Take advantage of changes

Photo: My Mom holding my Dad's hand as he recovers from surgery.

This photo summarizes a principle in creativity that I adhere to, it is this, I create because I enjoy it... but also, so as to interject or confirm a good (hint: "good" as in Aquinas, Plato and Aristotle) in life. My Dad's recent bout with cancer was difficult... but it is in how we handle these challenges that defines life. We can be lazy and get beaten down... OR rather choose to transcend the negative aspects by drawing attention to the good.

It may seem trivial but converting confusion and negative experiences into positive elements is life-giving and often documenting these negative occasions in art or photography can help us all reflect on the good in them. This touching photo captures the love and devotion my parents have shared for over 50 years; central in the image is the wedding ring and its sign of commitment.

Incomplete messages may grab your...

Have you ever jumped into the middle of a TV program or movie and found yourself trying to figure out what is happening in the show.... and enjoying this puzzle? Now apply this common experience to a consumer looking at magazine ads, ad copy or a graphic design. If the message or lead-in is incomplete or purposefully offbeat does the audience (the prospective consumer) engage in an effort to solve the riddle in order to make sense of the unique juxtaposition? Perhaps a precious moment of intrigue sets a hard-stop in their memory bank... and a concept is sold.

Photo is a close-up view of coffee on a lazy Saturday AM.

Ingenious flexible folding-boat

Check out this folding 12-foot rowboat we take all over Minnesota. It's perfect for running rivers since the flexible sides absorb blows from partially submerged boulders in rivers. Because it is virtually unsinkable (it has built-in flotation modules), has a flat stable bottom, and is easy to row... it is very safe for kids. http://www.porta-bote.com/

Spending time with friends and loved ones in the outdoors is one of the highlights for my family. We are avid campers and hikers... and we like to fish and explore remote wilderness areas. Vast, wide-open pristine wilderness seems to refresh my mind and recharge my creative battery.

Photo is of our campsite near Two Harbors, MN.

A Rosey Outlook: Web 2.0

Blogs, flicker, youtube, twitter, social-media, pod-casts.... innovation in technology enables creativity across social and marketing mediums. In the for-profit entities, the challenge is to remain involved enough to understand the new tools and yet removed enough to not run-in-place over the latest craze and get bogged down. Keeping the low-hanging fruit the main focus, while being open to new opportunities and marketing avenues requires priorities and much discussion. Ditto on Web 3.0, web 4.0 and so on.

Photo is of a freshly picked rose from my wife's garden.

A Digital Camera: Failure is Fleeting

My kids and I, with our omnipresent digital cameras, snapped this quick close-up of a wasp.

The indispensable digital camera continues to amaze people throughout the globe... its a medical instrument, research tool, diary, entertainment maker... it truly captures life. Thanks to staggering reductions in cost and ever increasing capabilities it is the perfect tool for the average person to create something meaningful.

I encourage my kids to photograph daily and become familiar with its features. Capture a ton of snapshots and delete that bad ones. Failure is so fleeting, since a beautiful image is only a snap away.

Hands-on Creativity

I have a folder that is filled with product and toy ideas that date back to my childhood, in fact many of the best ideas (to be honest, I have not had much financial success from the ideas) come from my childhood. There is something to be said for tinkering with things and not being afraid to fail. As adults, it seems we are too timid to interject new ideas and try goofy things. Brainstorming sessions at work are commonly atrophied by fear of looking dumb and memories of past harsh comments. Success in the creative process is predicated on lots of failures, getting one's hands dirty and simply playing with ideas.

It is recorded that Aristotle said, " It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it"

Alexander Calder, the famous sculptor, was notorious for tinkering into ingenious results. And here is a link to the Artsy website that supports an excellent overview of Calder, https://www.artsy.net/artist/alexander-calder

Colored rendering is a study I made of Keith Bond's painting.