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Brian Estey's avatar

I saw so many β€œreal” things in the fake marble walls of the shower in my childhood home. Still remember them 😊.

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Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD's avatar

Love this! I wrote a children’s book based on paredolia called Moody Moody Cars (Magination Press, For ages 4-8). Cars have feelings! Or at least some look like they do.

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Peter Wang's avatar

There's a thing in mental illness called Idea of Reference where you basically talk to the universe. It offers a lot of creativity but you have to be careful else you get stigmatised like crazy.

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Marcelo Volaco's avatar

I applied this to some watercolor paintings, doing little marks into a myriad of colorful washes. Incredibly, people perceive these marks as expressive faces, even without a clear drawing!

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Ellen Wetmore's avatar

This is what my work is all about. Enjoy: https://www.instagram.com/ellen.wetmore/

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Duane Toops's avatar

"Creativity isn’t just about thinking; it’s about seeing."

We are never passive observers divorced from our experience. We are always, and at all times, active participants in the unfolding everything-ness of all we touch, witness and observe.

@Annie Murphy Paul thanks for such a great post!

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allen comeau's avatar

Chaos theory and amodal perception. like the gestalt triangle we are able to fill in the pieces as needed. There is a skill to it. I like that you are one of few people that think this is a useful mode of perception. It has had a negative stigma associated with mental illness from some which is too bad. It is a good tool to have in your toolbox. You get to see the world in a different manner.

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Sophie Baldwin's avatar

This was very well written, thank you for sharing:)

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Diana Loeb Traylor's avatar

Wow! And thank you.

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Robert Jackson's avatar

Thanks for the inspiration!

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George Appletree's avatar

I like all this. Very interesting. Just two wonders as a photographer (sorry we live in the time of photoshop or better AI), are horse and heart manipulated?, that doesn't move a point of interest of your article though.

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Mike Goodenow Weber's avatar

Interesting, Annie. I've always defined creativity as open, fluid, and flexible thinking. To keep it simple for myself. You've described a key element of it.

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