What is creativity? Is there a relationship between states of mind and a fertile imagination? What are the psychological mechanisms involved in the larger action of the human imagination, urging us to explore new avenues, to see what others have not seen, to create what no one has yet created? Many of the world's greatest writers, artists, and thinkers have been known to struggle with conditions classified as abnormal by psychologists. We will explore these conditions and their impact on creativity, searching further for any special links between certain kinds of abnormal psychological conditions and the drive to create. We will also study the normal mind and how it functions in both mundane and creative ways.

Our interdisciplinary program is not intended to serve as therapy, but rather is a serious study of psychology, literature, the arts, imagination, and the creative impulse. We will approach our questions through various modes of inquiry. Through an in-depth study of abnormal psychology, we will learn to identify and understand a number of conditions. Many of our readings combine art theory with purely scientific psychological case studies by writers such as Sacks and Ramachandran. We will read several selections of imaginative literature by Gogol, Dostoevsky, Poe, Kafka, Plath, Gilman, and other writers describing abnormal psychological conditions. In addition, we will view and study a number of films which reflect incredible creative potential.

We will respond to our readings and films by channeling the imagination with a variety of creative projects. In both quarters of our program, students will discuss assigned readings and films in seminars, engage in active writing exercises, and develop projects designed to explore and stimulate creativity. Assignments will include essays, poster projects, and other creative activities. Students will also work in small groups to make two short films, one each quarter, and will film and edit them on home equipment (cell phones, home camcorders, and home computers). Guest speakers will provide additional workshops and lectures in various artistic modalities. We will take field trips to the Tacoma Art Museum and the Museum of Glass, and our work overall will prepare students to undertake a culminating project in winter term. In all our activities, students will have ample opportunities to explore their own creativity and imagination.