been uncomfortable lately? why not?

a handful of times recently i’ve bumped into language + it’s ability to shape our mind + it got me thinking about one’s professional vocabulary. not literally in terms of the words that we use in regards to work but rather the tools at our disposal or at least those incorporated into one’s arsenal.

the argument with language is that since we think with words, different languages or lack thereof, shape one’s thoughts. the old czech proverb, “learn a new language, get a new soul” highlights this. so to does the story told by susan schaller in her book “a man without words” + the radiolab edition. + if that’s not enough delve into scientific american’s take on it in their piece “how language shapes thought – the languages we speak affect our perceptions of the world” by lera boroditsky in the current issue.

i remember being aware of this as a high school + college student but it really wasn’t until i was on a train in malaysia talking with two swedish girls who had been sitting on the rough wodden bench seats longer then i had. after far too long on the train we all became fast friends + they explained the idea of tracemakk (guessing on that spelling as can’t find the word) which they told me was “the feeling of your ass having the taste of wood (from sitting so long)”. there’s no way to really say that in english + definitely not a way that’s so elegant.

personally, as a student + speaker of japanese i find this to be true though not to the extent i would hope. in other words, it’s not a wide open soul shaking revelation that comes with language but rather a nuanced view of things through another lens. but that in fact is life, right. i’ve always maintained that it’s the interpreters of the world that control everything spinning one president’s remarks softer + one dictator’s words smoother + one queen’s speech harsher.

in terms of visual media + design i’ve experienced this not so much with language but more in terms of technique. it’s the rare individual that continual forges ahead with mistakes in learning new ways to communicate rather then stalling after getting comfortable with a handful of methods. not only is this stall dangerous but it completely defeats the very work of creativity. if you rely on x number of tools then undoubtedly your confined to a relatively small window of view.

in order to better express oneself i think that learning various mediums of communication or essential whether it’s more lighting styles in photography, additional design programs or simply exposing oneself to styles that aren’t inherently compelling to you. whatever it takes, to remain comfortable is to risk stagnation.

make mistakes, learn new ways to communicate + see if your thought process is altered + eventually expanded in the process. do it today before you experience torschlusspanik, the stoic German term, meaning “the fear of diminishing opportunities as one gets older”.

this is from the indomitable hugh macleod + his gaping void gallery. interesting combination.

IDEAS

It’s never as it appears. Some shit ideas turn out being amazing and some amazing ideas turn out being shit.

It’s all in the execution.

after far too long consumed with moving, a new city, more then half a dozen projects + all the small things that each of these endeavors entails i’m happy to be back where i need to be.

welcome to the new blog. brand new flavor. crazy new visuals. a keen sense of direction. + the same old heath korvola. well mostly anyway.

as you can see we cleaned house here on the blog to keep it moving forward as well as fall in line with the new site that’s out any day now. added a slew of new links on the right side in a few new categories – some stuff that’s really inspired + fueled me over what’s amounted to a crazy two months. have reformatted a few of the features + attempted to keep it all in order + clean for your perusal.

in line with the new site + work roll out i’ll be releasing my latest movie, the escape, here this week as well. it’s a short tale of self discovery + modern life. until then, keep moving forward.

heath

it’s not fancy or eye-catching. it’s not suave or the latest catch phrase, social media induced buzz shcmutz. it’s nothing fun like strategery. but strength is where it’s at for 2010. if this isn’t making sense you might want to check the previous post or catch seth godin’s challenge.

the strength i’m talking about is not about power or the guventor’s muscles. we’re not thinking along lines of sheer brute or blind energy. i’m talking about strength in line with tenacity. strength in the power of together. strength with the connotation of creative freedom, the energy + ideas to do what you know needs to be done. and do it your own way.

strength to not only correct what is skewed but better what is good, elevate what is strong. it’s not a lack of spine that necessitates what we’re talking about but rather a deep desire to change what’s in our power to change. to live up to your potential. to take risks + move beyond a status quo. in the words of william bernbach, “those who are going to be in business tomorrow are those who understand that the future, as always, belongs to the brave.”

this past year has been thrilling + heartbreaking in many ways as the world’s had ups + down that no one could have predicted 365 days ago. with the future as uncertain as it’s ever been now is not the time to pussyfoot around. it’s not the time to slink off into the background or rest on your laurels. i think that we need strength to get out + get beyond.

on a personal level i lost a friend to cancer last week + have seen several people i’m close to in the industry lose their longtime jobs. i’m already digging into that strength.

as an industry, our visual media realm has taken a beating with smaller budgets, shorter timelines + increasing pressure from micro stock, point + shoot + the 16 year old down the street. we’re going to have to get up our strength for this. and if we have even remote plans of using video + hybrid material to it’s potential we need to push so much harder.

in the macro view, the strength applications are almost limitless. dive in, choose a cause, find support + start flexing your muscles – creative or otherwise.

is that sterngth part of our makeup? is that strength within our social fabric? that i can’t honestly tell you. i’m no cheerleader for positivity. but i can feel a change is needed + i think that a quiet, relentless strength just might do the trick.