June 9, 2011 In architecture, business, communication, creativity, design, leadership By Patricia Saxton

Apple's (Very Cool) Architectural Plans

“The word spectacular would be an understatement.”

These were the words of Cupertino Councilman Orrin Mahoney after hearing Steve Jobs’ presentation about plans for a new Apple Headquarters.

As an appreciator of everything Apple, this is exciting news. But regardless of your own personal relationship with “everything Apple”, this will be a stunning architectural feat in its own right.

For example, by moving the parking underground, the grounds will lose the asphalt and double the number of trees, including the addition of an apricot orchard. The campus will be efficient, beautiful and of course, state-of-the-art.

Another example of coolness-meets-practicality. Gotta love that!

 

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May 31, 2011 In advertising, branding, business, communication, presentation By Patricia Saxton

What's the Big Deal About Branding? (part one)

I’m not a big soda drinker. (“pop” for you midwesterners)

But the other day while filling up at the gas station, enjoying the first sunny day in forever, I realized it was downright hot outside. As I reveled in the solar warmth, the green green trees and blue blue skies, my eyes wandered over to a lonely looking soda machine. And quite suddenly, I was struck with desire. I wanted a soda. I just really wanted one.

So I got change from the attendant, put my shiny coins in the slot, and wa-la! ~ down tumbled a beautiful, cold bottle of Coke.

Yes, definitely a Coke. Because to me, if you’re gonna have a soda (or a “pop”), it should be “the real thing”. I might even want to teach the world to sing… in perfect harmony….

You probably get my point… Coke has real brand recognition. It’s strong. So much so that I remember their ads from 20 years ago, maybe more. They’ve made (and continue to make) an impression.

So, you say, yea, well, they’re big guns. They’re a big deal with a big name and big budgets and a big audience. What does Coca-Cola’s great advertising have to do with a small business or an entrepreneur?

A lot.

Take away the “big name” and all the trappings that go with it and you’ve essentially got what branding is all about: Consistency and integrity.

Coke’s example is this: a steady graphic look since its inception, modernizing with the times, but never losing its core visual ~ AND a steady message that’s upbeat, positive and rings of authenticity. By keeping both their look and their message consistent, they maintain the vital quality of integrity.

Branding isn’t just a logo. It’s not just a website. It’s not a twitter account. It IS everything you or your business presents to the public.

Every word and every image in every medium and circumstance speaks on your behalf. These are your “brand”. They represent you in person, and when you can’t be there (which is most of the time), they represent a virtual reflection.

So if you have 3 different websites with 3 different looks, if you have people with different voices handling your social media, if your visuals look clean and sharp in one place and sloppy in another, you will confuse your audience. And confusing your audience is not something to take lightly in a world where so much is vying for people’s attention.

So, yes, your brand, your “identity”, is a big deal. Keep it consistent and let it walk, and talk, with integrity. More on integrity and authenticity in “part two”… For the time being, let’s just say, make it the real thing.


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May 16, 2011 In art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #21: Perspective

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

– ♥ –

“People who look through keyholes are apt to get the idea that most things are keyhole shaped.”  ~ Author Unknown

So much of life is about our point of view. Are you so close to something that you miss the bigger picture? Or do you soar above, taking in a broad view, missing the details?

Is your view softened by “rose-colored glasses” or do you see only the hard, harsh angles? When you walk, do you look up, look down, look straight ahead?

Are you near-sighted? Far-sighted? Do you look back, look forward? Do you see what’s right in front of you? Do you consider situations from all sides?

Our perspectives change, of course. But like all thought, we can direct that perspective towards the best possible light.

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May 2, 2011 In appreciation, communication, design, graphic design, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #19: Praise

A sincere compliment, a recognition of good deeds, admiration, applause… “a gold star for good behavior”, a high-five.

Praise knows no boundaries, no judgments. It can be as quiet as one appreciative word, or a thunderous, symphonic tribute. And there’s no one amongst us – saints to sinners, paupers to kings– who doesn’t benefit from receiving, or giving, a genuine expression of praise.

Praise lifts us up. Sprinkle it around your world, and high-five generously.

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April 26, 2011 In advertising, branding, business, communication, graphic design, words and language By Patricia Saxton

Ouch.

And they paid (one wonders how much) for this?

I was in Denver last week. Went to a Rockies game. It was fun. (It was also cold. I like the Rockies, but I don’t like cold.)  Anyway, we’re sitting in our seats, donning our new (and very spiffy) Rockies caps, wrapped in blankets, waiting to be wowed by Ubaldo, the newly returning post-injury star pitcher, when my vision is distracted by a bright, bigger-than-life banner across the stands. The banner is advertising something about Qwest and Century Link. That’s fine, whatever ~ I don’t really care, and I focus back on the game.

But wait.

My eyes flit back to the bigger-than-life sign. Somehow it’s demanding my attention… and I find that I do care. In fact, I care so much I’m appalled. Because there it is, a gaping grammatical error in full baseball-stadium-sized color for all the world to see.

