This is the view from my office. Because this window faces north, changes in weather often come this way, and today was no exception. A front was slowly moving through bringing with it some drizzle if not showers and a pinch of wet snow for good measure. I go through some days feeling creatively barren, as if covered with a fog. My brain cannot keep focus of what’s important, nor can it generate a spark of an idea. I’d welcome a nugget of thought that morphs into a theme, a sentence, a paragraph and even a photograph.
When that kind of fog moves in, I used to double down on my brain as if I could purposefully, indeed consciously command by merely thinking, “I need something to work with here! Get it off the ground.” A couple mugs of green tea or coffee later, nothing appears on my creative radar. And so I apply a way of thinking and visualizing to help reveal something/anything beneath that fog. I imagine what’s lying beneath not only my creative fog, but the cloak draped outside my window. Somehow the symbiosis of such processing helps clear my brain fog. It doesn’t reveal something monumental; it’s not a Eureka! moment at all. Some real right-brain elbow juice comes into play. I’m from the school that believes there’s no such thing as a “dumb idea or answer.” Possibilities abound depending on your attitude.
The transition time varies, sometimes in an hour, other times a day or 2 later. I suppose other efforts have probably taken longer to render that creative crumb-of-an idea or concept. If I knew how to sketch, perhaps it would be easier and at times faster to arrive at the idea. However, it’s just the way this person works. Not very exciting. The excitement–if you can call it that–is more a feeling of relief and satisfaction.
Whether I’m looking at a blank sheet of paper, a clean page in my journal or through a camera viewfinder [yes, very old school this guy], I sometimes think of Occam’s razor, a philosophy that states when troubled with competing solutions or ideas for a desired outcome, often the simplest version is the very solution that makes sense.
The Whitney Museum of American Art in NYC has a special exhibition of Edward Hopper, the American iconic painter of urban realism. The exhibit [October 19, 2022 to March 5, 2023] has a strong focus on the art he created during his years in New York City, a place he and his wife, Josephine, called home for six decades. Art in its many forms gains additional attention when a curated exhibit or installation comes to life. This exhibit in particular, has an energy, an aura all its own, and rightfully so. It is the amalgam of place, time period, subjects & themes, and of course the painter, that creates this palpable energy. Attending such an exhibit was made more interesting by the number of visitors who specifically chose Edward Hopper’s New York. For me the cacophony of conversations [often in a foreign language], the reactions and expressions all added to the experience. Out from the windy, brutal cold and into a cocoon of life, the next couple of hours felt theatrical.
Marketers and consumers share an underlying condition that produces second-guesses to decisions and even behaviors. In the realm of behaviorists, psychologists and therapists, this is often referred to as, cognitive dissonance. Though the condition is often used in psychology/psychiatry, the right-brainers in marketing can take certain liberties in applying the essence of its definition to feelings and behaviors in our consumption-driven economy. What shapes your decisions and expectations when you buy something, work on a project or to make a single decision at a given time? What influences your “…on second thought, I better…?”
As I’ve noted in previous posts about marketing, it’s not what you’re actually receiving, but what you think you’re getting. This is a stretch, but at times I think some marketing is a form of trompe l’oeil. Are the cluster of lights actually on the bare trees?
Like a product attribute [example: price equates to exclusivity…though it can certainly suggest something else]. Do the light projections draw your attention? Or do you first see the small cluster of lamps in the lower left? Are the lamps somewhere near the building? Or suspended close to it? Clearly direct sunlight is apparent on the face of the building. Which light source peaks your curiosity?
There are numerous examples of classic trompe l’oeil art such as the one painted by Sameul Dirksz van Hoogstraten entitled, Still-Life. It’s a timeless piece, one that can feel more contemporary than its 360- year age might suggest.
courtesy: ARt and Object commons Still-Life, 1664 by Dutch painter Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten
Marketing can, indeed, fool your eye. The pima cotton sweater I saw in a catalog looked like a keeper….until I tried it on. Fortunately, returns are the norm for many online purchases.
