I am an artist, actor, writer;
an experience engineer.
I write about ideas, hope,
and the creative process.
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CLEANING FOR CLARITY
I buy a new domain every couple of months. I get an idea and no matter how terrible it is, I see if the dot com is available and snatch it up. I do this so often in fact, that my friends like to add “.org, .com,” or their favorite, “.gov,” to the ends of my sentences sometimes as a little joke. In keeping with tradition a few years ago an idea struck and I purchased the domain cleaningforclarity.com. I imagined it would be a site (and book) for people to understand how cleaning out their spaces also creates space in their minds and hearts.
The website and book dreams are still very much alive, but they are not the central purpose of this post.
It is this…
Cleaning for clarity (insert trademark here) is something I do before beginning any big project. It is essential to my creative process and perhaps you will find it helpful as well. I clean off my desk, organize my computer’s desktop, empty the trash, get out my Action Book, take a deep breath, and then get down to work. Having done this practice for some years now, I find that as I’m cleaning out my space I’m simultaneously making space in my mind for whatever I’m about to work on. An added bonus is the jolt I get by giving myself a self-imposed fresh start. There is nothing like a clean desk to begin working on.
A few days ago, I found my way back to Steven Pressfield’s, The War of Art. About halfway through is a chapter entitled, A Professional Seeks Order. The following exerpt says a little more about the benefits of cleaning for clarity:
When I lived in the back of my Chevy van, I had to dig my typewriter out from beneath layers of tire tools, dirty laundry, and moldering paperbacks. My truck was a nest, a hive, a hellhole on wheels whose sleeping surface I had to clear out a foxhole to snooze in.
The professional cannot live like that. He is on a mission. He will not tolerate disorder. He eliminates chaos from his world in order to banish it from his mind. He wants the carpet vacuumed and the threshold swept, so the Muse may enter and not soil her gown.
Some people can work in the midst of messiness. I am not one of those people. I insist on some semblance of order when making things. However, (and I can’t say this enough) cleaning for clarity isn’t just about cleaning. This powerful little ritual is as much about having a clean studio as it is about creating open space in my mind and my heart. I have enough distractions in my life and don’t need a stack of unfiled things on my desk, (or in my head) getting in the way of my next idea. And neither do you.
Do you clean for clarity? If so, tell how, I’d love to hear your process. If you don’t, say why the mess works for you.
Image via Lunch Box Brain
5 THINGS I'M INTO THIS WEEK
Accidental Creative - Excellent resource for people who make things. “We teach creatives how to thrive in an organizational setting and organizations how to better lead their creative teams and structure for long-term effectiveness.”
Lily Allen’s, Alright, Still - Is it the UK accent, the Betty Boop image, or the irreverently, snarky lyrics? Could be all three.
The Ting Tings’, We Started Nothing - Is it the UK accent, the boy/girl image, or the bubble gummy pop-rock? Could be all three.
The War of Art - This little book by Steven Pressfield subtitled, Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, is an absolute essential for your creative life. Seriously, go and buy it right now.
Cultivate Online - A brand new resource for church leaders and creatives just launched this week. I will be writing for them on a regular basis sharing my thoughts on the creative process. Sign up, friend me, get connected to others in your field, and start receiving some great content delievered to your inbox.
THEY HAVE ARRIVED!
After a very fun contest, the business cards that Ms. Courtney Bradford designed have arrived. Thank you again everyone who submitted!
A LONGBRAKE GIVEAWAY
My good friend and amazing photog, Joshua Longbrake recently held a vote over on his site. He asked his friends to choose which of his photos they wanted for free. The photo below was their choice (it was my fav as well). Head on over to download a hi-quality pdf of your very own to print. Stay for awhile and have a look around. It won’t be hard. He has some lovely things to look at.
THE WAR OF ART
A few nights ago as I was tossing and turning over a piece I’m working on for the opening session of the Arts Conference at Willow - Toward Wonder, I was suddenly reminded of a book that I hadn’t picked up in awhile, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. It is an incredible little resource for anyone who makes anything.
So what made me think of the book? Well, the piece that I’m working on (a performance art/multimedia thingy) tells the story of 4 performers who are working through the creative process and the struggles we encounter along the way. Pressfield’s book calls those struggles Resistance. As I poured through the pages hunting for the answer to the latest problem in my project, I was reminded of how powerful his little axioms were. Here’s just a little taste to tide you over until you can get a copy of your very own:
“There’s a secret that real writes know that wannabe writers don’t, and the secret is this: It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write. What keeps us from sitting down is the Resistance.”
What does resistance look like for you?
[image via Neil Scott]
GET $50 OFF ECHO CONFERENCE JULY 29 - 31
On July 29th, I’ll be making my very first trip to Dallas for the ECHO conference. While I’ve flown through DFW, I’ve never spent any real amount of time in the Lonestar state. Not only am I looking forward to the southern accents, I’m also looking forward to the conference.
According to their website,
“ECHO is a a conference for church leaders that love using media, technology, and the internet to be more effective in sharing God’s story.”
ECHO features keynotes from Ben Arment, Phil Vischer, Phil Cooke, and Mark Steele. Carlos Whittaker, Greg Atkinson, and Shawn Wood are also doing some pretty fun breakouts. Now I’d be the first one to say that I don’t usually love church conferences. I’m still not sure what I think about sub-cultures holding sub-culture meetings for people who are already a part of the sub-culture. At any rate, I’m really excited for ECHO since it seems to be mostly about creativity and innovation. And those things can’t be all bad, can they?
