IAmDesigner

Hello patient readers

2011-01-11T13:22:00.000-08:00

I would like to announce the launch of my new site: Do Nothing Design. It is actually quite similar to this site in that I will be addressing many of the same topics. However, I have found a way to keep my observations organized. I have found a mentor. His name is Masanobu Fukuoka and he was a farmer. My site is inspired by his revolutionary methods of do-nothing farming, in which he advocates simple observation of nature to solve problems in food production. In reading his book The One-Straw Revolution I was blown away by the parallels I could draw between his life as a farmer and the life I wanted as an artist. Hence, I have decided to dissect his book one chapter at a time, comparing creative processes and hopefully finding my own connection to the source of pure creativity.

I would love to welcome you to follow my new site and regret to say that IAmDesigner will most likely become a thing of the past. Not to worry, however, I am still as passionate as ever about the creative process. It is simply time for a new venue.

The Century of Self

2010-06-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing four-part series that made me at once incredibly depressed and stubbornly determined. It is so important that we are aware of how subtle control can be, and do our utmost to act as authentically as possible so that we, too, are not fooled into being and doing what those in power need to stay strong.

IAm knowledge through experience

2010-05-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

I've been noticing lately how important it is for us to have experience to back up our knowledge. I think in striving to sound intelligent, say just the right thing, or offer the perfect piece of advice, we often completely skip the part of the process in which we actually incorporate information into our lives. It is so easy to access and relay information, especially in this day and age. But what I'm noticing is that this is becoming a huge cop-out strategy that allows us to never develop hypotheses or conclusions of our own.

I'm always stumbling upon ideas that I feel to be right or true at some level. I tend to find a statement that excites me, latch on to it, and start claiming that this is what I believe. Interesting, how our first reaction to incorporating a new idea is to proclaim it from the rooftops, as if this legitimizes it. Then, once we've obtained an okay from just the right number of people, we begin to advance accordingly. Wow, I have been really guilty of doing this.

Interestingly enough, after some time I noticed something incredible. I began to observe what happens when I tried to communicate something I'd never experienced. You can actually watch the other person wither in front of you, grow bored or (especially when trying to give advice) become extremely frustrated. Why? Because it's no different than me trying to explain what it's like to climb Mount Everest, when I've never actually even seen the mountain. I can relate facts and figures and maybe use a little imagination to spice things up, but it all falls flat really quickly. The way you communicate is scattered and superficial. You usually end up contradicting yourself or talking yourself against a wall. It leaves everyone feeling empty.

Sadly, I seem to find this tendency in so many artist statements or when listening to anyone describe their creative work. Again and again, it is so obvious that the artist has not yet really experienced what they are claiming to be their inspiration. We need to be motivated by more than a passing fact or figure. It is essential as artists that we incorporate the very essence of what inspires us into our lives before we frantically start searching for approval. Without experiencing your inspiration, you create work that, like my previous conversations, is scattered and superficial. Sure, you may have the skill and good eye to pull off decent, even good work. But without experience, your work will never have that thing. It will never be incredible.

What seems to be a most important factor in this is giving yourself plenty of alone time to experience. It can be tempting to want to talk about something before you are ready, but this can actually be self-sabotage. The in-between stage is often unsettling and you are quite vulnerable. You are not obligated to anyone in this regard. No one needs to know everything about what you are working through in your head. No one can rush this process. And no one, I repeat no one, can know you well enough to tell you what to do. This quiet time with yourself is so very important because it allows you to reach a point where you can eventually become quite articulate about your work and inspiration. Once you have experience, you will see how people are drawn to your work, how they are interested in hearing your perspective, how what you say can actually give them insight and inspiration for their own work. It is as different as night and day.

And I can tell you this, because I've experienced it.

In other's words: Elizabeth Gilbert

2010-04-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this little gem for quite some time now. What I love the most is how valiantly and sincerely Elizabeth talks about genius spirits and the incredible notion that our creativity may be coming from a source outside ourselves. It is a very brave speech and she somehow pulls it off without sounding New Age-y or Eccentric Artist-y. I am very thankful for this woman and her honesty.

IAm a child

2010-03-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it is the sun shining through the windows to make patterns on the floor, perhaps it is the smell of dirt, the buds and the birds and general excitement of new beginnings, but I have been experiencing this incredible influx of childhood memories. Not so much events or landmark moments, just the experience of feeling or hearing something in a very pure way. It was simple, back before I had accumulated this intense list of worries and responsibilities, even that ever-present awareness of other people, my actions and reactions and how I fit into the entire scheme of things. I've been remembering odd moments like standing in my backyard on a sunny day or hearing a plane fly overhead or that afternoon feeling, that 2pm moment when everyone seems to pause, recollect themselves, and gather energy to live out the rest of the day. I'm remembering feelings, and realizing that it has been a long time since I've felt anything that deeply.

As we get older and more integrated in society, we seem to build layer upon layer of distance between ourselves and our environment. It is so rare to just sit and experience anything anymore. The way I see it, being an adult has become synonymous with inventing all these pit stops between ourselves and our world experience. Again, we make everything so complicated. What is an essentially simple equation becomes this winding emotional path. We pit stop at facts, labels, opinions, associations and the emotions tied to these. We pit stop at how we think others view us, what we are responsible for, what people are depending on us for or what is expected of us. We think about how we've acted in the past, whether that was appropriate, analyze, and plan for future changes. Even as you progress in life and perhaps realize the futility of these layers, the pit stops seem to become more subtle. You might even be adding more layers, all the while thinking you are becoming more aware or enlightened or whatever. But now you are, in addition to the past layers, thinking about how you shouldn't have layers, something a certain spiritual teacher or self-help guru said, how you wish to change, how other people aren't as aware as you are...and this can go on forever until you can stop, sit up, rub your eyes and realize that you knew absolutely everything you needed to know when you were five years old.

