn't go unnoticed by Einstein in his reference to "spooky action at a distance" concerning his observations about "entanglement" in quantum physics. Countless breakthroughs in Mathematics have similarly demonstrated how "patterns of discovery" and likewise "discovery of patterns" stem from the mind's interest in and attraction to these "strange loops".

Initially this effect of cross-pollination of ideas seems paramount for the creative process along the path to invention, but after deeper reflection it seems even more staggering in it's identity... In his 1979 Pulitzer Prize winning book "Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid", author Douglas Hofstadter deep dives this as he discusses Gödel's "Math incompleteness theorems" whereby simple math reveals a perception paradox that easily disproves some of our most basic human understandings. He then explains how mathematical "strange loops" can be used to manipulate patterns that distort our perception by tricking our senses. He then demonstrates how this was applied by both Bach in creating his melodic/harmonic counterpoint music mastery and Escher to design his optical illusions and visual art paradoxes. He also argues further that human cognition and even the perception of reality could stem from these "strange loops" as a driving mechanism... While this opens the door to much deeper questions about reality and existence, it also reflects how interdisciplinary collaboration is involved in human understanding and fosters creativity. This potential for the "bridging" and "combining" of things unrelated into something new and enlightening begs further study.

"Perception" can be defined as the result of a human mind funneling down sensory input from its complex environment into a drastically simplified reading and converting it to format and record. This is internalized and along with other cognitive processes shapes the individual experience. The mind creates this code of inputs and associations from all it encounters and feels, then combines and stores it all to memory in the subconscious where it accrues perpetually.

As this mental library of experiences builds over a lifetime, it unconsciously shapes our bias, beliefs and understandings. Constantly and unknowingly referenced, it colors our identity and constructs our individuality. Opening doors to fresh connections, correlations and context, this "secret recipe" melds the new relationships into our own perspective and understanding of our environment. This collage of countless compounds is continually cross referenced as it builds our evolving structure of self. Fusion of combined stimuli, bound and reinforced by coinciding emotions, transform and shape our future experiences and disposition. It weaves the fabric of our opinion, attitude and consciousness. Sometimes the negatives, unbeknownst to us, are only "guilty by association"...

When we put labels to terminology (as words, sounds or symbols) and thoughts or ideas together into a related group, it becomes a language. Similarly when thoughts and experiences are tied to feelings, emotions or sensory perceptions, they combine to construct what becomes a perspective.

Maybe this is why both reality and perspective (both for the individual and group) can seem to be so subjective. All things that can be defined are relative to their parts. Is an individual's consciousness its own language? Does this reveal why all humans seem to each have their own unique opinions, tastes and beliefs? Do we all create our own reality? It seems easy to see how our individual perceptions are shaped and become a unique construct but what questions does this raise about the nature of reality and existence? What does this mean for our potential abilities to understand, discover and create? We are all the same yet all so different. We all have the same fate, yet are so different in our personal identity, skill set and qualities..

Recent breakthroughs in AI technology that are rapidly changing the world seem to have stemmed from "computer learning" finding new ways to excel at transitions. It started simply as a language learning model, building continually by algorithmic indexing and development from evolving data sets and interaction.

Initially unintended, a startling revelation was soon discovered: all subjects, disciplines, and subsets are in fact also languages. Unforeseen breakthroughs in multiple areas such as visual art and music generation have since resulted. Such surprise transformations seem to be a driving force behind AI's recent, rapid advancements, perhaps in even more ways than we can yet understand. Such transcendence was achieved by using computing prowess to search, sort and sift through colossal data sets of all types and find the "loops" and relevant and relative patterns between. It seems that this overwhelming success showcases the severity of its importance along with its frightening power to transcend boundaries in this special way.

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From the perspective of Evolutionary Biology, it appears that the important balance of mankind's more primal features and instincts have parallels to many of the forces at work in our natural world. This posits that the fundamental unit of natural selection and overall progression is not the individual organism, as traditionally thought, but rather the gene. From this view of evolution it is often proposed that the "genetic code" itself strives for survival and replication and therefore is more in control or "alive" than the organism. Relative to the recent advancements in fields such as molecular biology and genetic engineering, this begs for validity. So can all living things including mankind be reduced to code? If so what sets apart the operator from the operating system? Which is more important or expendable? Are we just carriers driven by complex codes of DNA?

