During childhood, we tend to collect two things: toys and memories. When I was a kid, I collected toys like Star Wars action figures, baseball cards, and Nintendo games. But I also collected neat memories of building snow forts in the front yard, picking strawberries at my Grandma’s house, and weekend getaways to the Holidome (with its glorious indoor pool). Toys can be sold on Ebay for cash money -- sometimes a lot of it -- but memories? Those are priceless. Interestingly, it doesn’t change all that much when we get older; we’re still collecting toys and memories. Our toys are …
Archives for February 2013
The Magic in Your Mad Skills
I love this short little video about Oliver Jeffers, picture book maker. It reminds me of the magic that exists in the creative process, especially from the perspective of an outsider. He delves into the tangible, practical and mundane aspects of his process, but somehow, it doesn't detract from the magic, it ADDS to it. People often ask me where I get my ideas and how I make my art. I give the best answer I can but I always downplay the subject it for fear of disappointing them. The reality always seems much more pedestrian and boring than the story the questioner already has in their …
Must. Wear. Eye Black.
There's something you need to know about me. I'm looking for any excuse to wear eye black. If I see even a remote opportunity to wear it, I'm jumping on it. …
Kites Aren’t Just for Flying Anymore
I've written before that one of the BEST parts of being grown-up is having the ability and the know-how to take awesome things from childhood to a new level of awesomeness. The sweet photos above? No, they were not created by some guy in a small plane or captured with the iPhone of a blimp pilot. They were taken by a camera attached to a kite. Yes, a freaking kite. You know, that thing kids play with on windy days? In fact, Kite Aerial Photography is a real thing. Google it. …
Your Golden Ticket is Waiting
I created this painting last year for the inaugural Escape Adulthood Summit. We used the metaphor of a fish escaping from a fishbowl as a theme. Every group’s table featured a real live goldfish as a centerpiece. And each team used things like noodles and egg cartons and glue to create a “vehicle” their fish could use to escape. The t-shirts everyone received were emblazoned with a depiction of the Bloop! graphic above. And after two days of laughing, thinking, playing, sharing, and eating yummy things, I presented each of the attendees with a print of this image. It’s something I think we …
Snapshots From Our First Marathon
Training began about a month ago. Perhaps that wasn't enough time to prepare, especially if you have a hard time jogging around the block without feeling like you have to hurl. But Kim and I had each other to hold ourselves accountable and, as you can see from the photo above, Kim was all business. …
The High Roller: A Big Wheel for Grown-Ups
One of the worst parts about growing up (I know, there are many): outgrowing your Big Wheel. Yes, upgrading to a two-wheeled bike is cool, but nothing beats the pure joy of operating an old school Big Wheel tricycle. Being that low to the ground is kind of like driving a Ferrari. One of the best parts of being grown-up is having the ability and the know-how to take awesome things from childhood and making them even...awesomer. I give you the grown-up version of the Big Wheel, with alloy V-Brake and levers, a plush custom seat, a pneumatic 26-inch front wheel and molded 14-inch plastic …
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