I've been testing this out by trying to very quickly stop any series of thoughts that happen when you look at something or someone. It's not as hard as it sounds, and although it can last for only seconds, I finally feel like I'm experiencing things like a five-year-old again. I had reached a point where I was seriously considering whether I would truly have fun ever again. My hope has been restored. I've been going to bed at night feeling like I really and truly put in a good day. I feel like I'm once again adding to this store of pure experience, those memories of feeling. I'm finally able to feed this craving of life and love and happiness that hasn't been fed since (and I estimate here) the early 90s. I feel light, I feel adventurous and most importantly, I feel more inspired than I ever have before. Because now creativity is becoming a way for me to really express my experiences. It becomes a way of integrating yourself into your experience. It becomes a way to offer something in return for the experience. It completes the cycle of experience by allowing a release of energy and feeling that builds up as you take in your environment. It is all very exciting.

IAm real

2010-03-08T11:44:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about what I mentioned in my previous post: my strong desire to join forces with the ever-growing movement of returning to the earth, being natural, and interacting locally.   It seems more and more people are beginning to recognize the benefits (be they moral, environmental or merely a smart business move) of using organic and natural products, but few are taking the time to really figure out what this green trend means. As far as I can tell, trends are superficial manifestations of much deeper changes that are taking place in the beliefs and perspectives of humanity. Trends come forth as the most obvious interpretations of these changes. In general, people adapt easily to trends because they require very little convincing. We are told good designers must always be a step ahead, that we are in charge of creating the next trend. The key to being able to do this relies on your ability to dissect trends and discover what really is happening beneath the surface.

The chorus of green supporters grows louder every day, as more and more voices join in to promote organic foods, grass fed meats, artisan cheeses, raw milk, straw bale homes, solar energy, hemp clothing...it is quite remarkable! As each person adds their unique voice, there is one clear melody to which all others harmonize: return to the source. Return to the earth. We are all simultaneously realizing that the earth and all its natural systems held solutions to our "problems" all along. Everything we could ever need and want has been in front of us the entire time. This is reality, and it is a reality that until now has been assumed to be sub-par to modern civilization. But we are very quickly learning this is not the case. The quality of what comes natural, or what is real, is vastly superior to what we've struggled to recreate. Just ask a foodie.

Somewhere along the way, someone decided to take the simple action of a man pulling a carrot from the earth and complicate it to the point of the man needing to spend the first quarter of his life being educated in order to obtain a degree with which he can work a 9-5 job in order to accumulate monetary wealth so that he can afford the gasoline to drive to a grocery store to purchase a bag of over priced slimy baby carrots that retain few of the nutrients and none of the taste of that original carrot pulled from the ground.   What was once a very real and pure relationship between man and earth has now been complicated with layer after layer after layer of unreality. Right?   Because what do we know for sure is real?   You are here on this earth. That's real. The earth grows food that sustains us. That's real. And all the rest? All the rest is only real because we believe in it, and therefore maintain it. We believe that an academic degree or title means something; therefore, we maintain educational systems. We believe money represents wealth and abundance; therefore, we maintain our economic systems. We believe some people are more powerful than others; therefore, we maintain our political systems.    As soon as you give a split second of your time to feeling a victim to any of this unreality, then you allow it to exist for that much longer. If we all turned our backs on these systems, they would literally crumble around us.

So how does this apply to design? Let's start by considering all the layers of unreal that we consciously or unconsciously have allowed to hinder our creativity. Do we really believe that you have to have a certain academic title or degree in order to be creative?   Or that you need to have certain connections? Or that someone demanding money or paperwork or whatever is enough to keep us from being creative? Or that one person's opinion or critique can stop us in our tracks? Are we really willing to give something so unreal that much power? Sure, there are times when you have to work within an imposed system.   Just keep in mind that it isn't real. Every day I believe a little more strongly that pure creativity is as real as a carrot pulled from the earth. So it makes sense to me that just as the earth provides everything needed to grow food, so would it provide everything we need to be creative. That excites me to no end.

So this is how I want to join in this global movement, this worldwide recognition of returning to the source. I don't know what this means for my work per se, but the best way to discover what is real is to rule out what is unreal. By tapping into this, you can tap into something much deeper and longer lasting than a trend. You are tapping into the source, the place to which all things are returning, and in this way you will be ahead of the game. Most importantly, you will cement your own role in whatever the future may bring. You will be part of the conversation. You can be calling the shots. You can be leading the change.

IAm in flux

2010-02-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I've written, due to no lack of trying or interest on my part. I have started many an entry, only to call it a draft and let it age with the others. It's been difficult lately to settle on any viewpoint or to quiet my mind enough to figure out what exactly I am thinking and feeling. It hasn't been bad, just weird. But as I find myself settling into this weird state of mind, one impulse has risen to the top of my brain. As usual, it started as a twinge, a feeling, a random thought here and there and seems to have coalesced into a huge itch I can't seem to scratch.

I really became aware of this impulse when I went with Josh to visit the Growing Power. Located in Milwaukee, WI, this 2-acre farm is the only farm/greenhouse in operation in the city. From a total of 15 green and hoop houses, farmer Will Allen along with numerous employees, interns and community volunteers produces vegetables, fish, honey enough to supply numerous local restaurants, schools and businesses. There is much to talk about regarding this fantastic business, but what really struck me was their Aquaponics system. Basically, Will and his team have created this amazing system that incorporates the growing of vegetables and fish. To keep the water clean for the fish, it is pumped into gravel beds growing watercress or other plants above the fish ponds. As it drains down the subtle slope toward the ponds, the water is filtered through the gravel. Bacteria from the plants breaks down toxins in the fish waste which aid in plant development. Clean water is returned to the fish pond and the cycle continues.

