Big Bedside Table

Here's a snapshot of my bedside table reading material. You make your own mind up. ;-P

9 September

Dad, i miss you.

You Breathe Me (1987)

Perhaps the first in a series where I share some of the fine art I created whilst in my younger years.

I am always aware of balance or lack of it. The yin and the yang. Good and evil. Light and dark. Male and female.

I wanted to create a piece that left the viewer feeling moved - perhaps even uncomfortable – and chose to portray an image of the horned god (who, in common Wiccan belief, is associated with nature, wilderness, sexuality, hunting and the life cycle) in a tender embrace with the goddess. So those less informed may feel uneasy but cannot ignore the sense of devotion, love and tenderness.

Im happy with the way it turned out. Hands and feet are a real challenge and I think I could have done better with the detail (her feet are off camera for this very reason ... hehe). It's pastel on card. 1987. Rhodes University, free study.

I've dedicated it to @mandybryce on our 10 Anniversary 12 May 2011.

Why "The Woodshed?"

It's been over four years since I started blogging. Can you believe it.

I chose to call my blog 'The Woodshed' for a very simple reason: everyone deserves one.

The reason I gave over four years ago still stands today. And that's what I love about intuition. If you listen to it you wont have to change your mind down the line.

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Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Why "The Woodshed"?
Because everybody deserves one.

Let me explain. The notion of The Woodshed was first introduced to me in John Kao's 1997 book Jamming where he discusses the art and discipline of business creativity. Something that's very close to my heart. In Chapter 5 he discusses the need for clearing a space for creativity and introduces the reader to Charlie Parker's woodshed. Or, more specifically, whenever the great sax player needed to work out new musical concepts, he would withdraw from the usual people, places and things and "go to the woodshed".

This may seem an odd phrase, but if considered for a short while you will find that you've probably been to your woodshed without even knowing it. When I was 7 yrs old there was a river a block away from our house in East London. I would run to it every other afternoon and spend the day either trying to catch crabs, doing homework, building bridges or playing in the mud with my Star Wars collection. The spot at the river was my woodshed.

Later on, when I was in Pretoria, there was an old industrial pipe that ran across a large trench. Under this pipe (it was huge) was a small grassy embankment. I would sit there and write songs (or poems) listening to my Walkman. The grassy knoll under the pipe was my woodshed.

Of course the challenge now is to turn your whole company into Charlie Parker's woodshed.

Briefly let's look at a wish list of characteristics that I might ask for in such a place. Safe, casual, liberating. Not too large as to kill intimacy. But not too small so as to stifle ideas. Stimulating. Although free from distractions and intrusions. Not too open ... but then again not too closed. Sometimes bound by schedules and appointments (meet me at the woodshed in half and hour ...), sometimes not.

It's a troublesome list, isn't it? Full of ambiguities and innuendoes. Let's just say that in turning your company into Charlie Parker's woodshed you may run into some paradoxes. But that's exactly where the fun lies.

Enjoy the jamming. :-)

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The Brentwood Effect

My Mom and Mauritz bought me 'Hitchhiker' for my birthday on the 1 February.

It's the biography of Douglas Adams: Genius. Legend. Notorious misser of deadlines.

I was fortunate enough to meet him in London at a book signing many, many years ago. Told him I was a hitchhiker. My bum was shaking. He was a gentle, tall, solid man with a broad friendly welcoming grin. He asked me whereabouts I had hiked from ... I said "Cape Town". He said, "you're a far way from home". He signed my 3 copies of Mostly Harmless. I told him that I had my towel and my peanuts. He laughed and shook my hand.

It was magnificent.

Almost 10 years later (he died, tragically, on 11 May 2001), I am deep into his life story, thanks to the book. One of the gems so far include his time at Brentwood. A boarding college he attended that afforded him the opportunity to write. A professor at the time awarded him 10/10 for a literary piece he delivered ... commenting that it was "technically and creativity brilliant." The man had never granted full marks before. And, I don't believe, did so again.

Douglas is documented in later interviews saying that when he is deep in writers block (he always performed, effortlessly, in teams and terribly solo), he never reached for the fact that he was a worldwide bestselling author with many awards .. but rather the fact that Mr Halford gave him full marks at Brentwood because 'at some fundamental level I have what it takes."

I love this. A lot.

The other day I attended my son's parent / teacher meeting. During the session the mom's and dad's got an opportunity to look through the work books of their children. The masterpiece above was created by Jagger Bryce who is now 7 years old and in Mr Oxley's class, Grade 1.

After a day like I had, having to negotiate, persuade, convince, calm, instruct, listen, apologies, nurture, motivate and delegate, I am given strength. Not from my position or sense of security. Or my boss.

But by the fact that Jagger wrote 'dad' in cobalt blue at the tippy top right hand corner of this magnificent expression. He show's immense restraint as an artist. I mean ... someone else would've used Helvetica Bold 96pt. I'm sure of it.

But not Jagger.

He's cool.

His art makes me get up and go to work. He is my Mr Halford.

My Unique Creative Abilities

I believe my unique Creative skills* to be communicating, inspiring, coaching and empowering.

Communicating (i have mastered the art of communication)
Inspiring (i look for story-telling to drive important messages)
Coaching (i have the patience of Job. And 4 kids!)
Empowering (i have released the Ego, who has already served his purpose thank you)

What are yours?


(*inspired by @DeepakChopra)

Pic: Taken whilst watching my daughter, Emma (14), fly off to visit her cousins in Johannesburg.

And the winner is ...

Ever wanted to know what it feels like to present an award at the countries largest gathering of creative's - from backstage nerves to onstage hysteria?

I had the honour of handing out the Gold Loerie award for Excellence in Mobile Advertising at the Goodhope Centre in Cape Town, SA on Sunday night at the annual 2010 Awards (it went to gloo Digital Design for their client, Cosmopolitan).

I did my best to record the experience in true 'Strange Days' style.

Put yourself in my shoes ;-)

be warned: the filming is not exactly steady. ;-)

take a deep breath and point your mouse here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0PhvpXll58

Aaait!