Previous: Part 3: What Makes Something Art? The Myth of Natural Talent People love stories about natural talent – the child who could draw before anyone taught them, the musician who could play by ear, the athlete who seemed to move differently from everyone else, the artist who supposedly picked...
CEXES: Learning to See
Previous: Part 1: What Do You See? Learning To See In the first part of this series, I wrote about the difference between looking and seeing. We all look at the world, but experience changes what we actually notice. The longer I thought about that idea, the more I realized...
ZIRIN: What Do You See?
Previous: Part 2: Building a Design Studio During the Great Recession What Do You See? What do you see when you look at a piece of artwork? More specifically, what do you see when you look at one of mine? Some people see circles. Others see lines, shapes, colors, or...
FONAX: Aviation, Texas, and the Value of Starting Over
Previous: Part 2: Building a Design Studio During the Great Recession Sometimes the Best Solution Is to Begin Again Not long ago, I wrote about a productive period of creative work that followed a brief beach vacation. Returning to the studio with renewed focus, I quickly completed several new pieces...
DOLLI: A Tribute to Dolly Parton and the Spirit of Tennessee
More Than a Music Legend There are very few people whose influence extends far beyond the profession that made them famous. Dolly Parton was one of those rare individuals. The world knew her as a singer, songwriter, performer, actress, and entertainer. Her accomplishments within the music industry alone would have...
AMORR: Learning When to Let a Design Go
The Myth of Creative Certainty One of the biggest misconceptions about creating original work is the belief that the process follows a predictable path. From the outside, it can appear that an artist simply sits down, executes a plan, and produces a finished piece.The reality is far different.Creativity is not...