"It's not where you start, it's where you finish"

"It's not where you start, it's where you finish" is a wonderful phrase from the Broadway musical "Seesaw" (Music by Cy Coleman and Lyrics by Dorothy Fields.) There is a lot of truth to this sentiment...but also remember all the great stuff happens in between the time you start a journey and the time you finish the journey.

"It's not the destination but the journey"
I've mentioned this in class from time to time and it holds true even to this day for me. The things I remember the most have been times that I spent insie a car on a trip heading towards some destination. Whether it was a few hours or longer, it was hose conversations I had with the passengers that were some of the most memorable because it gave me a chance to get to know someone better. Yes, the destination was always a nice place to arrive and it was part of the journey but it was always the "in between" times I cherished the most.

Here are some informal musings and ramblings from your Professor about the creative road ahead for each of you. Please accept this in the spirit which it is given and know that I support each of you here at midterm. My thoughts and words are meant to encourage you to be fearless, confident and crazy creative as you proceed ahead.

For the past 2 semesters you have been working on designs that will end up in your individual portfolios. Remember that everything you do from here on out you are doing for your own self. Take stock and be observant in how dedicated you are to your work and your work process. The sacrifices you make now for your talents will multiply threefold by the time you graduate with a most excellent portfolio of work. This will be the work that gets you the perfect internship your junior year as a designer and it will also be the work that will land you the perfect job upon graduation. Putting time into yourself and your creativity now is a way to build a working philosophy and formulating habits that will be your rock later one in your career. There are no shortcuts in the creative process. It takes hard work and dedication mixed with a lot of passion and pride for what you produce as designers.

Soon, you'll be putting together a portfolio of work from the past year to apply to the Graphic Design Major. This is a wonderful time for you as you actually get to review the work you've done thus far.

Certainly great things await you, individually and collectively.
Think of this next year as an real adventure into unfamiliar places.
An expedition of sorts.
The road less taken.
A leap of faith.
Kismet.
A Vision Quest.
A trip to bountiful.
Your secret garden.

Don't loose your unique spirit, your abundant creativity or your sense of humor along the way. (Certainly the holy grail for any artist.)

Everyday, every project is about each of you preparing yourself for your future as an artist/designer/person. Every move you make is towards yourself. I sincerely know of no greater feeling than to feel comfortable with who you are as a designer (and as a person.) You are learning your limitations and you are also embracing your strengths.

Make no apologies and no excuses about what you like and how you design.
Don't diminish your abilities. Don't apologize for what you like. It's who you are at this time in your life. We all change and the evolution should come naturally instead of something that is forced or following the trend.

You really are what you design.

But you might ask yourself "can it really be that simple?"

Remember that you are at exactly the right spot at the right time in your life so don't hurry it...trying to make something happen will ultimately waste your time and give you ulcers.

Finding your "center" as an artist and designer and person can take time so be patient. There aren't any shortcuts or passing lanes. It's about letting the process take place.

Don't loose faith as you go. Listen to your intuition which is really your soul telling you what to do.

It's easy to get distracted in this day and time. Just say focused on your path. Don't worry about anyone elses' path.

As a teacher I hear students say from time to time that they are "lost" or "confused."
I kind of have this unscientific theory about all this chatter which I want to share with you:

As Artists and Designers (and I capitalize that word) it is so easy to get lost or confused along the way. It's part of the creative process of learning, growing and striving NOT to be a mediocre designer. Is there anything worse than mediocrity?

I've come to believe that being a "lost" designer is actually much better than being a"confused"designer.

Oddly enough, for me the mere act of being "lost" actually means you are at least searching. You keep moving, you keep seeking, you keep making decisions. You are in flux and migrating. Being "lost" to me actually is kind of a blessing of sorts (and I'll tell you why in a minute.)

Now on the other hand the act of being "confused" simply means that you've stopped moving. Frozen dead in your tracks. It can be a time of insecurity and of being afraid to make any decision. Right or Wrong. Everything, I mean everything comes to a halt when you are confused. Being "confused" is akin to being paralyzed.

