That command has served as an outlet for expression probably since time began. Creativity, or lack thereof, has shaped civilization into what it is today. In fact, creativity takes place everywhere, including right here on campus.
Palo Alto offers several creative outlets for many students. Some students have been creating, in one form or another, for years and some have just started digging down within themselves for the first time to scratch their creative itch.
Different creative outlets that Palo Alto College offers on campus include classes in writing, sculpture, music, art and dance. Creative Writing, with Nan Cuba, is one of these classes.
“When you’re a practitioner of your craft, I think you have a responsibility to share what you know, train new talent and participate in the shaping of that art form,” explained Cuba, an adjunct English faculty.
The students who take the class vary. Some have been writing for a long time, and some are just beginning to pick up the craft. The students vary in age as well.
“The two things that inspire me to write stories are books, specifically of the crime genre, and interesting movies. I also use music as another inspiring and creative tool, because it helps me to establish and understand emotions in different aspects of life,” said April Davalos, a sophomore Nursing major.
Music is probably one of the most popular sources of creativity. It serves as both inspiration and an art form.
“I just did an audition at UTSA Monday. I play the flute, the piccolo, the piano and I’m classically trained in voice. I’m a soprano," said Aimie Abrams, a sophomore Music Performance-Instrument Major. She described the pull she feels toward music. “Just the love of music and the fire of it. Even if you’re not good at it, you do it because you love it.”
Palo Alto offers a variety of music classes for the spring semester. Look
in the Palo Alto bulletin for a complete list.
Dance is another popular form of creative expression.
“Dancing is a way to express myself, and it’s a stress reliever. It’s a lot of fun and takes a lot of high energy. As far as creativity, this dance in particular (Ballet Folklorico) is from Mexico, and I think it’s awesome how we keep tradition from many years ago, today, using the creativity from my ancestors and other people’s ancestors,” said Elizabeth Iglesias, a sophomore Spanish major.
Ballet Folklorico is available in the spring semester, along with other
dance classes ranging from modern dance, ballet, flamenco and dance appreciation.
“Dance is an art. Just like music, painting, sculpture, poetry and
theater, it draws upon the creative aspect of human beings,” said Dora
Ruffner, Lead Dance Instructor for the Department of Kinesiology, Health
and Dance.
Creativity can be used to serve the community, as well. Cakky
Brawley, assistant Art professor, has set up a stage area and canopy
sculpture, or a shade area, here on campus between the Fine Arts building
and the Faculty Office Building.
With the guidance of Brawley and
resident artist, Joel Sisson, Palo Alto students collaborated with various high
school students and after-school programs through Juvenile Outreach Vocational
Education Network (J.O.V.E.N.) to create various sculpture installations. The
projects that were created on the Palo Alto campus include four life-size rocking
horse sculptures and a small outdoor stage and canopy sculpture. The stage area
and the canopy are to be completed by the end of the semester.
“I think the most important element of these projects that we did on campus
was that we realized the important role art has in these students' lives, and
the role of building self esteem and building the confidence of someone creating,”
said Brawley.
Lloyd Walsh, assistant professor of Art
here at Palo Alto, teaches Painting I and II.
“As you work with students, being an artist and pursuing that as a professional
career, you try to involve your own experiences with the students directly,”
he explained.
Jake Danklefs is a sophomore Business major and a drawing student with a passion.
“Seeing something going from my head and out of my fingertips to the paper
and seeing it as I visualized is my inspiration for drawing,” said Danklefs.
Creativity can also be used as a way of making friends. Gabriel Silva, a sophomore
in Criminal Psychology, has a Public Access show on Channel 20 called Heavy
Hooligans. They do not have a set timeslot yet, but be on the lookout for fliers.
They started off as a couple of friends with a video camera, and the show has
been running for about a year now.
“We were all good friends before the show started, and we live near each
other. We treat it as fun rather than work,” Silva said.
Creative opportunities abound on campus. Find your niche and get in touch with
your creative side