The changing seasons has a way of rebooting my perspectives on life’s moving parts. It’s also an opportunity for me to find, even create, connections that could lead me to alternate choices about work and family, problems and challenges, as well as my own professional and personal goals. The fall suggests possibilities with a palette of colors where each one suggests a sentiment to whatever I’m feeling or thinking. More often than not, I make one, perhaps 2 attachments of color to an idea, an attitude, or even a condition that’s been entrenched in a mood of some sort which I cannot correlate or let go of. However, when the maples, birch, oaks and other trees reveal their once covered limbs, I see a “wireframe” ready for a season of open air, of white space and a period of quiet and rest. Once again, it’s a reboot of sorts given the visual clues of autumn.
From a distance these bare trees take on an innocuous albeit familiar appearance. You realize that these wireframes silhouetted against a grey forest floor or an overcast sky has the potential to stimulate your way of visualizing beyond the obvious and the rote. Late fall and bare trees are midwives to modified or new byways to thinking and feeling.
Such possibilities make bare trees special. True, this past autumn the colors were fantastic, vibrant, even spectacular, more so than years past as far as I can tell. That festival of color has its own cathartic energy. Compared to just a few weeks ago, these now dormant, quiet trees are a type of dopamine, a suitable follow-on for my busy “monkey-mind.” There’s a levity and sense of calm with bare trees that’s akin to starting anew and refreshed. The trees are steadfast and immobile and yet there’s a fluid-like form that draws your attention. And because you can see between the branches, openings of various shapes and dimensions become apparent. That white space becomes a cocoon for imagination and emotion, of things improbable that feel possible if only in theoretical form. What can you jettison from your mind into those spaces now in front of you? There are things each of us can let go of.
Many of the trees are straight up and down although the oaks and maples have a grace manifested by the sweeping reach of higher branches. The silhouette of these branches appear as arms with a soft curve, its ends like fingers gently reaching for the sky.
Late fall and bare trees are markers of change. In its most obvious forms, it means shorter days, cooler temperatures, fantastic light and shadow and a time change. The latter is likely the least wanted change this time of year. And yet the markers also remind us that still more change is to come. Some welcome winter [like me] and others can’t wait for spring. In a personal way bare trees are anthropomorphic. They go through cycles of change just as we do with our life stages. And as in life, some of the bare trees will remain so in the months ahead. Just as some of us will, our own thoughts and feelings leaving our physical selves. Bare trees can mirror our own life qualities season to season. Or maybe it’s the other way around; after all, trees have long existed before we arrived.
The most dedicated, most creative, most influential.
It’s fair to say that the Berkshires has a depth of culture, arts, eateries, education, health care, outdoor activities, community outreach and more, that can be as strong as other like-minded communities. The diversity of such offerings is all-encompassing and that’s clearly reflected in this year’s Berkshire 25. This is Berkshire Magazine’s annual selection of 25 individuals who have made life here feel more special, complete and worthwhile. That may seem like an exaggeration, but that’s due to the contributions from folks like the Berkshire 25 that make the region “the most beautiful place to live.”
Examine the roster of recipients. Their talents, soft skills, areas of expertise and so forth are as varied and diverse as the individuals themselves.
Honoree Ms. Laura Brennan [L] with editor-in-chief, Ms. Anastasia Stanmeyer
Ms. Maud Mandel, PhD, president of Williams College [below], graciously opened her home to host the event.
courtesy: Williams CollegeHonorees on the couch: L-R, Mr. Jack Brown; Marge & Ed BrideHonoree Ms. Mia Shephard [L]Honoree Ms. Candace Morey Wall [r][L] Honoree Ms. Wand HoustonRep. Smitty Pignatelli, an engaging & entertaining MC.Honoree Ms. Rachael Plaine
The cynics among us may feel that such occasions are self-serving, each designed to stroke egos or expand bragging rights. You can think that, but I believe no one that evening felt that notion at all. At the conclusion of the event, Rep. Pignatelli mentioned that these individuals represent the best of what people can do, that such care and outreach nurtures the magnetic vitality of the Berkshires. Lightheartedly, he added that politicians like to think that they drive a lot of what’s positive. However, he quickly reinforced that a lot of what makes a community/region attractive and inviting has to do with the very people who understand what it means to be selfless.
