Born February 27, 1897, in
Philadelphia, Marian Anderson displayed vocal talent as a child, but her family
could not afford to pay for formal training. Members of her church congregation
raised funds for her to attend a music school for a year. After that, Anderson
spent much of her life breaking barriers for African-American performers. In
1928, she performed at Carnegie Hall for the first time. By the late 1930s,
Anderson was invited by President Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor to perform at
the White House, the first African American ever to receive this honor.. In
1955, the gifted contralto singer became the first African
American to perform as a member of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Creativity Quote: "When you stop having dreams and ideals --well, you might as well stop altogether." (Marian Anderson)
Face 2
Marty Bishop: Jonesboro, Arkansas
Army Staff Sgt. James "Marty" Bishop played Taps in Arlington National Cemetery on Sept. 19 during the funeral for two fallen soldiers lost in combat during World War II. It was a solemn ceremony, and a difficult duty — and Bishop wouldn't have it any other way.
The 30-year-old Jonesboro native is a soldier-musician, a member of the Army Ceremonial Band. He performs at any U.S. Army ceremony in the north capital region, and he plays Taps at funerals and during wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington's Tomb of the Unknowns.
"It's something I have wanted to do for a long time," Bishop said. "It is the best job I could ask for."
He has been on the job since August after successfully auditioning and undergoing basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He previously worked his way through college to receive a bachelor's degree in music education, a master's degree in trumpet performance and a doctorate of musical art.
Bishop, along with his wife Molli and daughter Margaret, is now based out of Fort Myer, the U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery.
"I'm overwhelmed ...," he said. "It's one of the best honors in a job I could ever have been given as a professional musician because I had to be at a certain level."
Creativity Quote: "If there is no hope for the future, there is no power in the present." "Knowing is not doing." (selected by Marty Bishop) "Both of these quotes have great meaning to me. The first applies to every aspect of my life... The other is just something I learned in undergrad from my trumpet teacher. It means that simply knowing about something, or knowing that something needs to be done isn't enough...you must do the work to see the benefit."
Marty Bishop playing Taps at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Creativity Quote: "So let us then try to climb the mountain, not by stepping on what is below us, but to pull us up at what is above us, for my part at the stars." (M.C. Escher) Creativity knows that accepting the challenge of something that seems out of our reach, grows us and takes us to a new, exciting place.
Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is one of the world's most famous graphic artists. His art is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world, as can be seen on the many web sites on the internet.
He is most famous for his so-called impossible constructions. He played with architecture, perspective and impossible spaces. His art continues to amaze and wonder millions of people all over the world. In his work we recognize his unique observation of the world. Escher shows us another way of seeing.
"Hand with Reflecting Sphere"
Face 4: Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking - In 1963, Hawking contracted motor neurone disease (ALS) and was given two years to live. Yet he went on to Cambridge to become a brilliant researcher and professor. From 1979 to 2009 he held the post of Lucasian Professor at Cambridge, the chair held by Isaac Newton. Professor Hawking has over a dozen honorary degrees. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and a Member of the US National Academy of Science. Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Einstein. Hawking is almost completely paralyzed and communicates through a speech generating device.
Creativity Quote: "Look at the stars and not at your feet... try to make sense of what you see. Be curious." (Stephen Hawking)
Creativity is best realized when you are curious.
Face 5: Jane Goodall
Creativity Quote: "I wanted to talk to the animals like Dr. Doolittle." (Jane Goodall) Creativity hopes children of all ages hold on to their dreams and make them come true."
Jane Goodall loved animals even as a child. When she was just over one year old, her father gave her a toy chimpanzee, which she named Jubilee. She carried Jubilee with her everywhere. Today, more than 73 years later, Jubilee – now completely bald from so many hugs – sits on Jane’s dresser in England! "Quite apart from Jubilee, I have been fascinated by live animals from the time when I first learned to crawl,” says Jane. “One of my earliest recollections is of the day that I hid in a small stuffy henhouse in order to see how a hen laid an egg. I emerged after about five hours. The whole household had apparently been searching for me for hours, and mother had even rung the police to report me missing.” But when Jane’s mother saw how excited Jane was, she didn’t scold her. Instead she sat down and listened to Jane tell the wonderful story of how a hen lays an egg.Jane decided she wanted to go to Africa after reading The Story of Dr. Dolittle, by Hugh Lofting. It’s about a doctor who can talk to animals and who travels to Africa. When Jane Goodall became an adult, she set out to Tanzania to study wild chimpanzees by sitting amongst them, bypassing more rigid procedures and uncovering discoveries about primate behavior that have continued to shape scientific discourse. She is a highly respected member of the world scientific community and is a staunch advocate of ecological preservation.