This, to me, is the perfect illustration of human creativity. It is problem solving to the extent that we are not forced to invent extravagant machines that bring with them more problems. This is such a simple example of working with what is natural and normal and right. It uses simple materials and the laws of nature. Standing before these crude yet complete systems, all I could think was how much I want to work like that. I want to be an inventor, but in such a way that allows me to return to the laws of nature, return to the earth. I want to start with a passionate hypothesis and then use my life to, step by step, test and learn and discover solutions. And I want all aspects of my project to be working together, feeding off each other, a perfect balance of give and take.

I really want to be a scientist. I envy the scientific process, the clear step by step guide that always lets you know your next move. I'm sure that this has been largely influenced by my obsessive listening to RadioLab; I just can't seem to get enough of interviews with people who work in such a focused and intentional manner. I hope this does not mean that I am becoming jaded with the creative design process. Rather, I am taking this as a clear sign that I have become unbalanced and unfocused. I have always craved having one big project. I have craved obsession. I want to be like the many people around the world who spend their life perfecting the making of cheese or wine or rice paper. I want to be an expert. Being focused does not limit creativity, right?

This does not necessarily mean I need to stop what I'm doing. I just need to find a way to work from the ground up. I can't seem to get excited about raising animals for leather, so how else can I approach this? I am really excited to not write this off as "just another phase" but to use this itch to move me to inspired action.

Oh, and check out: www.growingpower.org.

IAm decidedly optimistic

2009-12-17T11:15:00.000-08:00

It has become abundantly clear to me recently of the importance of where and how we choose to focus our energy. Until now, I have been aware of this to some extent. We have all been told at some point to "keep on the sunny side," "find the silver lining" "glass half full" etc., but do we really understand the full importance of this idea? These philosophies can quickly become overwhelming and seemingly impossible when we are left to our own devices, our own self discipline and will power. Time and time again, we are faced with reminders of how difficult this is, the bad state of the world in general, how other people make optimism so hard to uphold, even how we are so incapable as individuals to stay strong in the face of adversity. It becomes even more difficult when you become aware of the sometimes subtle stigma that is placed on those who choose to live life this way. We are all familiar with the person who staunchly refuses to acknowledge the negativity of the world in such a way that they appear utterly naive, stupid even. Those people we long to take by the shoulders and shake, "Wake up! Things are not all sunshine and roses! Our world sucks, people sucks, we kill, steal, hate, lie...can't you see this?"

I have avoided optimism for so long in order to avoid appearing ignorant. The truth is I am beginning to realize that ignorance and optimism do not have to go hand in hand. Why? Because underlying our choice to ignore negativity is the understanding that in choosing to focus energy on anything, even in opposition, we are enabling it to exist. When I choose to focus on all these things that are just waiting to become my problems, even if it is to fight against them, I acknowledge that they are real. So what I do is focus all my energy on whatever issue is plaguing me at the moment, and then analyze and study the hell out of it. I'll read, observe other people and take notes, come to all kinds of conclusions based on cause and effect, think, talk, ponder...and finally reach some conclusion that allows a moment of peace until the next issue rears its head.

This brings to me an analogy that has been helping me immensely. Let's say you are preparing to embark on a fantastic amazing adventurous vacation. Being an intellectual, you decide to sit and plan for this vacation. You decide that until you can truly enjoy this adventure you must predict and solve all upcoming obstacles. You must make sure you have everything you could ever need. You must not leave until you feel 100% prepared, but this never happens. There is always some problem to address. Then, suddenly, you decide to pull back the heavy curtain and peek out of the window. With a jolt you realize, you are already on your vacation!!! It is happening right now!!! You are here, right now! It's live, it's real. What will you do with this new information? Will you, as I have been, recede back, saying "No, not now, not ready, must plan more, prepare more, not now?" Or are you able to throw it all behind you and rush out to experience the vacation of your life?

Yes, I'm afraid I may have just tossed yet another "carpe diem" in your direction, but what I really want to accentuate is that there is more to understand about this philosophy than blind servitude to optimism. Instead, you can acknowledge that perhaps this habit of hemming and hawing over all these supposed problems can actually hold you back. This process allows you to reach some conclusion, true, but it also forces you to put your life on hold as it were. It slows you down. Your internal struggles take on a life of their own, in which you come to one conclusion that brings up another issue that requires further attention...and on and on. So what is our alternative? Say, just say, that instead you could confidently and strongly decide "This shall not be a problem for me!" Then, just like that, you refuse to allow the issue any more attention. Is it possible that this can eliminate so many many steps to happiness? If you consistently did this, can you imagine the amount of energy you could put towards those things that make you feel alive? Creative? Inspired? Could this possibly be the meaning behind the "turn the other cheek" mentality that was consistently preached to me as a child but was something I could never quite wrap my mind around?

This really starts to address something else I've been noticing, which is how much energy mankind uses on solutions that never reach the core of the problem. So many of our current issues are direct results of how we chose to expend energy on past "problems." Ultimately, we believed that something was a huge drama that demanded our attention, often under the guise of defending ourselves or what is "right". We submit ourselves to the problem by putting up our fists. Then comes the long series of conflicts, huge expenditures of energy, time, resources. We generally reach a point where things get so out of control that we simply cannot continue. It becomes obvious how far we have strayed. Then slowly, we start picking up little pieces, one at a time, still obsessed with what happened, how it was unfair, how guilty we feel, who was to blame... But, BUT, can you see how at any point in this process you can simply put down your foot and proclaim, This is not a problem for me!?! And when you turn around and focus your energy on something alive and positive, you come face to face with ideas, inspiration, true connections with people, essentially: real true creativity that can forge past the limited perspectives of the past and into the better beyond. How alive! How exciting! How wonderful!

