Photo by Nicole Wolf
Dear Readers,
Creative intelligence drives new possibilities in art and design practice, and many other forms of problem-solving, world-building, and experimentation. With the advent of artificial intelligence presenting so much information instantly at our fingertips, the process of cultivating creative intelligence is perhaps more important now than ever before. Exercising our creative muscles through research, writing, studio-based pursuits, and collaborative endeavors allows us to expand critical thinking skills and approach emerging ideas with new insights and intentional curiosity.
This issue of & Magazine is designed to give you a glimpse into how Maine College of Art & Design students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members hone their creative intelligence to improve their work, address challenges, and shape our shared experiences. You’ll find interviews and articles about the health benefits of engaging in the arts; how a retired professor transcends mediums while applying the same creative principles to her work, and the pivotal role MECA&D plays in Maine’s creative ecosystem. The following pages also highlight ways that the MECA&D community uses creative intelligence to impact our future—both locally and globally. Students and faculty are using design thinking to help Mainers respond to climate change and they are cultivating creative intelligence in the classroom and in the world beyond our campus by grounding their endeavors in process-based approaches that value collaboration, reciprocity, and authenticity.
Perhaps you’ll recognize aspects of your own story and experience as a creative practitioner, appreciator, or supporter in the profiles and narratives found here. Ultimately, I hope these stories and ideas leave you feeling inspired to continue connecting and growing along with us at MECA&D.
Sincerely,
President, Maine College of Art & Design