“Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations”

—  Rollo May

Source: The Courage to Create (1975), Ch. 6 : On the Limits of Creativity, p. 115
Context: Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations, the latter (like the river banks) forcing the spontaneity into the various forms which are essential to the work of art or poem.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations" by Rollo May?
Rollo May photo
Rollo May 135
US psychiatrist 1909–1994

Related quotes

Carl Sagan photo
Alfred North Whitehead photo
David Allen photo

“To be free to be spontaneously & creatively shallow requires depth of character & a disciplined focus.”

David Allen (1945) American productivity consultant and author

29 April 2011 https://twitter.com/gtdguy/status/63977062188335104
Official Twitter profile (@gtdguy) https://twitter.com/gtdguy

Prevale photo

“Music demands spontaneity granting the soul the capacity to express itself without limits.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: La musica esige spontaneità concedendo all'anima la capacità di esprimersi senza limiti.
Source: prevale.net

“Play touches and stimulates vitality, awakening the whole person - mind, body, intelligence and creativity, spontaneity and intuition.”

Viola Spolin (1906–1994) American academic and acting theorist

Theater Games for the Classroom: A Teacher's Handbook (1986) Northwestern University Press, page 3

Gloria Steinem photo

“Artists strive to free this true and spontaneous self in their work. Creativity, meditation are ways of freeing an inner voice”

Gloria Steinem (1934) American feminist and journalist

Revolution From Within

Daniel Abraham photo

“I think there's a real tension between sophistication and accessibility.”

Daniel Abraham (1969) speculative fiction writer from the United States

interview with Locus Magazine, June 2008
Context: Writers are a basically insecure bunch. We are convinced that everything we do sucks, all the time. It's something you have to fight. The best way to make sure that your writing will never be particularly good is to use it for something besides telling the story. And I think there's a real tension between sophistication and accessibility.

Related topics