I am so very aware of how trained we all are to hold intellectualism and analysis to such high levels. I also want to propose that perhaps analysis is a necessary step in this process, that you must experience it in order to reach new and higher conclusions. But I, for one, am tired of my wasted time, wasted energy. I know what I feel like when I'm living. I would like to think that everyone has experienced this at least once. Tap into that, and if anything that makes you feel less, put your foot down and decide, This is not a problem. It can be difficult, especially since we are told every day, minute, second, that we should have these problems. That these issues are huge dramas that need all your attention. Truthfully, our problems are not huge dramas. Think about it. You can detach yourself, consciously, from anything that makes you feel less than thrilled to be alive. It's true that the situation may not instantly disappear, but you will eliminate this desperate attachment we have to our dramas and the need to defend ourselves. You can perceive life from a place of positivity, inspiration and creativity. Solutions will become clear and you will move ahead at a surprising velocity. I think I'm going to give it a shot.

IAm utilitarian

2009-12-07T10:42:00.000-08:00

In the process of developing new designs, it has been at the forefront of my mind to create products that can address a level of practicality or necessity. Being a designer, I am the first to recognize the simple importance of beauty. However, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that it is also important to create objects that tap into a greater need than superficial decoration. I want my work to address the physical interaction between humans and our relationship to the material world in which we live.

As I begin to realize all the options that are available to me, my skills, technique and medium, I can't rid myself of this desire to use my creativity to assist my fellow human beings in their day to day existence. Everyone, everyday, is using these tools we have been given (our bodies, our vision, hearing, touch, our physical capabilities) to interact with their environment. As a designer, I feel it my personal duty to address these interactions and be able to assist others in making their actions a little easier, a little more delightful. In essence, I want to create things that will allow the mundane to become a little less so. I think this is really the intent of all designers.

When I can create something that is useful as well as beautiful, I really am exploring the value that we place on the material objects of our lives. When an object becomes a necessity, then I pay much more attention to maintaining this item. It becomes important to take care of things, ultimately increasing the longevity of my work. This can be my way of addressing our disposable lifestyles. It is easy to slip into this throw-away mindset when I am surrounded by things that are of poor quality, cheap materials, superficial design, or unconsidered contexts. We cannot blame people who adhere to a disposable lifestyle when we are not offering objects that they need and grow to love as a result of this need.

When you own things that make your life easier, then something really wonderful happens. All things eventually begin to break down with time, but now you are motivated to use your own creativity and resourcefulness to maintain the usefulness of your belongings. This is when really amazing design starts happening. I was recently reading about Kintsugi, or the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery. This process goes way back, when broken pottery was pieced back together with metal staples.

Eventually, this process evolved into using a lacquer resin sprinkled with powdered gold, creating a metallic web across the surface of each bowl.

It would also happen that if a piece was unrepairable, it would be replaced with different pottery pieces.

In looking at these bowls, I see more than a bowl. I see a beloved object for which people will do anything to keep functional and useful to their lives. I see a history, a story, craftsmanship, the resourcefulness of mankind; ultimately, an immeasurably more interesting aesthetic.

It is tempting for me to want to try to fake this aesthetic and I have yet to give up on my goal to recreate this worn, well loved look. However, I am beginning to realize that my job is, instead, to create the initial product worth such love and care. I plant the seed of creativity, send it off into the world and let others work their magic too.

All images in this post are courtesy of the Smithsonian.

DESIGNfiles: nostalgia

2009-11-29T13:20:00.000-08:00

I spent this past week at my parent's home in rural Wisconsin. It was inspiring to be in the country, especially under the soft autumn skies that cast a hazy light on the landscape. I want to capture this feeling of nostalgia in my work.

In other's words: Walter Russell

2009-11-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

In 1953, author Glenn Clark wrote a book describing a man who he claimed to have found the secret to life and living. The book is titled The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe, and it is very short but very rich. I read it for the first time about a year ago and just recently returned to it. It always helps me feel reinvigorated and purposeful. It is always a relief to find just one person whom I can consider a wise and worthy forerunner.

I really love how Walter Russell talks about using time, productivity and his personal experience of "living five lifetimes at once." I am constantly tormented by the feeling that I am not living to my fullest potential. I have this incessant itch to be better, do better, do more. Walter's lifestyle demonstrates that I don't need to be tormented by this; instead, I can simply take action and just do everything I want to do.

You can read the entire work here.

IAm learning what's good for me might be good for you too!

2009-10-23T11:16:00.000-07:00

This morning I listened to the TED talk of Karen Armstrong, a former nun turned religious scholar and advocate for compassion. Her message was simple: at the core of every religion lies the same message to do unto others as you would have done unto you. So simple, which I can appreciate. However, as I scrolled through the corresponding comments on the TED site, I saw that others were having a more difficult time appreciating the simplicity of both Karen's message and the Golden Rule. As usual there is a torrent of opinions but one exchange especially caught my eye. It reads as follows:

Person One:

"...the golden rule does not rate as correct or even wise for SOME people. I want to be treated in a certain way...examples exist where a number of people do not treat me as I would prefer that they do. It follows that I do not treat them in a way that they prefer - which differs from what i want in the way of treatment. Thus I submit that the golden rule rates as wrong - sometimes. However I suspect my view does not rate as a popular one."

Person Two:

"Let me see if I correctly understand the argument and then follow it from there.
Person A wants to be treated in way A.
Person B wants to be treated in way B.
So if they both follow the golden rule they are both treated in a way that they would not want to be treated, person A in way B and person B in way A.
'always treat all others as you'd like to be treated yourself'
This appears to be a major problem with the golden rule, untill (sic) you shift perspective.
The way I interpret it is this;
How would you like to be treated?
As the other person wants to be treated or as you like to be treated.
Compassion comes with understanding. Its a major part of the equation.
Without understanding, there can be no compassion.
Understanding comes from empathy, the ability to place yourself in another person place.
You might ask yourself why it isn't worded differently; 'treat all others as they like to be treated'."

Let's start with the first comment. I empathize with his confusion because at face value, this seems like a legitimate flaw with the Golden Rule. How can I consistently know what will make others happy? I am different from him, who is different from her, who clashes with her, who I don't understand...on and on against formidable odds.   Yet Person Two asks: why, then, isn't the Golden Rule worded differently? Why is what I want a part of the equation?

