Speaker to share love of creativity with UHV, community
Brian Andreas, the Pulitzer-nominated, internationally recognized writer and artist behind StoryPeople, is coming to the University of Houston-Victoria to speak about creativity, art and storytelling.
The writer and artist will give a presentation hosted by the University of Houston-Victoria School of Arts & Sciences at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Kay and Ron Walker Auditorium inside UHV University North, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. The event is free and open to the public.
“Brian Andreas is an inspiring writer and author who offers a unique perspective,” said Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences. “His emphasis on the importance of creativity as a part of life is a lesson anyone can benefit from, and I hope we have plenty of people attend and participate.”
When it comes to being creative and expressing ideas, Andreas likes to think about the important things in life and how people behave every day.
“The bottom line is that we’re all creative beings,” he said. “Every day, whether you recognize it or not, you make stuff up. You might as well take advantage of that creativity and make things up that make you feel more alive.”
Andreas is known for his lyrical words and colorful drawings about the quiet moments of living; he’s also a well-known speaker on creativity and the art of being alive. He is the author of 13 books with StoryPeople Press, including the Pulitzer-nominated “Traveling Light” and “Some Kind of Ride.” His latest work can be found in the book “Cuba: This Moment, Exactly So,” a collaboration with L.A. photographer Lorne Resnick, as well as almost daily on Instagram.
Although he is the headliner for the event, Andreas said this will be different from a typical speech or motivational presentation. Instead of offering quick tips to be more creative, he wants to inspire people to find their own creative processes.
“Being creative is so very personal, and it looks different for every person,” he said. “Giving blanket advice on how to be more creative is like walking into a random kitchen with no idea what’s happening and telling the cook to add more salt.”
Instead of a formal presentation, Andreas hopes to make the experience more open and conversational. Because creativity is such a unique experience for every person, he is faced with the challenge of giving a presentation that can shift and change with the interests and questions from the audience.
“I want to share a few of my experiences to help people visualize how to get into the nuts and bolts of life,” Andreas said. “When we get out of the way of ourselves, we can find so many threads to explore and ways to be creative.”
Andreas began his motivational speaking career in 2000, and he has been exploring creativity for 35 years, he said. Although some people describe creativity as something that incubates inside someone, he said his experiences feel as if he is grabbing hold of ideas and inspiration as it races past. The real trick for him is learning how to pay attention.
“When it’s all said and done, everyone should pay attention to the beauty and richness of their lives,” he said. “One person can’t be creative with someone else’s guidelines. Do what lights you up. It’s much simpler and easier than you think.”
For more information about the presentation, contact Magen Besancon at 361-570-4185 or besanconm@uhv.edu.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
