10 Lessons from a Designer

I believe this is what you would call re-blogging . . .

These are some insightful and thought-provoking lessons from Wieden+Kennedy’s Executive Creative Director, John C Jay: 10 Lessons for young designers.

1: Be authentic. The most powerful asset you have is your individuality, what makes you unique. It’s time to stop listening to others on what you should do.
2: Work harder than anyone else and you will always benefit from the effort.
3: Get off the computer and connect with real people and culture. Life is visceral.
4: Constantly improve your craft. Make things with your hands. Innovation in thinking is not enough.
5: Travel as much as you can. It is a humbling and inspiring experience to learn just how much you don’t know.
6: Being original is still king, especially in this tech-driven, group-grope world.
7: Try not to work for stupid people or you’ll soon become one of them.
8: Instinct and intuition are all-powerful. Learn to trust them.
9: The Golden Rule actually works. Do good.
10: If all else fails, No. 2 is the greatest competitive advantage of any career.

My aunt is an architect and designer and I know she holds true to almost all of these and has a successful creative business.    Here's a link to her work: Hayes Architecture and Interiors.

Daily Photo Project #1

Ok.  Here goes.

I've been giving some serious thought to embarking upon a year-long daily photo project, and today I just decided to go for it.  As daunting as this sounds, there are many things motivating me to do it right now, namely the opportunity to grow as a photographer.

Ever since I was introduced to James Kochalka's American Elf, an amazingly simple and awesome and beautiful daily web comic, I've been noticing moments in my daily life that I want to point out/remember/express.  As a collection, American Elf is simple and poignant and SO inspiring, creatively speaking.  Here's the first one EVER all the way back in 1998 (and he's managed to keep doing it to this day!)

 I doubt that I'll be able to keep up this project as long as James has, but I had I similar feeling today as in this comic.  Here's my first photo to get things kicked off, but you can keep up with the project on my Flickr page: My Photostream

Beauty in an Elevator

I watched this video a few months ago from a friend who posted it on Facebook and it has stuck with me ever since.  I even wrote a poem about it to try to figure out what was so beautiful about this project.  But I'll let you figure it out for yourself. . .


Future Shorts: Lift

The Illusionist

We saw "The Illusionist" the other night and I can safely say that it's one of the best things I've seen this year, or maybe ever.  Here's a link to info and clips: The Illusionist



Not only was it visually striking but the story was beautifully crafted.  There were hilarious moments and really poignant and sad aspects but it wasn't heavy-handed. Pretty poetic in that way.  I was totally immersed in the world by the end. Highly recommend it!

Creativity and the Self

There's an article in the current Yoga Journal about pleasure in yoga practice by Sally Kempton, and there's a bit about creativity as one of the 5 basic levels of pleasure that are necessities for balanced life.  The 5 she gives are pleasures we get from sensual pleasure, loving intimacy, purposeful action, creativity, and of immersion in spirit (what you get at as a result of a yoga practice).

She defines creativity as more than just creating an object.  Rather, it includes the feeling of inspiration that results from a creative idea and discusses the physiological impacts on the brain.  All the the actions she mentions trigger the pleasure centers of the brain sending dopamine and serotonin to the cortical area.  But there is also a divine aspect of this moment of inspiration that speaks to the universality of the creative impulse.

Seed Stitch Cowl: Free Pattern

It's not often that I hope for winter to last longer, but I did while I was making this cowl. Months ago I told my dear friends Molly and Lindsey that I'd make them cowls, but (as usual) I got a little distracted with other projects.  Anyhoo, this one's for Molly and I bet it will make all the hipsters on the L train she takes back to Bushwick super jealous.  (Don't worry, Linny.  Yours is in the works and Boston will be cold for a while, I think.)

I didn't knit this one in the round but it still looks good turned on its side because seed stitch looks good on a piece whether it's upright or turned on its side.  So it's basically like knitting a scarf but you'll weave the ends together at the end.  You could also knit this in the round with size 17 circular needles and you'd have no seams, but you'd cast on the amount to go around the whole circle.

Creativity Road Block #1: Defining Yourself

You were fine.

Then you defined yourself.

Now, you need to de-define yourself.

Then you'll be fine again.