The balance of the system as a whole pervades as the relationships between its parts relate, counter and repeat as they evolve. This conglomerate persists even as errors and malignancies buildup in it's parts. When the organism dies or the star burns out, they are only but parts of the prevailing system which are transformed, converted or reincarnated.

Everything from microscopic to astronomical has its observable patterns, often with remarkable similarities. Many theoretical discoveries begin with such patterns being coded as math or reduced to an equation. Chemistry has decoded nearly all matter and composition into a language reduced to a code of elements. But how much do we really know and where are the limits of our understanding? Do we have more answers than questions?

Similarities are prevalent in the cycles of life and proliferate throughout time and space. What can we take from it all to help us learn, understand and create? Mankind has incredible mental abilities of contemplation, choice and awareness unique to us on the planet, but we are still undoubtedly driven by instinct and involuntary action. Sometimes our responses are conditioned and void of intellectual thought or reason. We are predestined, programmed animals with hardcoded knowledge and fate.

Man often is driven by emotion and things beyond his comprehension, yet he paradoxically also has a choice. He can choose to use his logic and reason but also to ignore it and go with his visceral intuition. Both must be respected and cross referenced. After consideration, he can ignore or employ either or both, He should strive to find the right balance.

We have been given the precious gift of choice to think and decide before we act, but we must use it alongside simple instinctual inclinations that sometimes give us the answers and convictions of ancient wisdom that perhaps we will never understand. Sometimes we are sure but we don't know why. Other times we aren't sure and it's the obvious answer or first thought that comes to mind. Sometimes we know, but don't know that we know. At times we come to a point where we shouldn't overthink it, but instead rely on our better judgement. Indecisiveness can paint us into a corner. We must endeavor to adapt from what we have and use all of the tools available. Mistakes are ok and just part of the journey.

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In the creative process, the "writing is on the wall" for crosstalk significance and importance but how do we utilize it as we navigate our thoughts? While it's not easy to explain or understand why or how (yet), we can try to learn and build on the backs of what others have shown us. In the cases of Synesthesia in Savants we can observe marvels and seemingly superhuman abilities of the mind that stem from this crosstalk between senses in such individuals. Shocking skills in memory, math, visual art and music exemplify the power of such interplay. One such savant with extreme unbelievable math computing skills is Daniel Tammet. While most savants have other learning disabilities that hinder their ability to explain how they think, he is quite able to do so. He has written several books and given extensive talks on just that. He explains that his sensory crosstalk (synesthesia) enables him to accomplish such mathmatical feats as calculating in his mind (duration of over 5 hours and 9 minutes to recite) Pi to 22,514 digits! He explains how his mental perception of numbers is unique, in that each number is also experienced as an emotion, shape and color. This allows him to understand numbers and math in a much different way, as it allows him to visualize complex patterns and large number sets without effort. Seemingly impossible or magical, he is able to perform miraculous computations without thought. This strange interplay of senses and numbers allows him to effortlessly "see" the apparent answer as a colorful, mood evoking, geometric pattern that instantly comes to mind. While he explains the process and his bizarre perceptions in detail, he also mentions how he believes that all human brains should have the potential to achieve this ability... His bizarre superpower shockingly doesn't involve his memory at all. The sum or answer just appears in his mind as a picture.

Human memory ability paradoxically seems to excel with more associations to remember. What seems at first to be more workload for the mind/memory actually gives it more pathways or possibilities to recall through interplay and patterns. This is similar to school methods combining simple rhymes or music with a long string of information to aid in recollection. Strange, but it works, defying logic and science. The paradox resurfaces in the normal human mind... Use of acronyms as a memory aid is yet another simple example. Most memory techniques initially involve more workload for the mind and more things to remember. But the power is in the correlation and synergy. More to remember becomes easier than less. This is a great example of crosstalk and it's relevance in even the everyday normal human memory. From simple to complex, and from mundane to superhuman, this evasive "method to the madness" is not straightforward or simple but nonetheless extremely promising...