Then it hits me: In order to know what you want, I must know what I want. I must know what I want. This, friends, explains why we can't wrap our minds around the Golden Rule. We are all really bad at figuring out what we want ourselves! One step further, we are all really bad at figuring out what is good for us, and it's at this point my entry takes a titular turn: Is what is good for me, by chance, good for you to? If I begin to understand myself, will I start to understand you?

I think it is incredibly important to start noticing what makes you really happy (see previous post). I've begun doing so and it has changed my life. What strikes me is really how simple and basic these things are. (Again, see previous post). No matter what the day brings, if I can keep these end goals in mind, I can be happy. But this is not an easy process, mainly because we are told all the time the things that should make us happy. Or we only think superficially about it. Being with friends makes me happy. Eating a hamburger.   Taking a walk. And then, there are those moments of high that are random and fleeting. A smell. A taste. A memory. We don't even try to figure them out. We just accept that this is the extent of happiness. But how can you get more happiness if you can't pin down the source? And isn't it liberating to know that the source is, in fact, simple and totally obtainable? Right now, even?

So if the answers are this simple for me, aren't they simple for others too? Along the same lines, if I struggle with finding happiness, doesn't it follow that others are struggling too? And if I can keep this in mind at all times, might this not be the true path to compassion? (So many questions!!) In this way, matters such as religion and atheism, any differences really, fall to the wayside. They become irrelevant! In the end, they are all just different manifestations of our search for the basic things that make us happy. An atheist wants people to listen to her just as much as a Catholic. Everyone wants to be nurtured. Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger. Everyone wants significance.   It is difficult to see this in some people, (really difficult in extreme cases), but we can try to stay aware of these innate desires. We empathize because we are the same. We suspend judgment because we gain perspective. I think this might be what Karen is getting at. Compassion is living your life in such a way that makes you happy, then recognizing that others are simply trying to do the same.

Let's be honest, most people never take full responsibility for their happiness. It's easier to have someone else tell you what should make you happy and then be pissed because it doesn't work. Or think that you are weird or unlucky or inferior and be pissed about that. So it makes sense that we can't even begin to imagine what is good for other people. If our own happiness is so unreachable and unreliable, then how could be possibly begin to guess what would make someone else happy?

Before we can take Karen's mission to heart, we all need to take some time to figure out the "as you would have them do unto you" part of the Golden Rule. Be completely honest with yourself. Do the superficial things you think make you happy really work? Does it really make you happy to have the last say, assert superiority over someone else, be in a conflict, create negativity...or do these give you a fleeting "high" that you've come to crave? If we can sort through all this, perhaps, just perhaps we would discover that the same things make all of us happy. There are a million ways to get there, but the goal is always the same. Nurturance. Simplicity. Natural order. Intent. Creativity. Connectedness. Balance. We recognize the desire for such things in ourselves and grow to recognize it in others. We learn that just as it is important that I have the freedom to create and benefit you, it is important that you can create and benefit me. I need you to listen, you need me to listen. Interactions become easier because we can recognize these core desires in others. You don't have to say anything, but you will feel it. You will like people and people will like you. We are all the same! Isn't that incredibly liberating?

And as long as we're on the topic, isn't it suggestive that if what is good for me is also good for you, then perhaps we are all much more connected than we think? If we all share core desires, then maybe, just maybe could we all be small parts of a much bigger organism? But enough for now. So many questions. Let's just take some time to let it all sink in.

IAm learning what is good for me.

2009-10-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

At this point, my life lies before me in a series of days that are wide open. I wake when I want, I eat what I want, I do what I want, I sleep when I want. I have been blessed (cursed?) with no imposed schedule and the freedom to nurture my own habits, routines, priorities and preferences. Yet I've noticed that, while each day might vary only slightly, I still have significant good days and bad days. In fact, I'm beginning to suspect that even if I lived a string of identical days, some would be "good" and some "bad." So right away I can conclude that perhaps it doesn't really matter what I do, but rather the mindset in which I do it. I have begun to take a lot of mental notes regarding what contributes to a "good" day. I've starting compiling list.

Things that make a good day:

-Upon waking, I take a moment to stop the noisy stream of thoughts and think "I'm here, right now." "I'm here, right now." A surprising amount of baggage drops away when you can begin to comprehend "I'm here, right now."
-I do all things, most importantly the little things, with intent. I am aware what I am doing at any given moment. I aware of making breakfast, I am aware I'm eating it. I'm aware of using my senses. I'm aware of my body.
-I create in some capacity. I try to make at least one thing a little better, a little more satisfying, and little more beautiful.
-I listen to someone else as if what they are saying is important and can teach me something about both of us. Because most likely what they are saying is important and can teach me something about both of us. Even better, someone listens to me too. Be around people who can listen and get what you are saying. It's okay to choose not to be around some people.
-I savor. Food, moments, colors. Just pause and savor.
-I give. (I really need to work on this more.) Even in designing, I design as if it is a gift for someone. Also helping, that feeling of having made someone else a little bit happier.
-Again! "I'm here, right now." "I'm here, right now." Get rid of any baggage that has built throughout the day. And you will feel so grateful. For everything, namely, the chance to experience this whole thing.
- Quiet. I schedule in some quiet. Also nature. Nature goes well with quiet.
-I surround myself with things that are easy for me to love. In doing this, I develop a personal style. In doing this, I become increasingly true to myself. I become aware of my uniqueness. I become confident without hubris.

Oh boy, there are so many more, a lot of which I have having troubling saying in words. I'll keep adding.

IAm ebb and flow.

2009-10-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Well now, what an exciting week this has been! I want to take a moment to pause and thank each and every one of you who has taken the time to blog, write, even call me this past week. Being thrust into the blogosphere has been at once thrilling and intimidating, leaving me to do what only feels right: proceed with baby steps and be grateful in every moment.

