October 8, 2011 In appreciation, branding, communication, creativity, design, graphic design, inspiration, intelligence By Patricia Saxton

Another Legend, Another Lesson

Milton Glaser is Graphic Design and Illustration.

Referred to as the design industry’s “icon”, he truly is the Master, who long ago reached the pinnacles of success. With intelligence, passion and integrity (and amazing talent!) he’s stayed fresh and irrevocably admired well into his 80’s.

Talk about longevity, he’s it. His work inspires millions, his discipline influences countless students. He’s done it all, exceptionally well.

And just the other day, he posted this picture on his Facebook page, which I thought was pretty neat. I looked through the comments, remarks of honest admiration. What do you say to this, after all?

1976 concept sketch for I ♥ NY / © Milton Glaser

But this simplest of “sketches” is more than a cool memento. It serves as a reminder of the raw power of an idea. And what we do or don’t do with it.

Ideas can come in an instant, we all know that. The key seems to be whether we acknowledge or dismiss that instant. And in the next breath, whether we grab a pen and the nearest scrap of paper, napkin, gum wrapper, and jot it down.

What happens after that has a lot to do with the validity of the concept, the practicalities, the applications, the creative development. And lots of those “sudden insights” end up in our own sort of slush pile.

But sometimes…. it’s golden.

So thank you Milton for this humbling image, reminding us to give ideas the light of day, the freedom to breathe, roam, and define themselves.

Draw it, write it, sketch it, record it. … do it!

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October 6, 2011 In appreciation, creativity, inspiration, leadership By Patricia Saxton

Steve Jobs: A Genius in Heaven

“We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know? And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it.” ~ Steve Jobs

Today, the world mourns the loss of Steve Jobs. He was an incredible innovator. He was an original. He was absolutely brilliant.

A chorus of voices sings his praises this day, and rightly so. He changed the way we live. He did what many think is pure pipe-dream: he actually DID change the world ~ and as many of us believe, for the better.

So what can I add to the barrage of conversation? Probably nothing new. Except to say that I was truly moved when I learned of his passing, and part of me thinks none mourns his loss more than the design community.

Sure, his products have exploded around the globe. Every 5-year-old knows what iPods and iPhones are, as previous boundaries of Mac-users vs. PC-users were swept away like beach pebbles with the wave of all things “i”.

But the design community has been there every step of the way. We were there at the beginning with our little Apple SE’s, practically dancing in the streets when released from the shackles of rubber cement and color separations prepared by hand and lines of type precisely cut by t-squares, triangles and exacto blades. Our world shifted dramatically as Macs created this amazing bridge between creativity and productivity.

We’ve been excited by each new development and loyal to a fault. Thrilled with the simple joy, the “fun”, of using our Macs over the years. We’ve loved their cleverness, their cleanliness, their friendliness, their aesthetics and their power. We, in all honesty, don’t understand how anyone couldn’t love a Mac.

And we watched the young man behind the machines grow, fall, rise again and become a giant. We’ve admired his style, his creativity, his leadership, his greatness. We liked him as a person. He had that unusual quality of someone who is inaccessible yet feels like an old friend.

It’s hard to fathom the difference made through this one man’s vision, and the number of lives touched. Steve Jobs was a genius in our midst, and I, one among many, am awed and exceptionally grateful for his incredible mind, his perseverance and his authenticity. His legacy is great, his gifts lasting. What a blessing, taken too soon. But there’s no easy explanation for magic.

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October 3, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #40: Persistence

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

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Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.  ~ Napoleon Hill

You just can’t beat the person who never gives up. ~Babe Ruth

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins – not through strength, but through persistence. ~ Buddha

Persistence is a determined state of mind; a driving force with an out-and-out refusal to give up. Yes, it can be used for the wrong reasons, or lead down a darker road if the persistent thought revolves around negative expectations. But it’s also what we do to combat adversity or deafen the naysayers… we persist; and that positive persistence holds an amazing ability to shift outcomes for the better, to breed courage and to drown out disappointment.

Persistence urges you on to finish a race, gives you the adrenaline to win a match, pushes you to climb higher and reach farther. It says, “I can do this, I can learn that, I can grow this, I can develop that … and I’m gonna put one foot in front of the other, over and over, to make it so”.

It’s all about how you think. Then you act, then things happen. So, it’s a good idea to check the nature of your thoughts… because the dominant thoughts become the persistent attitude that will set your course and lead the way.

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September 26, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #39: Piano

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

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“No other acoustic instrument can match the piano’s expressive range, and no electric instrument can match its mystery.” ~ Kenneth Miller

Billy Joel comes to mind. Stevie Wonder. George Winston. Herbie Hancock. Oscar Peterson. Ray Charles. Jerry Lee Lewis. Joni Mitchell. Regina Spektor. Scott Joplin. Bach. Beethoven. Haydn. Mozart. Tchaikovsky.

I admit I’m biased towards the piano. And I know it can probably be said for any musical instrument… but under the right hands (and heart & soul) pianos can be delicate, thunderous, funky, bright, rough, elegant ~ and everything in between.

Like a changing sky, her moods are endless; her range of emotion vast and deep as an ocean. Tickle her, and she sings with delight.

And if we match her up with a guitar and some conga drums… a bit of heaven just might appear.