All of this is like the parable about that visual "fork in the road" which we hear so much about. Do I go the left or to the right. Do I go Up or down?
Which way is the correct way?

The "lost" designer simply chooses to go left or right, up or down.It doesn't matter as long as they keep moving. They figure what the heck. No Big Woop! They make a decision and they stick with it. It might seem a little naive, but nonetheless they made a decision. Bravo! They are fearless and accept their path (and decision) as part of the process of learning and growth and maturation.

Now on the other hand, the "confused" designer stands there dumbfounded at the fork in the road. Hypnotized by it's very image. The panic sets in. The sweats begin. The heart starts racing. The "confused" designer will always be totally immobilized by their own fear of indecision..the fear that they will make the wrong choice. (They are probably still there now questioning which is the right path to take.)They worry about their grades more than they worry about the success as a creative individual. Many times the "confused" designer simply wants someone else to make the decision for them. It's easier this way. They take no responsibilty for their journey. If they succeed then they are happy. If they fail then they came blame the person who made the decision for them. Nothing learned here.

To me it seems that both paths at that fork in the road will eventually meet up again at some point down the way so there really isn't a wrong or right path as a creative person. At least this is how it has worked out for me. I'm a die hard optimist however so it tends to work that way for me. One path might be a little longer or steeper or more difficult to climb than the other (and this is usually my path) but those bumpy experiences are usually more satisfying and the scenery is always better. The view is better too when you really have to work at something. Nothing I ever accomplished seemed to have come easy and I think most of us feel this way. It's what people might refer to as "the spice of life."

That "fork in the road" whatever it symbolizes for any of us, is a blessing in disguise because it forces us out of our normal daily boring routine. Suddenly the unexpected choice of which way to continue becomes life altering or so we think. The choices we make may not always feel safe and may not always feel secure,but in the end those choices broadens (and sweetens) our scope and our outlook on life.

"Live in the moment but plan for the future" has always been my mantra.
It's actually worked out pretty well for me so far, so you just might just want to give it a whirl. We simply cannot make things happen. You plant a seed and let it mature and tend to it and give it attention and then it will blossom into your career and your success.

Try to remember that creativity is not linear. Creativity can make your spirits sore one moment and yet in the very next moment it might call into question every reason for why you ever got into art in the first place. It's temperamental. Deal with it.

Try to be kind to yourself along the way and let your journey be more about experimentation and assimilation. You are a visual communicators. So learn to communicate visually and verbally and emotionally.

Let the very purpose of you wanting to be a designer become "serious fun" instead of a job. Think about changing the way you refer to what you do...instead of saying "I'm going to work today" why not say "I'm going to play today." It's all in how you look at it. Call it "work" and it will certainly be exactly that.

When I was at CNN for 21 years I seldom called what I got to do everyday "work."
There were days when I felt I earned my money but other days I felt guilty for taking it because I was having such a good time. It's hard to have fun for 21 years but I did.
The same can be said about my time at GSU which certainly isn't "work" to me since I get to hang out all day in an amazingly creative environment with each of you. And I get paid. Go figure. You will hear everything in the moment you best need to hear it.
Learning to listen is as much a part of success as a designer as speaking up about your work.

Don't compare yourself to one another, instead be inspired by one another.

Travel a lot.

Read a lot.

Laugh a lot.

Share a lot.

Stare at the stars.

Learn to do somersaults again.

Run towards things you might find to be a challenge instead of running away from them.

Learn to communicate and open up. You are not on that elementary playground anymore and I promise no one will laugh at you or point their fingers or call you names for speaking your mind or being yourself or even acting foolish.
You are among your own kind. Take heart. You creativity should be your safe house. Be yourself and you'll be so surprised at what surfaces within your creative soul.

Try to spend time with your classmates outside of class.
Try this: Have a party and invite everyone you know. Only half will show up but it will be the ones you truly want to show up. It's the good company of artist.

Take time to know your teachers better. The teachers I loved in school I continue to love as friends today. Ironically they continue to teach and inspire me even as friends. Respect has a lot to do with that. Friendship is key.