I am learning about the ebb and flow of life. I am learning that resistance to this is inevitably futile. It is becoming more and more essential that I continuously return to my initial excitement and enthusiasm. My work is what it is. I can only do the very best that I am capable of right now. It is essential that I do not get too absorbed in the ephemeral nature of fame and fortune. The only way I can continue doing my absolute best is to observe the highs and lows from a place of peace and inspiration.

I have been thrilled to witness that my work can inspire other creative minds, and that artists young and old can come together to cheer each other on. I have been inspired to do my part in recognizing my fellow creators. I tend to be a secret admirer, but after experiencing the warmth of others, it leaves me no options but to return this warmth and support.

Thank you everyone.

DESIGNfiles: natural contexts

2009-09-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

When I was young, real young, I always assumed that the perfect partner for me would be someone who was wholeheartedly involved in the arts. I imagined myself with musicians, writers, and painters until about a year ago when I met the cutest little vegetable farmer you've ever seen. I've never looked back since.

It constantly amazes me the parallels between creativity in the "arts" and the creative process of growing and nurturing plants. Just one afternoon of harvesting in the hot sun leaves me itching to get back to my studio and work. I get so inspired! This is largely due to the constant creative mindset a farmer needs to inhabit: This isn't working, what does it need? How can I stop this from eating that? Why is this dying? How can I change what I'm doing to make this better, more productive, more fruitful?

With farming you are not redesigning or solving a man-made problem, which is generally rife with errors, misconceptions, and assumptions. Rather, you are up against nature itself. It's a pure process. You know there is some ultimate solution to every problem that is simple and efficient. As the farmer, it's up to you to get back to this ultimate natural flow. So while you are creating, you are also, in part, surrendering the need to be right or to take credit for your ideas.

I think that the simple, pure and detached mindset is essential to creativity. However, that's not what I'm talking about today. Today, I'm sharing a moment of brilliant inspiration I had while chopping up vegetables.

I have been feeling frustrated lately because it seems that I cannot find things that I love. I search the stores, the internet, the etsy, the blogs, the crafts, the fine art and rarely do I find things that I can love. I find tons of things I like, but rarely anything that hits you in the gut with that oh-so-satisfying thrill of looking at something and knowing that it's just right. This was in the back of my mind as I stood before a kitchen counter piled high with tomatillos and green beans gone to seed. I pondered this dilemma as I peeled the husks from the bright green fruit and pulled the purple beans from their shells, pausing for moments to take note of the amazing colors that nature produces. I put the beans in one bowl, the tomatillos in another, and like a good designer I ran for my camera:

I was feeling proud of myself and this little design exercise when suddenly it hit me: these photos were exactly like all the things that I found so dissatisfying in art and design! I had taken something so natural and pure and perfect, scrubbed it clean of anything I assumed to be dirty, ugly or unnecessary and plopped it into a context that was suitable and safe. Acceptable. Clean. Re-inspired, I ran back to the unshelled veggies and reached once more for the camera:

Just look at these! Now this was the satisfying moment I've been craving: the bright purples peeking out of the yellow blemished shells and the glimpses of green through the papery husks. Then it hit me: my job as a designer is not to edit and polish. My job is to recognize the beauty of things as they are in nature and then find my way, my voice, my interpretation through these things. Sure, the first pictures are nice to look at, but too soon they become boring and predictable.

So how can I use this in the creative process? Well, I do think that a large part of this requires you to (here it is again!) return to the source of things. Be completely honest with your materials. Don't be sucked into what is considered normal, clean or safe. The clean veggies are trends. The natural veggies are design at its very core. Why? Because it's utilitarian! Because the husks and shells are protecting the beauty within. You are drawn in to the preciousness of the fruit by way of nature's elaborate design to protect it. To appreciate the true beauty, you need to be aware of these intricate relationships and how each and every part is important and essential. You need the ugly to appreciate the beauty. Utility, that's key.

So this is what I will aspire to in my design. In the meantime, I'd like to conclude with a picture that embodies this entire revelation. Dries, once again, you've fucking nailed it!

IAm Work

2009-09-22T04:52:00.000-07:00

We live in a culture with a distinct and seemingly irrefutable line between work and play. work is a part of life you put up with so that you can enjoy a few moments of play. You work all week to play on the weekends. work is something you are expected to complain about in the evenings and dread as Sunday comes to a close. And play? Play, at first glance, is leisure. Play is good food and drink, conversation, time to sit, time to enjoy recreation, entertainment, literature, music, the occasional jaunt to a new place, new sights and sounds. Play is learning something you want to know more about. Play is being spontaneous. Play is making something. Yet play is rarely a pure experience, since it is always inevitably coming to a close. The world of work looms large, always.

I am from the Midwest; thus, every time I turn around, I find myself face to face with the reality of working for a living. I can't forget the calloused hands of my grandfathers and uncles. I couldn't ignore the vague scent of manure wafting from the back of the high school classroom as the farm boys spat their chew defiantly into empty soda cans and waited to turn sixteen. I think of my father working the same office job for nearly two decades to support a family of twelve, a series of identical days that started with the drip of the coffee pot and ended with a cat nap in the rocker. I think of all the people who have worked to get me where I am today and it nearly stops me in my tracks. Nearly, but not quite, because the truth is, I am of a new generation and thus it is my time to challenge the way things are. I am going to challenge the segregation of work and play because I firmly believe that neither really exist.

A person is considered lucky if they are able to make a career out of "something they are passionate about."   You discover this passion either by being lucky enough to know what you love from a young age (prodigy, anyone?) or by discovering gradually through trial and error and an honest appraisal of your strengths and weaknesses. You are generally considered passionate when you a) are willing to put in endless time and energy and b) are constantly considering how to improve upon your line of work.