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In the learning and creative processes, we often learn by accident or mistake. What makes these mistakes/accidents special when they become positive discoveries? What happens when a new idea or revelation is born from discord? Sometimes in the journey of human experience, discovery is perceived as positive only because it is new and stimulating (hence mankind's hunger for the exotic). Curiosity leads to new horizons, don't knock it til ya try it. And I mean really give it a chance, don't fight it or shoot it down before it has its moment of proper judgement. Psychology and attitude play a serious role in these processes. The overly stubborn and close minded have already decided, and so their reality has become their own private prison cell or protective shell. For those that know it all, there is nothing more new to discover or learn. Sometimes, we can create our own limits that wouldn't exist otherwise...

While a small number of variables can yield infinite possibilities, it never hurts to have more options and tools... From the beginning as a glass artist, I was captivated by this potential. Flamework on a torch is usually classified as blown for hollowform/vessels (tubing) or sculpted for solid forms(sheet/cullet/rod). Many different styles of working, techniques and formulations of glass exist and perpetually grow. There are many different approaches and methods to achieve the same results. The devious are often rewarded and will continue on their own different paths and excel respectively. Maybe there are different "realities" in this creative realm? Many techniques and styles can morph into another, constantly evolving, changing and intersecting/combining. Contrasting "ways to a means" distort and compound each other along the continuum. This keeps it fresh and interesting and every routine is different and there seemingly just aren't rules. Always more new to come, more to learn and look forward to. This endless positive succession is simultaneously competition and collaboration. The endlessly shapeshifting kaleidoscope breathes excitement and optimistic energy into the collective spirit as it kicks the can further down the path of discovery...

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However for me personally the deepest resonance is concerning the crosstalk between function and art. I've also always really liked the way glass fits into mixed media applications for both art and function. Compounding different media opens up even more possibilities and ways to adapt and transform...

Fine Art by definition must be purely aesthetic and intellectual and strictly must not serve any purpose or function. However, in the realm of pure function and engineering, glass is unrivaled as a material. Most of our homes, buildings, cars trains etc. are full of windows and perhaps someday will be constructed entirely of solid glass bodies or structures. Everything from light bulbs, screens, shot glasses and fiber optics are made from this amazing material that lends itself so nicely to pure function. I primarily work with Borosilicate Glass which was first formulated and developed for scientific use in the laboratory as an extremely resilient and workable type yielding itself to function. But just 150 years since its invention, today I primarily make colorful artistic pieces from this glass medium specifically designed to make clear lab apparatus like test tubes and beakers that can withstand corrosive and boiling chemicals. An unintended or unforeseen advantage to these strengths for artistic applications was how ideal the durability would be for jewelry, goblets or other functional art glass items that would be more fragile (and thus less desirable) in the softer glass formulations. Also, it offers advantages in workability over softer glass with its resilience to shock and stress in the flame and longer windows of working time. This has resulted in yet more new discoveries and new tech, transcending what was possible with previous formulas. As a material for design, glass of any formulation lends itself nicely to both function and art since it is just so workable and adaptable in so many applications.

As far as inspiration during the creative thought process while melting glass, the interplay between pure art form and pure function opens doors to new possibilities in another special way. The creative energy from one discipline can feed the other and ideas can adapt, adopt or modulate from one to the other. This personally feeds my creativity and provides constant new inspiration. A simple example of this dynamic interchange: While making a teapot (focusing on the design based solely on its function), I try something new, experimenting with a longer shape design and pull the spout out too far to function properly. But by "accident" my "mistake" inspires me as I realize it's a perfect shape for a fine art sculpture centerpiece. Such pivots are common and often spark innovation in my creative work.. As a glass/mixed media artist as well as an ordinary everyday problem solver, this potential to transform and adapt ideas constantly motivates me and inspires my actions and visions.

The glass art visionary's creative theory...