Take time out for just yourself. No one else.
Take long walks or meditate or draw yourself or have some quiet time just so you can collect your thoughts. Make time to hear your own thoughts.
iPods and cell phones have made that much more difficult now.
So unplug and listen to your soul.

Nourishment comes in many different forms.

In this time of "change" remember that "hope" makes everything possible. Everything.
Hope is so under-rated and yet it seems to be on the tip of everyone's tongue. I actually "hoped" my way through elementary school, junior high, high school and even in the Army. "Hope"allowed me to discover art. Eureka!

"Hope" is a first cousin to Dreams.

Do both.

Start building stronger relationships now with your classmates and teachers that will sustain you long after you graduate. This time is fertile with friendship and creativity.

Early on I read a wonderful book by John Steinbeck called "The Red Pony." It is wonderful story about a boy who embodies both a rebellious spirit and yet a contradictory desire for acceptance. Sound familiar?

In one particular instance in this book, one of the main characters (a young boy) is asked to clean out the barn as one of his chores. His resonant spirit surfaces
when he innocently claims that "in all this manure, there must be a pony." For whatever reason, that particular book (I love all of the novels by John Steinbeck) and this particular passage has kept me quite optimistic most of my adult life. It seems to come back to the idea of "hope" again. Hope is abundant. It is also about being optimistic. (optimism is a second cousin to "hope.")

So, as each of you begin this creative journey at GSU, just know that whatever happens along the way that you are working towards your own creative self. Your idea of "success" will be totally different from someone elses' definition of success and that's just fine by me.

Ask yourself each day what you want to bring to the creative table for yourself.
Nurture and feed yourself with fresh ideas that come from your own unique voice.
Ask yourself each day what inspires you and who inspires you and why? Give yourself a "grade" each day when you are about to go to sleep at night. Did you give yourself a passing grade/failing grade for that day?

Try to lead an authentic life.

So many times when we ask ourselves questions, we forget to listen for the answers...so learn to pay attention. I've always felt that the answer to any question is there long before we ever get to ask the question.
The next time you ask someone "hey, what should I do?" just be aware that you already know. I'm serious.

Watch for the nuances in how you design. Keep it simple and it's message clear.
You are storytellers. You are visual communicators.

When you leave school each day do you suddenly hang up your "design hat" and pick it back up once you arrive to school the next day?

If you want to be successful (whatever that might be) you should live the life of an artist 24/7. A good designer doesn't have an on and off switch. Being creative is alive always. It's kinetic. It is poetic. Creativity comes from the act of being creative not telling people you are creative.

Listen to your critics and learn from them.
Remember you don't have to accept everything as the gospel truth.

Question your own motives when you design.
Question others (even authority) as well but be respectful.
As hard as it might be sometimes, try to embrace the naysayers and the crazymakers in your life who are truly the people who are the "confused" ones. They tend to live vicariously through your own creativity and yet can be your biggest critic. They will drain you of your creativity and energy and not think a thing about it.
They usually want easy answers and a quick fix to most solutions in life.
Be aware of them. You might want to distance yourself from them for your own good.

There are design students who come up to me after a critique (after everyone else is gone) and they want to criticize someone elses' work in privacy. I don't take lightly to that since it is a "missed opportunity" for that student to speak up in class so the designer whom those comments are intended actually hears the criticism. Otherwise if the comments are made in private to only me then it just sounds like jealousy or delusions of grandeur. Becoming a designer is about supporting all those around you with honest criticisms and accepting constructive criticism.

All the while, I'll be here to assist each of you anyway I can. That's my promise to each of you.

I'll hold up the light and guide you along the way. Know that I'll wait for you if you get "lost" or even if you get "confused." I'm in it with you for the long haul. Know that teaching and learning is a two way street. I'm learning as well.

The pleasure for me as a teacher is getting to ride in the passenger seat (sitting shotgun) alongside each of you. How lucky am I that I get to watch as you discover your own unique creative voice and become empowered by that as you move forward.

Just remember that "everything in it's own time."

Don't worry about the Portfolio Review now. Just do the good work. Stay focused.