Nonsense

Alex Raffi 10-12-04

I see the conscious look on my daughters face
as she governed each step along the wet sand.
Like a starfish holds to old wood.

Intense.

Realized in a glance.
The window left open.
We’ve come to a place wet with delight.
And yet that jagged rock rattles in my scull.
Leaving each scare permanent and forgotten.

Words.

Worthless words end suddenly when the fuse goes out.
Disengaged like the great pause of a wake.
Like the drop of a glass in a church.
Like the silence after a bomb.

Nothing is simple.
Everyone is wrong.
No one will listen.
And nothing is said.

Have you ever felt someone else’s life?
Have you ever smelled a flower that reminded you
of something that happened to someone you’ve never met?

It’s amazing how little we care about each other.
It’s truly amazing how unimpressive we all are.

We forget about the great swell inside.

It’s easy to forget things we can’t control or define.
It’s unnerving to love too much.
It’s chews on us like gum.
You make it the source of all you know.
The only thing that makes sense is nonsense.

Men grate at the fabric of life.
Men define it.
Men sneer at it.
We denigrate, belittle and categorize life.
Men, most men have proven they hate life.

Revisiting Moments of Discovery

Every business is born of a vision. Someone somewhere had an idea that was meant to fill a void. During this global struggle, we have been forced to change the way we do business. We’ve had to shift our focus and “wise up.” Now is the time to create our own opportunities. We need to focus on developing new relationships and nurturing our old ones. Things are in flux, but one thing has not changed: that thing that drove us in the early days.

My parents were very supportive of my artistic abilities in the early days. During the ‘80s, my family lived in Orange County. The city held a “Fish Fry” where, for a fee, people could hawk their wares. My father always ponied up some cash so I could display my paintings. I’d sit there humbly with my artwork displayed for the world to see. People would pass, look at my work, look me over and continue to the next booth.

It was during one of these events that I was visited by a man who had stepped away from his booth to take a look around. He stopped at mine and looked at one of my paintings. I remember being intimidated. He was working at the POW booth and looked like a man who had seen quite a bit in his life. He stared at one of my large format acrylic paintings. The piece had been inspired by a Marlboro ad I had seen. Instead of depicting the cigarette-smoking cowboy, I had replaced him with a nondescript and rough sketch of a Native American riding a horse at full gallop through the desert at sundown.

He stood there just long enough for the moment to feel uncomfortable. Then he turned to me and asked me if I’d painted it. I noticed all his medals. Even at that young age I understood what a man had to go through to earn a purple heart. I said yes. With tears in his eyes he began to tell me about a man he had served with in Vietnam. He told me about their friendship and of the pride his friend felt about being Native American. He said his friend was killed during the war, and he hadn’t allowed himself the thought of him until this moment.

As a 15-year-old, I knew nothing about life – let alone death and war. Yet, a painting I created stirred something powerful in a man who had endured losses I couldn’t imagine. That was the moment I recognized the power of art as a tool to communicate and touch people. That was when I knew I wanted to become an artist. I often think of that when I work. It helps me realize how privileged we are to be contributing.

During these challenging times, it’s important to remember those moments of discovery. That’s where we get the drive to continue and succeed. My journey has brought me here. I’m able to draw from the inspiration of business owners all over our city, and if I’m lucky, remind them why they love what they do. I think that if we all realized the influence we had on the world as individuals, we would be ready to meet any challenge that comes before us.

"The more things change the more they stay the same."

This is a great old editorial cartoon published in the Chicago Tribune in 1934. I don't agree with the politics but appreciate it as a piece that reflected a lot of the attitude of the public at the time. The rush, rush nature of todays world might not allow an editorial like this to be published now because there is just so much information. I love the more is more attitude of the old days. You're forced to spend more time with it so you can get the full message. I count at least 7 messages in this illustration. A lot of cartooning as in advertising is telling people what they already know and directing that feeling to a business or in this case FDR.
Question:
Are there any marketing lessons we can learn from this illustration on how to communicate multiple messages in advertising? What makes people want to read it? Could todays lifestyle be interrupted long enough to relay this much content in an advertising piece.

Stafford's "The Well Rising"

The well rising without sound,
the spring on a hillside,
the plowshare brimming through the deep ground
everywhere in the field —

The sharp swallows in their swerve
flaring and hesitating
hunting for the final curve
coming closer and closer —

The swallow heart from wing beat to wing beat
counseling decision, decision:
thunderous examples. I place my feet
with care in such a world.
© William Stafford

Opportunities surround us

One of my favorite things about my work as a creative director and artist is the variety – the constant mental gymnastics required to keep things fresh and interesting for myself and my clients.

The worst thing that could happen to you in this line of work, or any creative endeavor, is boredom. It is so easy to read the commitment and enthusiasm of an artist in his work. A project that may seem mediocre or bland to some is by its very nature pleading to be explored thoroughly.

Opportunities surround us every moment of every day. Sometimes if you try hard and pay attention, you may be lucky enough to notice the magic and surprise yourself. Children are great at this. If I ever feel bogged down or creatively empty and need to get a recharge, I play with my daughter Elli. She lives in her creativity. She hungers for the joy of discovery. All kids do, I think. Observing the process of their discovery is inspiring. I’m addicted to that feeling – the ability to, at the end of the creative process, stop and reflect on it as an observer and say “How the heck did I come up with that?”

These challenges are as endless as they are limitless. The essence of creation is an openness to allow yourself to be inspired. The very same mental muscles used by a musician to create a beautiful piece of music are used by the physician, the gardener, the teacher or even the lawyer. It’s all problem solving. It’s the thing that allowed us to evolve. It’s what makes us human. Some of us live as observers of others’ creations and define ourselves by our judgment of them. We all have the ability to express ourselves.

I will be using this blog to offer up ideas I’ve found helpful in exploring creativity, and hopefully along the way, someone else will feel inspired to pick up a paint brush or pencil and begin exploring a bit as well. Opportunities are always laid out before us. The question is, are we willing to dive in and swim for a while? I think you should. The water is warm.

Thought of this idea in the shower. Odd how that happens. Not even sure why I mentioned that. Maybe just to let people know that I shower. Hopefully the cartoon speaks for itself.