The inaugural 3-day, WIT Festival recently finished here in the Berkshires. Authors, journalists, novelists and playwrights gathered to engage participants in this year’s theme, Reimagining America. This was an opportunity to broaden one’s understanding of critical issues and concerns coursing through our current–and varied– socioeconomic and political points-of-view. The festival is the brainchild of The Authors Guild Foundation, the largest organization of its kind in the USA that “educates, supports and protects American writers across the country.” It’s been noted that the Authors Guild Foundation is “the sole group of its kind dedicated to empowering all U.S. authors.”
Ms. Lynn Boulger, executive director of the Authors Guild Foundation, welcoming authors, attendees, patrons and friends.
Berkshire County lies in western Massachusetts. Its rectangular shape stretches north-south with New York state at its west border, Connecticut to the south, Vermont to the north and to the east it borders with Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. For many, the Berkshires is more than a destination: it’s a way of life.
Dan Brown, author of best-selling novels The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.
Presentations/discussions took place at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox. For the most part, the 3-day festival sold out, however a roster of those wanting to attend were placed on a list just in case of cancellations. I did not hear of any registrants calling to back out.
Ms. Nikki Maniscalco, associate development manager, The Authors Guild Foundation.
I think the salient detail I took away was in finding a connection with the speakers. Whether through their anecdotes and experiences or with discussions that were enlightening or instructive, discovering these connections became visceral. The connections answer to or affirm my own perceptions, creative risks and even the most profound sentiments I keep close to the proverbial vest. As effective podcasts can be, for me there’s a lot more to glean from such happenings when they’re done in person. There’s an intimacy about gatherings as you hear, see and feel more than just commentary. And in that collective presence, you may pick up emotions inferred or otherwise demonstrated in tone, expressions and body language.
One cannot dodge a glance or ignore a gesture, or miss a light-hearted remark to loosen up a room. As good as podcasts are—and they have an important place in communications and education—being there does make a difference.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.David W. Blight–Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
The dinner, served at The Mount: Home of Edith Wharton, was cleverly engaging. Instead of table numbers, the names of authors took their place. Your seat was placed at a designated table which bears the name of the author at the bottom of your name tag [Jean Cocteau] Your actual seat is marked by a small piece of paper with your name handwritten on it.
Each table had a visiting author/writer or playwrite to serve as a moderator. Our discussion started with introductions which quickly morphed into an eclectic blend of reality’s “top stories.” It didn’t take long to connect the dots. To hear one’s writing experience through the years did have a common denominator: persistence. No doubt I’d wager that most of the writers in the room have had to deal with many types of rejection. The cacophony of conversations, the tinkling of flatware against plates and the the intermittent sound of laughter made it clear that many, if not all, enjoyed being in this festival.
If you happen to visit the area, make a point of stopping at The Mount. Bear in mind that Ms. Wharton lived in that home. I marveled at the scale of its history, its art, design and much, much more .
All in all, I appreciated even more, the permanence and accessibility of books. They are tangible, finite in its content and physical features, yet infinitely capable of challenging your imagination and expectations. Such is the attractive symbiosis of humankind and the inanimate. Both are needed to create and sustain history, the arts, the sciences, and the stories that take shape into something palpable. A lot of my creative and professional work involves digital technologies. The past 2-years have made that more than obvious. Zoom meetings, laptops & desktops, flash drives and the always-on platforms in social media. We can access a myriad of things electronically, online of course, and the ease of that can make astringent our feeling and thinking from engaging in life that’s face-to-face. Books tend to provide the opposite for me. The pages in a novel can transport me to wherever. The sensory experience of turning and feeling pages are the toner that can spark my imagination and involvement in life. Recall Emily Dickinson’s poem, There is No Frigate Like a Book. To me it’s the leitmotif, that binds our imagination through the settings created by writers and authors. And I don’t need an app or device to open books.
As mentioned earlier, the Berkshires is more than a destination; for many, it’s a way of life.
