True North Interior Design & Antiques: December 2012

Sunday, December 30, 2012

The Artist in Me

For my birthday this year I was gifted this wonderful book about being creative. Having read the book the subject of creativity and our business has been on my mind ever since.
Being creative is an important part of any business. For our business being creative in the design part of our business may seem obvious and the many items we repupose out of vintage also call upon our creative side. But creativity in marketing our product and deciding how to display our product are also important parts of any business.
One of the particular things I loved about this book was its premise that nothing is original. The author encourages people to embrace all influences, collect ideas, remix and re-imagine in order to discover what your path is. I am always amazed at how people claim ideas as their own as though they own them and no one else can copy them. This author claims that no one owns an idea and that if an idea inspires you you need to own it and work with it. If you truly work with an idea you are copying; I believe that if you are true to yourself you will make it your own. Nothing is original, we all borrow ideas from the things we see and experience.

I think if you do what you love it will show in your work. Collect pictures and ideas of what you love.That doesn't mean that you won't be bored or frustrated sometime. Make a list of the things you can do when you are bored with what you are working on. If something isn't working out give yourself a break and work on a different project. Be curious about all things that interest you.

Do not be afraid to fail. I almost hate to say this because I learn from everything I do whether everything works out like I want it to. Even the "failures" often let me know which directions I need to go in and what I need to move away from. Some time things don't work out or I don't like the end product. I have at times created things that I like but I just can't get the money I need for the time I have invested. Be prepared to change.

Do what you do because it is important to you. There will always be people who don't like you or what you do. This often has nothing to do with you. Some people just seem to find fault like there is a reward for it. I don't mean that you shouldn't listen to constructive criticism or evaluations of your work but just remember some people are just negative and they get their power by trying to make you feel inferior about what you are doing. Don't listen to them!! I speak as someone that spent many years not finishing projects because I was afraid that my finished project wouldn't be deemed perfect enough.

If you don't like the rules make new ones. I grew up in a setting that was sometimes so rigid that I often accepted the rules that were laid out for me even those they didn't work. I spent alot of time trying to make my life fit those rules when in fact I should have changed the rules. Creative minds are rarely tidy. Do what works for you.

Finally, you can't use up creativity. The more you are creative the more you creative you will be.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas!!

It is Christmas eve! We actually didn't have a very busy Christmas season as far as our family obligations but some how the season has just flown by.
A couple of weeks ago we had Christmas with my son and daughter and their spouses. Cj's parents have already taken off for Florida so we are having and enjoying a quiet Christmas together. We are always grateful for any time we get together. CJ has had a modest amount of design work this year and the antique, repurposing, creating side of our business has kept us incredibly busy. But we are so grateful for all the work we have and through it all the support of friends, family, and faithful clients.