Inspiring Me: October 2015

I’ve attended a number of events this Fall where the focus has been placed on inspiration, where it comes from and the role it plays in the creative process.

I can’t help but think about how much of our insight gets lost along the way to a big idea — particularly the projects that plant the seeds of thought.

Therefore I thought it would a good exercise to highlight my Top Ten finds each month. In part this a self-serving and a way to force me to keep an insight journal but I’m also hoping it will lead to an active dialog of similar finds.

Enjoy!

#1. ELORA HARDY’S MAGICAL BALINESE HOUSES

Architect and designer, Elora Hardy (@elorahardy) and her team of designers at Ibuku have been using indigenous materials in Bali, primarily bamboo and tik to create a community of sustainable structures. Utilizing these materials and the talent of local craftsmen, the team at Ibuku have created a magical world that blends the ancient with the new. What Ilove about this project is that it taps into the trend of sustainable building while at the same time integrates rich storytelling around local culture and the region. It’s worth taking a look at Elora’s 2015 TED Talk on the project.

#2. CLOUDS OVER SIDRA — VR Filmmaker, Chris Milk

For anyone that’s put on a virtual reality headset, you know the potential the technology has for creating rich and immersive storytelling experiences. Its ability to transport us to inaccessible locations and allow us to experience a story from our own perspective is truly captivating. I’ve been bullish on VR from the start but recently have been paying very close attention to how non-profits are using it to create empathy for a particular cause. In “Clouds Over Sidra,” Chris Milk (@milk), in partnership with the United Nations takes us to a Syrian refugee camp through the eyes of a young girl. If you have a headset or Google cardboard, the short film can be viewed by using the Vrse application.

#3. THE MYSTERIOUS PACKAGE COMPANY

The Century Beast is a project a friend who works at Kickstarter turned me onto and it took all but 5 minutes for me to back. It’s created by The Mysterious Package Company, (@themersteriousco) a member-only web community and revolves around Viking lore . Inspired by dark fiction, the company creates storytelling experiences through delivered through the mail over the course of a series of months. Recipients, many of whom have been gifted the experience unbeknownst by friends and family receive packages each month culminating in a wooden box that contains an artifact tied to the story. What i love about this project is that it taps into a delivery medium that in many cases has taken a back seat to digital. I can see see heritage brands with a compelling craft story using this as way to engage high value customers in a more personal way. Luxury and spirits brands immediately come to mind.

#4. THE RISE OF SNEAKER CULTURE

I’m not a #sneakerhead per se but The Rise of Sneaker Culture exhibit at Brooklyn Art Museum in September drew me in. So much so that i bought my first pair of Air Force 1's after attending and have been exploring the sneaker head subculture ever since. Nostalgia classics like Reebok’s Pump and a chronological wall of Nike’s Air Jordan franchise were featured prominently.

#5. VINYL ME PLEASE

According to Nielsen, U.S. vinyl album sales were up 53% in Q1'15 building upon a notable rise in the past five years. More can be found on the rise in an April 2015 article in Billboard.You may have noticed record shops popping up in your neighborhood or mainstream stores like Urban Outfitters and others tapping into this trend. Ever since discovering a collection of records in my grandparents basement a little over five years ago, collecting vinyl has bene one of my passions. Something about the record store and street fair discovery experience is pretty addictive. I found Vinyl Me Please (@vinylmeplease) when an incredible artist and friend, Ryder Robison collaborated with the company. For all intents and purposes, Vinyl Me Please is a subscription-based commerce company that delivers exclusive pressings along with original artworks inspired by the album. The company also has a members-only store.

#6. 23 DAYS AT SEA

With Art Basel Miami only a few months away, its tough not to think about innovative projects that are likely to surface in December. Another find on Kickstarter, 23 Days At Sea, is an art residency that was created by Access Gallery (@accessgallery). It offers space aboard cargo ships sailing from Vancouver to Shanghai. Once onboard, artists are considered “in residency” and asked to create works inspired by their journey across the pacific. You can learn more about the artists and the project on their Facebook page.

“The boat is a floating piece of space, a place without a place, that exists by itself, that is closed in on itself and at the same time is given over to the infinity of the sea… (it is a) great instrument of economic development, but has been simultaneously the greatest reserve of the imagination…” — Michel Foucault

#7. THE [FREE SPACE] MOVEMENT

[Free Space] (@freespaceio) is a movement that began in 2013, based on civic good with the goal of bringing together communities to create, teach, learn and share insight using the gift of free space. The movement has held over 300 events, created 30 murals and 4 long term projects. A recent example includes a two-month experiment that took place in an abandoned building on Market Street in San Francisco where a community of social entrepreneurs, artists, activists, techies and residents came together to transform a space neighboring.

#8. THE FUTURE OF STORYTELLING

Hands down one of favorite events of the year, FoST or The Future of Storytelling (@futureofstorytelling) is a two-day event held in Snug Harbor, a reuse project in Staten Island that once housed retired sailors. The event covers all imaginable areas of storytelling from the written word to VR, a major focus in 2015. Charlie Melcher (@Charles_Melcher) and his team at Melcher Media are incredible at creating a community of cross-discipline and cross media storytellers as well curating cutting-edge innovations in the craft. This year i was fortunate enough to attend small workshops by folks including writer, @MargaretAtwood, animator Glen Keane (Little Mermaid & Beauty & The Beast) and writer/illustrator @MairaKalman. FoST also introduced a new track in this year called “FoST For Good” where groups got together to help non-profits. It included small breakouts with speakers such as Al Gore and Shaka Senghor (Cut50).

#9. THE DOGHOUSE (VR) — Knattrup & Dark Matters

Inclduded as part of the VR tent at Future of Storytelling, The Dog House is a Danish produced VR experience that puts five participants inside a dysfunctional dinner. Participants literally sit around a dinner table and get transported into one of the characters and experience the story from that character’s perspective. The 18-minute short film surrounds a family dinner with a husband, wife, their two children and the girlfriend of one of the sons. I was assigned the elderly mother who over the course of the dinner became quite inebriated and instigated some incredibly awkward situations. This was the first group VR experience i had ever participated in and what i found most interesting was the post-film debrief in which each person who took part revealed elements of the story that only they were exposed to.

#10. THE ZENTANGLE MOVEMENT

If you’ve actually walked into a physical bookstore in the past couple of months you may have noticed some shelf space dedicated to the topic of adult coloring. One title in particular, The Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book, by illustrator Johanna Basford is gaining widespread attention. This rise in art as mediation is part of a practice I’ve discovered is called, Zentangle, or the act of drawing images in structured patterns to increase focus and creativity. According to the September New York Times article, “We’re All Artists Now,” nearly 60 books are slated to be published in 2015 dedicated to the practice (up 1/3 from 2014). Zentangle is also being applied to areas beyond creativity such as improving self-esteem and even as a dieting aid. I’m a big fan of the concept of “structured play” in the workplace so i’ll certainly be adding Zentangle to my routine.