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September 23, 2011 In appreciation, art, fine art By Patricia Saxton

9/11 Exhibit: An evening of community

Thanks to all the photographers at the opening reception of “Afterwards & Forwards: A Ten-year 9/11 Reflective Art Exhibit”, I’ve gathered a sampling to share. The event was indeed very special, with a lively, eclectic crowd ~ and a lot of heart.

Artists are a sensitive lot, who generally pour their more serious selves into their work…. so there’s a great sense of camaraderie when they find themselves in the same room; an invigorating coming together happens.

And over time, I’m getting to know some of them better. Charming Raul, effervescent Duda, gentle Midori. And of course, the incomparable Jose, interjecting his marvelous intellect right and left and showering magnanimous support upon others. And conversational, thoughtful Nick who has thoroughly convinced himself that my daughter is going to go to FIT. And the contagious energy of people-loving Robert…

They’re a vibrant, smart and fun mesh of talent and brains and backgrounds that’s absolutely refreshing. No pretense. Just an appreciation for art, and history, and humanity.

The NJCU 9/11 opening reception as a whole shared that essence of appreciation ~ as the artists, their work, the guests, the press, the professors, the town officials (heck, even the caterers) unconsciously formed an impromptu, cohesive community.

All were honoring a horrific event, yet paying tribute in the most uplifting, thoughtful manner. There was no somberness to the occasion; hope itself was present in the room.  And I’m truly proud to have shared those walls.

Although next time, it was decided … we would serve pumpkin pie.

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September 19, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #38: Polite

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

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Life is not so short but that there is always time for courtesy.  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are few words that take the friction out of life so easily as a warmly spoken please or thank you. The simplest of gestures can create a ripple of kindness ~ a cheerful greeting, holding a door, paying attention, lending a hand ~ they’re contagious, one polite deed leading to another, like flowering vines spreading out, taking root, weaving a sweetness into life.

How easy to affect the quality of a day! Acts of politeness take the bitter out, and soothe this challenging, sometimes beastly, business of being human.

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September 12, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #37: Pride

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

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Sometimes pride gets a bad rap. But to me, pride is about dignity. It’s about self-respect ~ and choosing thoughts that are uplifting and life affirming, and actions that ignite feeling good about yourself.

It’s doing right without righteousness, your best without boasting, and feeling strong without pushing your weight around. It’s confidence without arrogance.

It’s personal; it’s humble; it doesn’t shout from rooftops or seek applause. Whether it’s pride in craftsmanship, pride in honoring your word, pride in athletic or intellectual achievement, pride in accomplishments of loved ones ~ it’s an inner code that elevates and strengthens. It’s integrity. Dignity of character.

Feel proud of something. Genuinely proud, and hold your head high.

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September 9, 2011 In appreciation, words and language By Patricia Saxton

No Lollygagging (& what matters most)

Someone mentioned the end of summer, and I thought to myself, “oh shoot, I missed it!”

Summer mostly fleeted on the winds of vector shapes and web designs, book promotions and business meetings. Reading was done in snippets, online Scrabble my “fun break” (did I really just admit that?). Some spontaneous Ping Pong rallies may have saved my sanity.

Then the car brakes needed replacing, the microwave died, a window pane fell out, and there were still dishes in the sink. Just the stuff of modern life, with the sidebar of self-employment and a crappy economy.

Things happen, heat up, break down, come together. I don’t know why it all has to happen at once, but the bottom line is there’s been no lollygagging around here ~ and I often wish there were a little more of that …

But then I remember the folks whose homes were flooded beyond repair; the folks who watched Texas burn. I think of Haiti and Japan and New Orleans. I think of 9/11, and later that day we’d stood in my front yard with candles; all the neighbors joined us, some we didn’t know so well, but right then we were all one. What mattered was life. Freedom. Love. Each other.

So in between deadlines – which I need to get back to (no lollygagging now!) – I count my blessings, and send them to each of you.

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September 5, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, inspiration, work and play By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #36: Productivity

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

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Today we celebrate Labor Day in the U.S.. A tribute to all those whose hard work has helped build the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country, it’s a day to “kick back” and relax, and appreciate the efforts and accomplishments of so many. A day to give ourselves the proverbial pat-on-the-back for productivity.

I’m a big believer in being productive. I guess it was instilled in my growing up years… but I don’t mean the kind that’s measured by the boss or a particular number of somethings you have to reach to fill someone else’s pre-determined goal. What I learned was that a job done well feels good, that doing your best matters, that there’s both personal and social value in making something better or brighter or more useful or more worthwhile.

Not every minute, not every single day, nor does productivity have to “change the world”. Being productive can be as simple as taking a walk instead of watching mindless blather on the tv, or as involved as developing cures for cancer. Maybe it’s laying bricks or writing stories or growing corn or teaching math. Maybe it’s lending a helping hand. Maybe it’s doing the laundry. Maybe it’s play.

There are no hard and fast rules; productivity is more about time used well and a penchant for positive purpose. Being productive is good stuff; it elevates the day.

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September 4, 2011 In appreciation, communication, inspiration, photography By Patricia Saxton

Looking Up

Sometimes you need to see the broad view. Look up, look out, look at the world from different perspectives. Refresh your personal browser (how’s that for a turn of phrase!), and in so doing, rejuvenate and realign a bit. The effects may not be long-lasting, especially for the over-busy… but it’s every bit worthwhile. And you can always call it up in your mind’s eye later, to revive a sense of peace all over again.

So wherever you live, go find some sky once in a while. It’s good for the soul!

© Patricia Saxton

© Patricia Saxton

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