It’s interesting being a creative today. It seems that some of us have fallen into the world of making and doing by happenstance, almost an autopilot of sorts. For others creating goes back to the youngest of our days. I’ve found myself lately in a space of looking back to the past and simultaneously looking toward the the future. I don’t believe that I can predict design or fashion trends, but rather I’m acknowledging the power of influence over the power of comparison.
As a designer, it’s far too easy to let flattery go too far, bordering on imitation. We hang out a bit too long on Pinterest and our Instagram feeds. Over the course of time, we forget what our personal style is. However, when we do acknowledge the power of influence in our artistry, there is freedom and honesty that comes forth.
Today, I choose to be open and honest. I’ve been influenced by many. A love of pattern came from time living outside an Amish community in northern Indiana one summer during college. I would drive through the countryside, noting the beautiful painted patterns in the quilts on the side of barns. These shared the stories, history, and rich heritage of the region in simple shapes of color. I fell in love with type and handlettering through the work of Stefan Sagmeister. Filled with creation of 3-D forms and life lessons, there was something about his work that is raw, vulnerable, and inspired me to create. I would look at it and knew it had something to say. My sketching and line work is influenced by the etchings and drawings of the early 19th century, the Japanese wave paintings, and classic sign painters. In this space, I’ve been influenced by writers, designers, and those who are new and old friends.In my faith, I’ve been influenced by the words of a catholic priest, the history of the Moravians, the lessons of desert mystics, the stories of the apostles, and the teachings of Jesus. I’ve been influenced by the movements of God to love his people over a period of time.
It is in all of these influence that I owe much to. It isn’t copying, taking what isn’t mine, but rather acknowledging the spaces and places- the patterns, textures, and influence of our lives.
What makes up the patterns of your life?