Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert began her career in photography when she received a Master’s degree in Photography and Media Studies from Webster University in St. Louis and continued as a photography instructor at Webster, and The Windsor School in Boston. Her experience as a commercial photographer includes weddings, portraits, sporting events, brochures, book layout and design, with a specialty in large format architectural photography. Her focus shifted in 2004 when an impulse drew her to the Minnesota State Fair; she returned each of the following three years, and the result is a photo book called State Fair-The Great Minnesota Get-Together, published by the Minnesota Historical Press in 2008. A second book, Minnesota County Fairs: Kids, Cows, Carnies, and Chow was published the next year. Lambert’s career has followed a natural course into the realm of inspirational speaking. Her presentation, “The Power of Creativity: Remembering the Things We Already Know,” explores the idea of reconnection to the “beginner’s brain.” Lambert believes that although we are born with the power of creativity and the gift of imagination, by the time we become adults most of us have lost this energy. Why does that happen and how do we find it again? Why is it important? Using original artwork and photographs from her career, Lambert takes you on a journey to answer those questions.

TOPIC

Road to Joy: Remembering the Things We Already Know
We are all born with the power of creativity and the gift of imagination. By the time we become adults, most of us have lost this energy. Why does this happen and how do we find it again? Why is it important? A 40- minute presentation, using original artwork and 375 photographs from her career, Susan Lambert follows her personal journey to illustrate the following points:

  • As children we are filled with wonder, curiosity and passion. We are explorers, discoverers, adventurers. Life is full of endless possibility.
  • As we mature, life becomes serious business and most of us lose our creative energy, our imaginations, our passion. We get disconnected from our authentic selves.
  • We can tap back into our creative reservoirs and unleash our imaginations by reconnecting to our “child’s mind” or “beginner’s brain,” and we do that by remembering how to play.
  • There are many ways to unlock the “beginner’s brain,” but ultimately, children are our greatest teachers. Just observe children to be reminded that we are most human, most alive, most authentic, when we are young.
  • We are all designed by nature and evolution to learn and grow through play, not just as children but throughout our lives. Play is a necessity, not a luxury. It increases energy, enlivens the spirit, fosters flexibility, adaptability, and resilience and brings life into balance. It can save your life.
  • Play is a doorway to learning, creativity, and innovation.
  • Creative people imagine, invent, problem-solve, collaborate, and communicate in fresh new ways.
  • Those with the ability to think outside the box will be the innovators of the future.
  • People reach their highest levels of mastery because they love what they’re doing. It’s not work, it’s play.
  • The power of play is transformative.