An Anniversary
Eleven years ago today. I was a wreck. Just a kid, my bride even younger. I don't think it really hit me, the weight of this thing we were doing. But I was still a wreck. We made promises and smiled, too nervous to even really see the depth in one another's eyes. It...
In Which I Clap and Sing
So, I don't clap and sing in this installment of Creative People Are Weird, but I do remind you that good creatives want to create world-changing work. And they want to do it for you! Give your creatives some freedom and they'll be better at solving your problems....
Creative People: Don’t Get STEAMrolled!
I attended an incredible symposium yesterday. It was about STEAM, something everyone should care about. It got me thinking about the changing relationship between creatives and the people who pay them. Watch it and tell me what your experiences have been. And I...
Personality Trumps Trends
I know so many cool people. They’re so interesting and have amazing personalities. Their stories are incredible. Yet they’re so caught up in following the giant firehose of trends that it can be hard to see their real personalities. It takes bravery to be yourself....
There’s Always Something New to Try
I just received the alpha build of a new option for publishing articles to quite a few different platforms (Wordpress included).It’s Desk PM by John Saddington.I don’t have an opinion of it yet - this is my first attempt at using it - but I like the idea of a...
why free fonts suck
Ok, so they're not all bad. But most of them are and Thomas Phinney tells us why in Communication Arts. This article is the real deal. These are the subtleties that separate good type from great type.
Music Mondays | Cope – Manchester Orchestra
In case you missed it, the new album from Manchester Orchestra is out and it's incredible. Listen to Cope here:
Pleasing Everyone | Creative People Are Weird
I'm stunned by the businesses that pop up in my town who seem hellbent on looking just like their corporate counterparts. Who insist on being as center-of-the-road and fitting in as much as possible. It's nearly impossible to distinguish them from one another or from...
Music Mondays | On Preparedness
In high school, I was one of those kids. Tests were easy for me. I had decent recall (which was what most tests were) and was a Grade-A BS artist. I could talk my way out of (or into) almost anything - including decent grades. That meant I could slack on homework and...
Spec Work Sucks
Some companies expect creative people to work for free and that's just shady. Spec work is bad for creatives and it's bad for clients. Don't do that crap. Seriously. Don't do it!
A Wall of Words
I'm on the lookout for calligraphy or hand-lettering that isn't either traditional or the Betsy Dunlap style, which I love, but have seen a lot of lately. In my search, I came across this. It's a pretty incredible wall treatment and makes me wish my handwriting (which...
Music Mondays | Music for Robots
I'm kind of ambivalent to the music of Squarepusher. I mean, dude's got some chops as a writer, but it's never really connected with me. Here's the thing: I think sometimes it's OK to appreciate art for the technical feats it accomplishes, regardless of how it engages...
In-House Creative People Are Weird
I'm very interested in what it looks like to be a "creative person" working in a "non-creative" corporate environment. These folks are often referred to as in-house creatives. Today's Creative People Are Weird focuses on some of the questions and challenges brought up...
Habits and The Muse
Tell me about your habits. Are they in service of The Muse?
Education Done Right
Today I asked my daughter, who has now seen Frozen half a dozen times, to summarize the plot for me. "Elsa had ice and built a castle. The prince was bad." It was something like that. Not entirely cogent, but hit a few of the major plot points. It may not have been...
Music Mondays | Rufus Reid
Music Mondays: because life’s better with a soundtrack. Allow me to introduce one of my favorite jazz musicians (and my birthday buddy): Rufus Reid. He's an incredible musician and one of the kindest people you've ever met. And there is that one time I broke part of...
Video: Rituals and Totems
If you haven't subscribed to Creative People Are Weird yet, you should do so now. Today's topic is one I've discussed before. I have a philosophy about the way Millenials engage with the world around them. It's at the core of a lot of strange behaviors...
video | creative spaces redux
When I went to name this post, I was alerted to the fact that I had already written a post called "Creative Spaces." It was about SND CYN, the co-working space Jasmine Star was using. How appropriate, then, that today's #CreativePeopleAreWeird was recorded in...
Laser-engraved Faux Bois Acrylic
It only occurred to me recently that, during the recent re-design of my website, I left out one of my favorite projects from my portfolio. I joined a few friends in creating an environment for Every Last Detail's style dictionary. The venue, a century-old home under...
Music Mondays | It’s Early, But You Might Need This Reminder
I'm not going to lie: I've needed this reminder more than once already this year. I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me.
Art as Inspiration | reverse axe
I find this reverse axe by Chris Magnusson electrifying. There's such delight in turning preconceptions on their heads. Daddy wants.