October 21, 2012 In art, craftsmanship, creativity, design, drawing, fine art, painting By Patricia Saxton

Creative Duet: The Prolific William Morris

Perhaps the grand lord of the decorative arts, one could think of William Morris as the craftsman’s craftsman. His uncompromising  belief that the best things in life were hand-made using natural materials combined with his exquisite drawing and watercolor skills to produce a vast collection of wallpaper and fabric design still widely used today.

Early on he was dedicated to creating beautiful, hand-crafted furnishings, which led to fabric printing and then to excelling in the arts of carving, dying, embroidery, stained glass and weaving.  A prolific individual, to be sure.

But ~ yes  ~ there was more to this inspired man than textile design. Throughout his life he wrote and published poetry, fiction, and translations of ancient and medieval texts. As author, illustrator and medievalist, he helped establish the fantasy genre, and was a direct influence on authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien.

Morris was born into a well-to-do family on March 24, 1834 in Essex, England, educated at Exeter College in Oxford, and was married to Jane Burden until his death in October, 1896.

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October 18, 2012 In art, communication, creativity, design, graphic design, imagination, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #64: Paisley

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

According to Wikipedia, paisley is a droplet-shaped vegetable motif of Persian origin, but its western name derives from the town of Paisley, in central Scotland.

Well, you learn something new every day.

What I’d already known was that paisley seems to have an almost immortal popularity that’s been used heavily by the likes of the equally immortal designer William Morris and fashion giants Gucci and D&G (Dolce & Gabbana).

I think of it as a happy print; happiest when used sparingly and elegantly. Of course, for those who like to shout it out more boldly, that works too. Either way, wear it in good cheer. There’s quite a bit of history in a piece of paisley print!

(see our growing, ongoing Plethora of P’s here)

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October 16, 2012 In art By Patricia Saxton

Tuesdays with Chris: “Can You Teach Creativity?”

Chris Staley

Continuing with our Tuesday video share from Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, in this video Chris tackles the often asked question “Can You Teach Creativity?”. Thought-provoking, well done ~ and you get to see a bit of the potter at the wheel.  (If you missed my introduction about Chris, you can read that here.)  Enjoy!

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October 15, 2012 In appreciation, art, craftsmanship, creativity, inspiration, music By Patricia Saxton

Craft, Music, Mythology and Beauty

Inspired by myth, but entirely real, these handmade guitars may be the most exquisitely beautiful musical instruments I’ve ever seen.

Music and mythology have a long, rich history together. Sculptor William Jeffrey Jones has taken that tradition to a whole new level by creating a marriage of craftsmanship and design to mythology and music in the form of high-end professional grade guitars. I’m in awe.

Wouldn’t you just love to hear these played by a master…? They’re so special you can almost hear an Irish ballad playing itself ~ but in the hands of a musician like my brother, or Clapton or Santana or Kottke, oh, what musical beauty would roll.

You can explore Jones’ website to learn more about how he made these pieces of art, as well as the philosophy and heart behind them.

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October 13, 2012 In branding, creativity, design By Patricia Saxton

52 Weeks of Peace [squared] / Week #75

The intertwining of colors and textures. The weaving of comfort and protection, warmth, pleasure, practicality and play into numberless long-lasting things made with love… So much goodness in one ball of yarn. So much peace it can bring.

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October 9, 2012 In art, communication, creativity, inspiration, life and the universe, presentation By Patricia Saxton

Art and Life: Perspectives from Chris Staley, Penn State Laureate 2012-2013

For the next 7 Tuesdays (maybe more), I’ll be sharing some superb videos created by Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013.

In these intelligent, thoughtful sessions, Chris explores the relationships between art, life, humanity and, in the video below, technology. Maybe we’ll call them “Tuesdays with Chris.”

After earning his masters degree from Alfred University, Chris began an illustrious career of teaching, lecturing, showing in countless one-person and select group exhibits, and has been the recipient of numerous grants and honors. His resume speaks for itself, as does his extraordinary craftsmanship.

On a personal note, Chris also happens to be a fellow grad and old friend from my college days at Wittenberg University. It’s been inspiring to reacquaint with his work and see where his talent and gentle perseverance has taken him. His insights are wise and genuine ~ I think when you watch this collection of videos, you’ll get the sense that you’re talking with an old friend yourself.

