How The Artist Mind Transposes Images

I think artists see the world a bit differently. We are trained early to see line, texture, shape, and color in all things. You may look at a chain, for instance, and just think chain. An artist, however, will think....parallel lines, round shapes, gun metal silver, contrast, and then at the end think...chain. The creativity within us makes the artist think...hmmm, how could I use this is a piece of art work. Will I use it as the photo, in itself as the art work, will I make a collage and use a part of the image as a whole, will I make a sculpture that is larger than life to make you notice the details, or will I make a bracelet and repeat the pattern of design? I remember once studying there are only 5 or 6 patterns that are repeated in nature and in the world. I do not remember them, other than spiral. I just remember being fascinated anyone could get all of these thousands of designs around us down to only five or six.