The key, and by this I mean the key, to maintaining passion is to also maintain a focused creative state. If you could take everyones' passions, throw them in a large pot over a fire, boil off all fear and other lies we feed ourselves on a daily basis, you would be left with the simple and pure desire to create.   Creativity lies at the core, the core, and it's this very core that has become buried under layers and layers of obligations, restrictions, requirements, necessities, societies, economies, politics, religions...the list is huge. I firmly believe that everyone has a passion that perfectly matches their skill levels. It's just that somewhere, somehow, it's become the norm to spend a lifetime laboring over someone else's passion, tucking your own interests into the back of your mind. There's always retirement.

Can you see why we really hate this thing we call "work?" It's not work at all! It's simply the expenditure of energy on someone else's idea. Such a small minority are having ideas and bringing them to fruition. Everyone else has somehow accepted that they are not good enough, smart enough, rich enough, lucky enough to cultivate an idea on their own. Of course you are bored, of course you hate your boss...you are merely babysitting the brainchild of someone else! But you can't know this until you've experienced what I have come to call Work. Work is when all lines between labor and leisure disappear. Work is when you have one thing, one problem, one desire, in the back of your mind always. It thrills you. It occupies you. You expend energy from dawn to dusk and you are happy. You are happy because there is nothing you would rather be doing.    What else is there to do beside create? Really! What? Even relationships and communication are based on creativity. Without it, both become superficial and fall flat. What you desperately sought for during your designated leisure times becomes your daily routine: enthusiasm, enjoyment, stress-free productivity, attention to details, meaningful interactions, perspective.

Work is you taking responsibility for your happiness. Work is creating your life. Life can be seen as one big creative project, really.

I recognize the complexity of this topic and how many different levels of attainment there are in the Work arena. Of course you can have moments of Work while employed by someone else. You can believe in someone else's idea, for sure. And of course, you can become a workaholic and warp your perspective. There are always versions, pitfalls, extremes, parallels etc, etc. But whatever. Just be creative. Do Work. It will change your life. It will make you successful in the right way at the right time. It's your responsibility to yourself.

In other's words: Murray Gell-Mann

2009-09-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

Listening to a speech by a Nobel Prize winner in Physics was the last place I expected to be inspired as a designer, but there was this one phrase:

"A theory appears to be beautiful or elegant (or simple if you prefer) when it can be expressed concisely in terms of mathematics we already have."

...in terms of mathematics we already have. I think this is really significant. I can't quite put it together yet, but here's what I have discovered: the better solution is always ridiculously simple and once you reach the best solution, you will realize that you knew it all along. I suspect it has something to do with returning to your source of inspiration.

That seems to be all that I can articulate at the moment, but I promise that I will return to these topics of beauty and simplicity, since to me they are interchangeable and essential for the creative process.

IAm momentum.

2009-09-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

Time and time again, I've noticed that I can have some odd reactions to different steps in the creative process. There are parts that come naturally to me and parts that don't. Then, there's a step that consistently brings me to a screeching halt. This is the transition from thinking and planning to doing and making.

I've faced this dilemma so many times that it has taken form in my mind as an endless gaping canyon in an otherwise gentle terrain. It doesn't make sense to me! I love to plan and design. I love to gather inspiration images, make sketches, put together scrapbooks, plot with friends and collaborators. I also love to make. So why is it that these two do not flow naturally into each other?

To try and solve this, I must go back some years ago to what I've snidely dubbed the Contemplative Years. I was completely absorbed in thought for the better part of my post-college years. Looking back, I would not have had it any other way, if for no other reason than that it taught me a huge lesson: Even thinking must be done in moderation. The truth is, if you are sensitive to it, you will know instantly when you have done all the thinking required of you. You will know when it is time for action. How? When you are over-thinking something, you begin to feel frustrated and conflicted. You have reigned in your energy for as long as you possibly could. You begin to feel an inner tug of war. One side pulls insistently towards action. Enough thinking, it screams. When can we act? The other side retorts: But I'm not ready yet! I don't have every detail figured out! I haven't troubleshot every anticipated obstacle! It's quite interesting to experience this inner conflict when you are even the slightest bit aware of what is happening. This is exactly what began happening to me quite recently. I was frustrated because I hadn't figured out exactly why I should design and what I should design. And so I did absolutely nothing.

The thing is, you will never figure everything out through contemplation because there are certain things that need to be discovered through action. I was taught this by a professor I had in the Design Studies program, a professor who would eventually become a close friend and mentor. She was adamant that her students constantly and consistently made samples. Even if there was no ultimate goal, no great final project in mind, she still wanted to see samples. It would become a design diary of sorts. This is not a new idea. Artists and designers in all genres are told to make a sketch a day to stay in practice. It's important! It's a completely different energy you expend on thought versus action, and it's an essential part of the process. It seems that our mind is capable of projecting only the smallest fraction of possibilities, and once you stop thinking and start doing, creative solutions arise from seemingly nowhere.

So how can you make this leap from thought to action? I cannot give you a guaranteed answer. I still struggle with this a lot, but I have found some ways to make this transition easier. One important thing to realize is that once you have spent time thinking, these thoughts will not go away. Sometimes I find myself almost hoarding my thoughts, gripping them tightly as if they would slip away and I would never think them again. That's not true. Your realizations and inspirations will stay with you and tend to pop up when you need them most. So the first thing I do is mentally wrap my thoughts in a nice little bundle and set them aside. I speak figuratively, but this can mean, quite literally, to set aside my sketch books, scribbled napkins, torn magazine pages, etc. There, I've done my thinking. Next, I gauge what action to take based on what I'm most excited about and what is possible to do right now. This is generally something for which I have all necessary supplies at this moment. I don't give myself any room for excuses. Then, I do it. Yes, I actually do something and always, a weight is lifted. Once this step is complete, then I can return to my little thought package and reassess. Is this something I can use? Add it to the bundle. Usually by this time, my excitement is building pretty rapidly, and it is obvious what I want to try next. In this way, momentum builds and builds and I am excited as hell and productive, beautifully and wonderfully productive.