If you haven’t already registered and are thinking about going, here’s how you can get $50 off:
- Sign up at echoconference.com BEFORE June 15 AND use the promo code: “blaine” (Full disclosure: I get a $10 amazon.com credit for every person who registers using that code. We both win!)
Also, if you’re headed to the conference or are going to be in the area, I’d love to meet some new people. Follow me and let’s connect in July.
Looking forward to it friends. Yee. Haw.
AND THE WINNER IS...
COURTNEY BRADFORD (the only female who entered) and her blueprint special!
After over 330 votes via twitter and the comment section, Courtney inched ahead in the last few minutes, surpassing Jared Hardwick’s stellar #4 by only a handful of votes.
Courtney’s grandfather even voted:
“I vote for number 11 (Courtney Bradford’s) not because I’m her grandfather. The simplistic design is is a reflection of deep thought and creativity resulting in the complex understanding of design and literary message.”
Come on! How awesome is that?
Thank you again to everyone who contributed! This sure was fun and I promise to do something like this again soon.
For all you first-timers to this blog, welcome! I really hope you’ll stick around awhile. You can make sure you stay up to date by subscribing to the rss feed right here, or subscribe by email. I’m looking forward to getting to you know all better.
I am having these printed this week by the amazing folks over at premiumcards.net. They do amazing work and have a TON of options from rounded corners to mini-cards. If you’re looking to have anything printed, I would highly recommend them!
Now let’s hear it for Courtney!
WHICH BIZ CARD SHOULD I PRINT? YOU DECIDE!
First off, thank you so much for all the great submissions! I had no idea what to expect when I put the call out last week. In fact, I wasn’t sure if anyone would take me up on it. I am deeply grateful for all the work that you have put into this little contest and have been humbled by people’s (some complete strangers) willingness to contribute. It is things like this that cause me to fall in love with interweb all over again. Before I can get one of these bad boys off to the printer your job is to tell me which one!
Here’s how it will work:
- There will be only one day of voting - June 2nd
- To vote, comment below with the #’s of your top two favorites. I will choose between the top two vote getters. The winning design will go to print this week.
- PLUS, be sure and visit the links of the fine folks who contributed! They deserve your patronage more than I can begin to say!
So, without further ado, I give you the submissions:
1.
2.
Jesse has been on staff with Willow since 2002, most recently as the Creative Director for Student Impact Willow’s high school ministry. This past November, he produced the VOX Film Festival with partner Participant Media (the production company behind THE SOLOST), which gave teenage film-makers the opportunity to have their work screened by Hollywood executives. When he’s not busy at his day job, you’ll find Jesse working freelancing for organizations like Bono’s ONE CAMPAIGN developing media to further compassion and justice initiatives. In 2007 Jesse directed Christianity Today’s REDUCING THE RISK 3, a DVD focusing on child sexual abuse in faith communities, as well as DEEP DARK SECRET a documentary about a single young woman living with an STD. You can see his latest work at joxfordstudios.com
3.
I’m a media/experience director for college and student ministry at Journey Church in Norman, Ok. I love Jesus, and my wife. That’s pretty much the jest of my life, I’m passionate about pushing the bar in ministry, I desperately want to see the church become more creative and innovative to further the gospel of Christ via media or worship experiences. I really like coffee, and Band of Horses. Alright I’m done. Visit Timmy at timmycoleman.typepad.com
4.
I am Jared Hardwick, a graphic designer located in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I serve and work in the ministry. I am the graphic designer/production artist for Compass Christian Church, in Colleyville, TX. I have a huge passion for the work I do, which is why I started my own graphic design company called One Passion Designs. I strive create with the passion and purpose God has instilled deep inside me. Visit Jared at creativemyk.com/jaredhardwick
5.
6.
I’m Kaleb, from Seattle. Currently finishing my motion design degree at Cornish College of Arts, as well as interning at Difted design out of Las Vegas. I spend a majority of my time knee deep in After effects, and Cinema 4d… but I do love my fair share of print work too :) Visit Kaleb at kalebcoleman.com
Graphic Design, Motion Graphics & Video Production are all on the resumé of Andy Owen who has been working professionally since 2001. A native of Ann Arbor, he now lives with his wife Chandra and daughter Elliot in Okemos, just outside of East Lansing where Chandra works at MSU. Visit Andy Owen at paradisedigitalinc.com
10.
I am mathias burton, a designer in Detroit that loves God and makes stuff. I just finished my BFA at the College for Creative Studies, and have been freelancing with various clients, writing grants, and plannign a wedding. I like cheese, long walks on the beach, fruit, and my favoirte color is golden yellow. The card I have made for you uses platelet, a typeface designed for Emigre Magazine, and it has the reference to the rethinking of things we see every day. The shapes surrounding, reference structure and also serve to block space for you to write onto your card, or better yet, stamp onto it. I chose platelet mostly for the awesome b that it comes with, however, it’s history I think shows reference to your position, a new way of looking at church and what people receive from it. Visit Mathia Burton at mathiasburton.com
11.
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” -T.S. Eliot
My “occupation” is a kaleidoscope of many things: I’m your local coffee shop barista, small business entrepreneur (handcrafted journals), graphic design intern, and aspiring photographer. I’ve lived just outside of Dallas, TX for most of my life but often find myself back in my hometown of San Francisco. I love to communicate through many mediums with the aim to express life— to make beauty loud. Visit Courtney’s Etsy shop here
