October 8, 2013 In appreciation, art, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #47: Perfection

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

A grand old oak. Moonlight on a tranquil sea. The timed-just-right one-liner. A child’s first alphabet. These are perfection.

And you (yes ~ you) are perfection. In all your realness, your uniquely you-ness, just the way nature made you, flaws and all. It’s not measured by the length of your legs, the width of your belly, or whether you might not be so good at baseball or science.

Unless you’re a jet engine, perfection is as nature made you. And nothing is more perfect, nothing so magnificently intricate and complex that runs more efficiently nor encompasses more bounty, grace, grandeur and passion than nature.

An exquisite rose reminds us of the world’s beauty; its thorns remind us that there is always a purpose beyond what meets the eye. An ugly plant may not elicit oohs and ahhs, but it might perhaps hold a cure for cancer.

We’re all part of nature’s fabric. We all have beauty, we all have thorns. We all have gifts, and reason to be here. Each and every one of us. Flawed, and marvelously, perfectly ourselves.

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August 23, 2013 In appreciation, art, communication, design, life and the universe, philosophy By Patricia Saxton

When Thunder Rolls

saxton_rodin.quote

So I had a couple of nasty days. The kind “sent to try us”. The Murphy’s Law kind. Fender-benders and lost phones, roads closed, fistfuls of money out the door, that sort of thing. Aggravation.

I kept my cool, though, because I’m like that ~ rational, patient, pretty much calm & controlled when crisis flares ~ but I will admit that privately curses sprang from my lips and a few items were slammed on the ground. Like a rubber band wound too tight. But of course, the rubber band springs back, and so did I. Not much to do at that point but take care of what needs taking care of.

Then the rain came. Buckets of beautiful rain.

There’s nothing quite like a booming, early morning thunderstorm to clear the air. I like to imagine the rain cleansing as the wind whisks our troubles up, thunder rolls them away and lightning strikes out doubt and confusion. As if, for a moment in time, we’re smack dab in the middle of a cosmic realignment.

And then, slowly, the storm eases off, and we’re placed back in our place of reality, somehow revitalized, a little bit liberated. The air somehow new. Angst washed clean. And I’m reminded  that “shit happens”, that we do the best we can, that energies can shift quickly and without warning, and that the universe is one great big mysteriously magnificent thing in which we get to play and work and wonder and worry and pray and laugh and learn and love and that making sense of it all just might not be our job.

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June 15, 2013 In art, branding, communication, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, imagination, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

The Pencil

A modest and unassuming tool, the pencil has witnessed global events, mapped grand expeditions, documented scientific discoveries; it has chronicled famous lifetimes and private journeys; it is an artist’s companion, and is ever patient in the hands of a child learning to write or a poet listening for illumination.

The pencil quietly observes, renders, and calculates, and from the slightest stroke to the boldest pressure, its touch can bring the magnificent and fantastical to life, leaping from a blank white page in great passionate detail.

With pencil in hand, stories are written, stars dreamed upon, ideas and equations scribbled ~ and its only vulnerability ~ revealing the pencil’s tender heart, and reminding us that it comes from Mother Earth ~ are the charcoal smudges made by the smear of a hand, or how cleverly it can disappear with a simple eraser.

A more loyal, trusting tool I’ve never known. Even if you break it in two, it still works! And, ah, what imaginative beginnings can be stirred by the humble pencil… a marvelous instrument indeed. :  )

saxton_pencils.humble.sketchy

From Patricia Saxton’s “Pencil Point Series”, a long-runnng self-promotional campaign based on her logo and favorite tool, the #2 pencil.

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April 28, 2013 In appreciation, communication, design, graphic design, inspiration, words and language By Patricia Saxton

A Plethora of P’s / #68: Presentation

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

– ♥ –

saxton.P_presentation

“Presentation is everything.”

I’m not sure when, or by whom, this phrase was first coined, but it speaks volumes. From job interviews to table setting to product marketing to public speaking to asking a date to the prom to framing a picture ~ presentation is the packaging that can make or break a deal, set a tone, and stamp a nearly irreversible impression.