And I think, “they paid for this”. They actually paid, big bucks, for this. Do they think it’s right? Do they not speak the language? (Oh, and by the way, these are communication companies…) Are they kidding me? Is our increasingly short attention-spanned society and the need for sound bites and quick one-two punch lines really more valuable than saying it right? Are we overriding “well spoken” for the “grab ’em fast” mentality?

Now I’ll admit that in the scheme of life, this is not a deal breaker. It’s not a catastrophe. It’s not “important”. But it definitely offends my inner nerd, my sense of language and yes, my professionalism! It’s not okay.

Note to Qwest and Century Link: Call me. (saxton studio) I can do it better, correctly, AND probably for a quite a few less dollars than your ad agency charged. :  )

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April 25, 2011 In art, communication, creativity, design, illustration, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #18: Pizzazz

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

– ♥ –

Sure, sometimes we just need a nap.

But … sometimes what we really need to do to recharge is to add a little pizzazz; a little flair. A pep to your step, some get-up-and-go spirit. A dash of red, a splash of purple, a pinch of pink, a lime-green wink. A great big bunch of wildflowers set on the table, a beaming smile when you feel a frown.

Put some strut in your salad, some punch in your pasta, panache on your pizza. Break out of the mold for an hour, a day, a year…

Let some sparkle light your world, welcome splatterings of zing and zeal and zest amongst your thoughts. Work the muscle in your attitude. Dance in your kitchen. Use new words. Paint with different colors.

A touch of pizzazz is feel-good stuff. So, go ahead and surprise yourself. Go ahead and shine.

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April 12, 2011 In art, communication, creativity, drawing, inspiration, intelligence, skill By Patricia Saxton

Stephen Wiltshire: Pure Genius

You may have heard of Stephen Wiltshire; he’s a London based artist renowned for his masterfully detailed drawings of cityscapes.

Stephen Wiltshire is autistic. He didn’t speak one word until he was 5 years old. His mind, however, is pure genius. His “disability”, as so often is the case, has provided an amazing gift.

Thanks to my friend Jai for sharing this with me… now it’s my pleasure to share it with you. If you view the video, I pretty much guarantee you’ll be awed.

For more on Stephen, his journey and incredible talent, go to: The Stephen Wiltshire Gallery.

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April 11, 2011 In appreciation, art, communication, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #16: "Poetry"

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

– ♥ –

Whitman, Yeats, Kipling, Dickinson, Angelou, Gibran, Frost, Sandberg, Tolstoy, Cummings, Wilde, Shelley, Rumi, Shakespeare, Wordsworth….

When I hear these names, eloquence comes to mind.

Eloquence, combined with deep understandings of nature, love, and the human condition; poets have a profound ability to both explain and move our hearts.

Granted, I may be biased towards poetry. I’m a poet’s daughter, spoon-fed the deliciousness of words. From an early age I came to appreciate the beauty ~ and the power ~ of language.

So, bias aside, I realize that not everyone appreciates poetry. But I do think that everyone who does, experiences an expansion of heart and mind. Good poetry is arresting. It’s elevating. Some even say intoxicating. Like being dipped inside a rose, the senses enveloped.

It’s also demanding. It requires your attention. Using only words, poetry engages first the mind, then cuts through to the heart.

And though wrapped in prose, it’s probably the most directly communicative of the arts. In its purity, perhaps the most artistically vulnerable. No visual props, no chords to set a tone. A play of words forming emotional shapes, it’s a meeting of pen, mind and spirit; music and painting put to words.

Poetry has many faces, runs the gamut from simple to complex, lyrical to abrupt. Like song, it’s often a matter of taste. But it’s worth a savoring, magical, thought-provoking, reverent taste now and then. It’s the language of love. It’s the language of life, of loss, of longing and lifting up. It nourishes the mind; it’s a tonic for the soul.

A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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March 28, 2011 In art, communication, design By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P's / #14: "Pause"

Stop. Take a breath. Take three breaths. Nice and deep. The world will still be spinning, so go ahead. Pause.

I know I’m not alone feeling like the “on” button gets stuck sometimes. It’s “one thing after another”. Go here, do this, get that, call there. Sit, stand, walk, talk, think, plan. Wash, clean, fix, organize. Take out the trash. Make more.

Well, this is just a reminder that to pause is good. This isn’t news, but something true enough, and worth repeating.

So do it ~ take a break! Pause to stretch, take a walk, look out a window, smell a blade of grass. Pause to watch the clouds roll by. Pause to feel your pulse. Pause to find a brighter thought.

Pauses soften life. And they’re more efficient and rejuvenating than they get credit for. They help keep things from colliding – things like conversations and ideas. Pausing between meals avoids the discomforts of gluttony. And of course there’s the wise advice of counting to ten before letting your temper loose. Pausing is smart AND good.

So pause the laundry, the tv, the radio, the news, the internet, the email. Pause the to-do’s and have-to’s. Just a pause… a breath, a moment to collect, to reconnect and just be.

Be still.

Then you can hit the “play” button again.

 

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