Understanding Intuition in the Creative Process - Perspectives from Eastern and Western Philosophy

ABOUT

Theresa Hardman is an architect, artist, designer and dancer; curious, complex and playful. Having had 26 years of experience teaching design and drawing to architecture students at university, she is passionate about creativity in all forms and she facilitates art classes for adults, as well as creativity workshops. She runs an art and architectural design studio in Port Elizabeth with her husband, Mark.

Theresa has recently completed a PhD thesis on nurturing the non-rational aspects of the creative process, ie. how can I teach you to access the most personal, unique, creative voice that is yours, and only yours? She work in various visual art mediums, including charcoal, pencil, watercolour, ink, monoprint and linocut printing. This presentation is a summary of her findings from decades of research into understanding the nature of creative intuition, which formed her thesis for a PhD which was awarded earlier this year.

Her study investigates the nature of intuition in the creative process (referred to as creative intuition) by examining four underlying principles which characterise it, drawing from psychology as well as Eastern and Western philosophy. It aims to contribute to a more coherent understanding of intuition as a mode of creation, as well as to restore to intuition the value and respect it deserves as a natural and instinctive way of knowing.  

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