Of course, it probably should be said that a well done presentation can be deceptive. How many of us have been fooled into buying an unworthy product, or trusting someone not deserving our trust? A slick presentation can be a ruse to cover truth ~ so we shouldn’t follow blindly, nor believe what we see just because it’s presented a certain way.

However…. how much lovelier the world is with fresh flowers on a table. How much more engaging to hear an authentic, articulate speech than a sloppy one. How much more effective to sell a home that’s clean and attractively appointed. How much more likely the neatly dressed person will be favored for a job over someone who looks like they’re fresh from an all-night at the pub. How much sweeter to give (and receive) a gift that’s presented with a smile, if not also a bow? We can so much more appreciate a symphony recording that’s clear instead of scratched and muffled. A well-written note means more and feels more genuine than one filled with errors that appears rushed. A meal is more savored when artfully arranged. The list goes on.

It’s the human touch, the extra mile, the care and thoughtfulness behind just about anything, that makes the presentation more winning, the sharing more worthwhile, and the receiving more valued.

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

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February 14, 2013 In art, communication, design, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

So It’s Valentine’s Day

So it’s Valentine’s Day ~ big deal, right? I’ve had a few memorable ones, but overall it’s pretty much an over-rated, over-commercialized, over-priced reason to either treat your special someone to flowers, chocolate and cards, or cry into your single-serving half-gallon ice cream container.

That said, I’m not as cynical as it sounds. I guess I’ve “evolved”. I kind of like the idea of a day dedicated to love. Let sweethearts swoon. And for those not in love, or who may have lost a love, are mad at love or through with love, who says it has to be romantic love? Cupid can have his fun, but so can those not struck by the mighty arrow. Why follow the rules?

So I got a little inspired, and made up some mini-posters in honor of all forms of genuine love, which is always worth celebrating. Happy Valentine’s Day to you! Go ahead and share some love today. ♥

welove

thissky

loveisafruitinseason

love.outlaw3

lovegivesnaught

loveis

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January 8, 2013 In appreciation, art, communication, craftsmanship, creativity, history, inspiration, skill By Patricia Saxton

Tuesdays with Chris: “What is Art?”

Chris Staley

Chris Staley

After a little hiatus for the holidays, our “Tuesdays with Chris” are back ~ and oh, you’re in for a treat on this one!  [And what is art to you? …]

(If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.)  Enjoy!

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December 18, 2012 In appreciation, art, communication, craftsmanship, creativity, history, inspiration, skill By Patricia Saxton

Tuesdays with Chris: “Magic Clay”

Chris Staley

Chris Staley

Clay is magical.

There is, of course, s a sense of magic in all artistic endeavors. The “making something from nothing”, starting with the simplest base and most fundamental tools ~ whether a pencil and paper, strings on a guitar, a slab of clay ~ creating as your hands, eyes, heart, mind and spirit move you. The magic is in the spontaneity, the exploration. The details follow ~ but first comes the spark.

Here, Chris shares some of his own magic with us, and it’s a delight to see!

(If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.)  Enjoy!

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December 11, 2012 In appreciation, art, communication, craftsmanship, creativity, history, inspiration, skill By Patricia Saxton

Tuesdays with Chris: “Drawing as Thinking”

Chris Staley (sketchs)

some of Chris’s rough sketches

Can it be Tuesday again already? That sure went fast! But it means another great video from Chris. This week he’s talking about something that plays a pretty major role in my own life, so I’ve decided not to make any elaborate commentary ~ of course, if what he says has anything to do with stream of consciousness, or infinite possibilities, he’s on to something…

(If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.)  Enjoy!

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December 4, 2012 In appreciation, art, communication, craftsmanship, creativity, history, inspiration, skill By Patricia Saxton

Tuesdays with Chris: “The Art of Teaching “

Chris Staley

Chris Staley

“Teaching is a work of art.”

In this week’s video, Chris describes three types of teachers, and how a sense of ownership and involvement comes alive in a classroom when the lines of engagement become fluid ~ and his students tell us what characteristic they find most important for a teacher to bring to a learning experience. And at the end of the day, it seems the whole teaching/learning process is most effective not by how much you know, but how much you care.

All of which reminds me of a favorite quote by François Rabelais: “A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit.”… something that, I believe, goes for all of us, at any age.

(If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.)  Enjoy!

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