The symbol of all art is the Prism. The goal is unrealism. The method is destructive. To break up the white light of objective realism into the secret glories which it contains.- E.E. Cummings

The intricate beauty of creative inspiration lies in its ability to manifest in various forms, which exist in our everyday reality. Sometimes inspiration strikes with the force of a mighty wave crashing on the shore—stirring our emotions with intense joy or the deepest sorrows that inspire revolutions. Other times it can be simple dew drops on blades of grass or morning starlight fading into the vast expanse of the universe, but it is our perception that affects how we interpret these inspirations and sets the foundation for our creativity.

As humans, light allows our eyes to see or make objects visible, and by definition, light is a type of electromagnetic radiation—a form of energy that we rely on to interpret our reality. Think about that for a second. The way the fortunate majority of us humans perceive and interpret our reality is through the processing of electromagnetic radiation. Our routines often dull our experiences and shape our view of reality. Yes, the grass is green, and the sky is blue. Those are everyday facts. But what if we saw that beautiful green grass, blue sky, and everything else around us as what they truly are—reflections of radiating rays of light? Doesn’t that make the everyday world around us seem that much more magical and inspiring? This is where the power of the prism comes into play.

A prism is a tool that takes ordinary light and breaks it up into a nearly infinite spectrum of colors. Similarly, as E.E.Cummings says, we creators can take the mundane, objective perception of our reality and break it up into its individual glories. We can use our imagination and creativity to see the world around us in new and meaningful ways, connect with our surroundings on a deeper level, and inspire others along the way. But the key to unlocking our creative prism lies in our mindset. Creativity is not just about knowledge, practice, or talent but also about our willingness to take risks, push boundaries, and think beyond the realms of our personal experience.

As I was researching and organizing my thoughts for this Prism theme article, I came across this quote from Galileo Galilei, the father of observational astronomy, that I felt captures the simple yet complex nature of our reality, interdependence, and all that lies within. He says:

“The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.”