The Art of Finding Your Inner Creativity

With the Honolulu Biennial in full swing, the entire city is bearing witness to the power of creativity. But what defines "creativity"?

The dictionary describes it as "the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work". The truth? Creativity is oh-so much more than that. Hardly relegated to imagination and "artist work" alone, the beauty of creativity is that it lives inside all of us. Whether it manifests itself into a line of coding that creates world-changing software or it's found behind a painter's brush, creativity has the power to enhance our everyday lives. That's what makes finding your own creativity such an exciting experience! We can all harness this power, and in turn, make our world that much more thought-provoking and interesting.

Within Ward Village, creativity runs rampant. Look no further than the myriad of small businesses moving their brands forward each and every day as prime examples. For Dane Ikeda, who oversees much of the creative direction for Cameron Hawaii, tapping into his inner creative is paramount.

I think creativity is fundamental to what we do here at Cameron Hawaii. We're constantly trying to think of new ways to tell our story and create new merchandise. And it's not always easy. I've found that my best creative work occurs when I look outside of the field we work in. If I'm trying to design something new, I might go look at art or graffiti for inspiration. Or I may listen to music. I think the best ideas happen when you're not trying to force them.

For Amy Wong, who owns the streetwear-themed children's boutique Big Bad Wolf, keeping a creative outlook has been vital to the brand's success.

Tapping into our own creativity is hugely important to us. We can't stop being creative. That's how we stand out and make a statement. For me, finding my creativity is something I do as soon as I wake and it's the last thing I think about before I go to bed. I gain inspiration every day. I'm always thinking about the brand; it doesn't matter who I'm with, where I am, or what I'm doing, I can always find something that inspires me for Big Bad Wolf.

If there's a voice inside you telling you that you're not a creative person, that there isn't a better solution to a problem, pay it no mind. While some of us falsely believe that creativity is an inherent gift, the truth is that it's inside all of us. If it doesn't come naturally to you, there are a myriad of ways to tap into it. Experts agree that fundamentally, being creative means never being opposed to change. On the contrary, change should be embrace. Apple neither invented the computer nor the telephone, but they created something magical when they merged the two together, all with their signature style.

Whether you're looking to change the world, develop an app, write a song, or are simply yearning to try your hand at pottery, approaching each goal with creativity not only makes for a better outcome, but it makes the road to the finish line a hell of a lot more fun. Life is a blank canvas, and we're all uniquely equipped to paint our own story. Don't be afraid to use a little extra color in your palette.