Note: This is actually the 7th in the series, but (as I sometimes do) I’m going out of order because I think this is particularly relevant to our modern culture. Enjoy!

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October 7, 2012 In art, books, branding, creativity, imagination, inspiration, life and the universe By Patricia Saxton

“where in the world is peace?” … pigeon roost farm

Pigeon Roost Farm. The name alone makes you smile; the pictures are priceless. Thank you for bringing “52 Weeks of Peace” to the fair, and sharing it with us from the friendly state of Ohio.

Peace fun at Pigeon Roost Farm, Ohio

Peace and a Snack at Pigeon Roost Farm Pumpkin Fest

“Pumpkin Peace Still Life”, Pigeon Roost Farm, Ohio

Where to next?

(ps:  you can see all “where in the world is peace?” images on our “where in the world is peace?” page. Our book is on Amazon, our totes, mugs and things are available here. Please email your own pictures to 52weeksofpeace@gmail.com or post them on our FaceBook page. Let’s see where peace goes!)

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October 5, 2012 In advertising By Patricia Saxton

Facebook Is Like a Chair. Okay.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this facebook ad. First ever for them, so it’s making news.

Okay, my thoughts too, I guess it’s only fair.

1.) I think it’s well done. Artsy, hip, maybe a little too profound (music selection added unnecessary weight there).  2.) I’m not sure why they needed to make this ad.  3.) Oh, right, to get more advertisers. (how silly of me)  4.) Facebook does connect people, and when you think about it, it’s pretty incredible.  5.) I’d “like” to be sharing life in one of their scenes. The scenes were great, showing that there’s no substitute for human interaction.

Your turn…!

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October 5, 2012 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, graphic design, imagination, inspiration, life and the universe, philosophy, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #63: Pink Flamingo

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

I’ve always been enchanted by flamingos. I think most people are. Maybe it’s their color we find so stunning ~ their sheer pink-ness! ~ ranging from pale and soft to deep corals and brilliant pink-tinged scarlets.

Then you see them standing on those incredibly skinny legs that go every which way (often standing on just one leg; go figure…), making them both awkward and fluid, beautiful and strange, and there’s a sense of awe at their very design.

I like the “awe” of flamingos. I like the way their form almost contradicts itself. I like their grace and their gentleness, and how they hang out in groups like one big happy family and don’t cause any trouble. They eat, swim, and fly (sounds good to me). They mate for life.  And they’ve got that amazing plumage.

You know, just thinking about them has brightened my day. Heck, I hope it’s brightened yours too.

(see our growing, ongoing Plethora of P’s here)

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October 3, 2012 In appreciation, art, branding, communication, design, graphic design, presentation By Patricia Saxton

Girl Scout Cookie Conundrum

Girl Scouts are many worthy things, but they should probably stick to being positive citizens of the universe and not mess with their cookie box design!

I should apologize, as it seems the Girl Scout organization is very pleased with their new design. But, you who know me, know that if I think something is good, I’ll be the first to applaud. If not, I’ll find some nice way to speak the truth, and look for the positive, but honesty prevails. (This is probably a good Girl Scout trait, this being true to your word business. It earns trust, I believe.)

In any event, to the point, which is: “Why change the box”?

Yes, I understand it’s a 100th anniversary of the Girl Scout organization, and as we all know, everyone (except me) loves Girl Scout cookies. So that’s a sensible enough reason to re-design the box ~ to celebrate the milestone.

Maybe the question then isn’t so much “why”, as “why this design”? It accomplishes its goal of honoring the girls themselves, but the cookies (the beloved cookies, and the main reason for the box) feel lost. The prior box, in my opinion, did a better job of honoring both girl and cookie. They could have infused something celebratory into the existing design, rather than re-invent. In my opinion. Which wasn’t asked for. So there you go, for what it’s worth.

What I really don’t “get” is why some companies feel a need to fix things that aren’t broken. That’s time and money spent for an overhaul that in the end, doesn’t necessarily justify the means. Some businesses really DO need brand makeovers, and I’m all for those upgrades. But if it’s just because you can, then it really ought to be fairly spectacular.

Bottom line, I wanted to care and applaud their venture, but I’m unmoved. The good news though, for all you Girl Scout cookie lovers, is that they haven’t changed the number of cookies per box.

old box

new box

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