IAm honest.

2009-09-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

We humans have a universal tendency to only go so deep. No, I am not accusing us of not thinking. We ponder and analyze and rationalize to our little heart's content, but we do this on a very superficial level. If there is something in our lives that is causing us pain or even slight discomfort, we label it with the first word that comes to our heads and spend the rest of the time trying to justify our definition to ourselves and everyone else.

I am incredibly guilty of this. Let me explain. I have always been a very private person. In fact, I used to love to think of myself as mysterious. I would relish the thought of others not being able to truly understand me. At the best of times, I was aloof. At the worst of times I was a tortured soul in isolation. At any given moment, you could be sure that one of the following thoughts was running through my head: No one understands. I am alone in this. I can't talk to anyone. If only you really knew. You don't get me at all and I certainly don't get you.

This ended up hugely affecting my creative process. Inevitably, the time comes when you need someone else to educate, to give an opinion or critique, or to collaborate with. In fact, I started to become aware of a slowly expanding desire to connect with others, to be part of a community. I had ideas I wanted to communicate and I wanted someone to listen. However, when faced with this desire, my aloof little self began to kick and scream. My emotions were pendulous: I need you, I don't need you! Come here, go away. Tell me you like it, I really don't care. Slowly what began to happen was that while projecting how I thought others would respond, I actually began to hate my own creations. They became constant reminders of my unhappy existence and my failure to connect to others.

What an unhappy existence it was! I had decided it was simply my personality to be this distant unreachable person, and so I proceeded to live my life this way. And I was miserable. One day, I decided to sit and look this misery square in the face. I decided to stop defining myself in a way that justifies and excuses me from responsibility. I looked and looked as honestly as I could, and what I discovered was, that it was not other people who didn't understand me. It was never the other people. It was a scared little girl inside me who was doing everything in her power to protect her fragile existence. I was scared of failing. I was scared of being wrong. I was scared of being challenged. I was scared of being unable to defend myself and my position. I was scared of being asked a question and not knowing the answer. I was scared of looking a fool. Ultimately, I was scared of not being good enough and my creativity suffered. And by suffered I mean that it was nearly non-existent. My energy was being spent justifying and defining who I thought I was, leaving almost nothing for pure creativity, passion, and joy.

I am trying my very best to be completely honest and the difference is amazing. It's really not as hard as it might seem. For you see, I am not "fixing" the situation by forcing myself to interact. Instead, I stay alert for any thoughts that might try to convince me I am not good enough. I am aware of them only to the extent that I choose to ignore them. Miraculously, everything else falls into place. At the end of the day, when I am happy with myself, interaction can be simply fantastic. From day to day, I am struck with the incredible realization that I am never alone. Creative young minds the world over are struggling with the same issues, pondering the same questions, realizing the incredible possibilities of living in today's world, and best of all, they want to talk about it! Once I climbed off this self-made pedestal, I found myself surrounded by true creative minds, exciting collaborative projects, and enough good ideas to last several lifetimes.

I realize this specific example doesn't apply to everyone, maybe not even anyone. However, what I want to impart today is the need to sit and look squarely at whatever is causing a glitch in your creative process. Stop trying to rationalize things. Just sit and look. Maybe, just maybe are you covering something up? Just be honest, that's all. I myself have a long way to go with this, but can rest easy in knowing that I am being as honest as I can possibly be right now!

IAm just beginning.

2009-09-08T16:26:00.000-07:00

My name is Kara Ginther and I am a creator. In May 2007, I graduated with a degree in Textile Design from the University of Wisconsin Madison. It was natural, in the beginning, for my thoughts to echo the concerns of my father: What will you do now? How will you work? How will you live? Except that in typical introspective fashion, I would take this several steps further: Why design? What good can it do, for me, for others? Can I make a difference? Can I push beyond the trends, the markets, the consumers? And if, just maybe, if I can work past all that, will this offer the lifestyle I want?

So I sat and thought and wrote and read, read, read and thought and wrote some more until I noticed something very peculiar happening. Instead of becoming focused as I had intended, my world view was broadening. I felt as if I was being slowly pried away from my person, my life, my thoughts and beliefs. My perspective grew wider and wider until I began to realize that my issue was not simply with design, but with creativity as a whole. It came down to me, me. Who did I think I was and how could I gain the confidence to firmly face each and every challenge that the creative process indubitably brings? Who did I think I was?

From that moment on, I decided to study everything. As you might have guessed, this lead to more sitting, reading and thinking, but this time it was about me. The books started piling in my room: philosophy, spirituality, science and physics, psychology and self-help until one day I looked up and found myself face to face with the Big Picture. For the first time, the immensity of it all hit me: creativity, design, making things with your hands, ideas, inspiration, passion, motivation and what I've come to call Work with a capital W. It all lies at the very core because, really, what else are we supposed to be doing? Really! And I began to see that the creative process applies not only to the material world, but to how we live our lives. The more I learned about how to create, the more I learned about how to live and how we are utterly and completely responsible for both.

I still know very little about what this means, but with the launch of this site, I am dedicating myself to finding out. More importantly, I want to create a community of creators who are equally as interested in exploring beyond what we learn in design school and discovering the true importance of design and the creative process. With the recent explosion of DIYers, we are bombarded with tips at how to become a successful creator, how to market, how to sell, how to advertise. Yet few, if any, of our crafty benefactors have taken the time to delve more deeply into creativity and our compulsion, our need, to design and make things.

I am confident that I am not alone here. I know for a fact that there is an entire generation of creative young people who are facing the same concerns that I am. We are not satisfied with the answers we have been given. We are not satisfied with the lifestyles of our parents, our grandparents. We are living in a world that exemplifies the need for change. It is an exciting time to be young and alive and creative and we are ready.

I want to end with an extra exclamatory point. I don't know the difference between art and craft. I don't know the difference between art and design. Everyone is welcome. As long as you create, I welcome you all.