"I never want to be an expert at anything"

One of the more interesting weekly columns is called "Creating" - - published each Saturday in The Wall Street Journal.  The column profiles an individual regarding their particular creative process.  The range of people, professions, businesses, and insights is fascinating to read - - from cooks to painters to musicians to architects all discussing what creativity means to them.

This week, Eric Avar of Nike was profiled.  Avar is the creative designer for the Kobe Bryant brand of basketball shoes.  The following are several key points regarding creativity that Avar discussed in the column:

• Avar worked closely with Kobe and compiled a 20-page guidebook of Kobe-isms to forge the "spirit" of the shoe.
• "Good design is marriage of science and art."
• "Telling a story is also really important."
• Designers at Nike work in what is known as the "The Kitchen" - - which is off-limits to the public.
• He doesn't work alone - - his preference is for cross-pollination with multi-discipline co-workers.
• Creative space is important.
• Genes must also be important - - Avar's father was a mechanical engineer and his mother was an artist.
• "Imagination is more important than knowledge."  His favorite quote is from Einstein - - "I never want to be an expert at anything." 
• Inspiration doesn't come only from the superstars - - Avar gets good ideas from watching his children play.
• Studying cheetahs helped from a performance standpoint.
• Leonard da Vinci is a source of inspiration - - Avar is constantly searching for new sources of stimuli.