In the spirit of good planetary citizenship, I'm recycling an old blog post. It is a few years old, but so I did have to dust it off and fix a few buttons. It was my Holiday blog, but it works with Earth Day.
What better time to take a minute and think about being less wasteful and having a lighter touch with the planet?
I'm a bit overwhelmed thinking about the scope and scale of my own and California's problems. The condition of the world is the result of the actions of billions of people all doing... whatever we are doing. And when we are responsible, empathetic and wise, the world might improve. Or suffers less, perhaps.
There are enough artists out there to create the market share to drive international magazines, books, websites and supply stores then we have an economic impact. Your actions are repeated, with different results, in studios around the world. You are intentionally setting out to sway other folks with the brilliance of your insights, creativity and thinking. You are demonstrating your right brained problem solving skills every day. If you have a great idea for saving the world, unlike many others, your work and relationships are perfect mediums for transmitting solutions to problems and new kinds of thinking to the world. If you have a great idea of any kind, it may inspire someone else that the world is worth saving.
If ten artists touch the lives of one hundred others each year, then we can reach a lot of minds. Facebook and viral videos reach huge audiences. Because some of the artists and some of those watching artists use print, film, TV and other broadcast mediums, then millions are impacted by the work and processes of a handful of artists.
My mother was a gardener, a planner. I watch the ways that she saved a little money here, planted a good idea there, and extend her care beyond work and home to the people at work and the students in her orbit. Beyond the obvious impact of content and teaching, there are simple things we can all do, and many you are probably doing them already.
Teach and model better processes and use of materials and resources.
Think about the long term effects of process, material (choice and use) and ideas on ourselves and the larger world.
Consciously expand your positive impact by learning/teaching, sharing and replacing harsh and unfriendly processes, materials and ideas in our studios and work.
For a start. Happy Earth Day.
What better time to take a minute and think about being less wasteful and having a lighter touch with the planet?
I'm a bit overwhelmed thinking about the scope and scale of my own and California's problems. The condition of the world is the result of the actions of billions of people all doing... whatever we are doing. And when we are responsible, empathetic and wise, the world might improve. Or suffers less, perhaps.
There are enough artists out there to create the market share to drive international magazines, books, websites and supply stores then we have an economic impact. Your actions are repeated, with different results, in studios around the world. You are intentionally setting out to sway other folks with the brilliance of your insights, creativity and thinking. You are demonstrating your right brained problem solving skills every day. If you have a great idea for saving the world, unlike many others, your work and relationships are perfect mediums for transmitting solutions to problems and new kinds of thinking to the world. If you have a great idea of any kind, it may inspire someone else that the world is worth saving.
If ten artists touch the lives of one hundred others each year, then we can reach a lot of minds. Facebook and viral videos reach huge audiences. Because some of the artists and some of those watching artists use print, film, TV and other broadcast mediums, then millions are impacted by the work and processes of a handful of artists.
My mother was a gardener, a planner. I watch the ways that she saved a little money here, planted a good idea there, and extend her care beyond work and home to the people at work and the students in her orbit. Beyond the obvious impact of content and teaching, there are simple things we can all do, and many you are probably doing them already.
Teach and model better processes and use of materials and resources.
Think about the long term effects of process, material (choice and use) and ideas on ourselves and the larger world.
Consciously expand your positive impact by learning/teaching, sharing and replacing harsh and unfriendly processes, materials and ideas in our studios and work.
For a start. Happy Earth Day.