The Art of Noticing: How Creativity Makes Life a Little Easier
This past weekend, I visited my grand uncle-in-law at our family cabin in the Poconos. We shared a lovely time together—laughing, cooking, enjoying the peace of nature. My grand uncle is a wise and vibrant man, even as he experiences some age-related challenges like Parkinson’s and mild dementia. Despite those things, his spirit is still sharp and his presence, grounding.
As we packed up to leave, I found myself doing what I often do instinctively—looking around to see if there was anything I could tweak or improve to make his everyday life just a bit easier. Not in a way that takes away his independence or capability, but rather to gently smooth out any small points of friction.
One thing stood out: the tangled mess of charging cables. Black cords looped and crossed, all serving different devices, but none labeled. A small annoyance, sure—but one that adds up when patience or physical coordination becomes a limited resource.
So I grabbed some masking tape and a pen and quickly labeled each charger: “Phone”, “Tablet”—simple tags, no fancy font or colors. Just something visual to break up the visual noise. It took less than five minutes. Now, instead of getting frustrated by a nest of wires, my uncle sees a small challenge—a puzzle, even—that requires a bit of reading and light coordination. It becomes less about frustration and more about flow.
And that is design thinking.
It’s not always about innovation in the flashy sense. Sometimes, it’s just about empathy. Seeing a small problem and meeting it with a simple, human-centered solution. Design thinking isn’t about doing more. It’s about thinking better. It's asking: How can this be more intuitive, more accessible, or more joyful?
At Whimsy Art Club, we plant the seeds of this mindset early.
Our young artists might not be redesigning tech systems (yet), but every project invites them to notice the world, interpret it in their own way, and come up with creative responses. Whether they’re turning recycled materials into inventions or reimagining how we move through cities in our “Future of Transportation” lesson, they’re learning to look at the world not just for what is, but for what could be.
Because creativity isn’t just for artists. It’s for problem-solvers, caregivers, inventors, and kids—especially kids.
Art has the power to transform more than paper and paint. It can shape how we respond to people’s needs, how we connect, and how we improve the world, one small thoughtful step at a time.
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Want to explore how creativity and critical thinking come together in every Whimsy Art Club class? Learn more here!