There is no Frigate Like a Book There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away, Nor any Coursers like a Page Of prancing Poetry – This Traverse may the poorest take Without oppress of Toll – How frugal is the Chariot That bears a Human soul. Emily Dickinson
Time, energy and focus are 3 KPIs [Key Performance Indicators] for mulitasking. And likely there are other indicators, and for those, I’ll need an ombudsman to help reset my already overloaded brain. In any one of these factors, you either have it, lose it or want it. For the most part, I’d say most people want them all, or to at least hold onto whatever’s in you.
However, multitasking is not really multitasking.
Ms. Nancy Napier, Ph.D. and contributor to Psychology Today identifies it more as “switch-tasking.” For decades we’ve heard that new electronics and computers and software are supposed to help make our professional lives much easier and faster, that’s rarely the case. Many of my marketing projects are open—actually minimized—on my screen. Perhaps “minimizing” those open windows and apps is in actually diluting the strength of your project[s]. Dr. Napier points out switching between projects is counter productive. In fact, it takes a good amount of time and energy to realign your mental details jumping from one open project to another. All of this creates stress [but we already knew that].
As Dr. Napier puts it, multitasking is mentally and physically rough on anyone. The mode of working start-stop-start-stop-restart becomes a catalyst for mistakes, inefficiency and time lost. As the saying goes, “Well, there’s 30-minutes I can’t get back.”
Did you happen to notice the bee in the first photo [the sunflower]? No, well, were you multitasking….excuse me, “switch tasking?”
If you want to feel good about yourself, do something good for someone else.
When I attend corporate events, I typically fly beneath the radar. That’s especially critical when I bring along my camera [which is most all the time]. I take photos—mostly candids—at these gatherings for “professional use.” Our website’s “In the Community” page—as well as other online channels—[Wordpress; LinkedIn, e.g.] needs frequent feedings. Relevancy and recency make for a stickier post and in turn help garner additional impressions from visitors and referrals from around the web.
Community Access to the Arts, aka CATA, is a non-profit that continues to captivate many in our region. Their mission is peerless in a number of ways; physically challenged artists have a way to express themselves via painting on a canvas [or on acrylic, wood, among others]. They also have the opportunity to earn a commission from the sale of their work. Executive Director Margaret Keller along with founder Sandra Newman and many others have made CATA into an agent of life, possibilities, renewal, community and stewardship. Getting to its current form took a lot of invaluable, selfless giving on their part and from others.
The CATA annual summer art show started with an exhibition at The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA. It’s an impressive collection of work. Click here for a virtual tour of the CATA exhibit along with other information about CATA and the othering offerings here in the Berkshires. There’s still plenty of summer left, so get out and enjoy what’s available. Immerse yourself in the possibilities.
Hancock Shaker Village
From the Clark, travel southwest to the town of Hancock and you’re sure to encounter a timeless, living museum.HSV is that and a lot more. The Shakers were a religious order dating back to the late 1700s in England. More than that, they were part of a movement that contributed to the freedoms and cultural growth that are integral to the broad fabric of American history. At the annual summer gala, Executive Director & CEO, Jennifer Trainer Thompson spoke of her time at HSV, a 6-year slice of time that, as they say, happened in the blink of an eye. As mentioned above regarding CATA, it takes a tremendous amount of giving to make Hancock Shaker Village the place that it is now. The combination of time, energy, and financial support, given to these 2 non-profits [like other non-profits, for that matter] make these institutions an indelible resource for many communities, near and far.
What a strange, odyssey we are on. Are we in the initial stages of a pre-dystopian epoch? That’s an unnerving take on our tomorrows. I am as guilty as the next for failing to live in the moment. Thus you could–and perhaps should–interrupt my ruminating about the past while also worrying about the future.
No one can undo history and the future is not promised to any of us. So, it’s the here and now, the very present moment where we consciously or rotely go through our lives with purpose or with routine motions of day-to-day life.
Fly fishing for many, for me, is part of life. Time spent on the water delivers familiar notions of preparation, anticipation and the knowledge that the day is, quite frankly, a gift. With all that’s going on in the world, I would say most readers looking at this are doing much better than many others. And having the gift, a day such as being able to go fly fishing is one that should not be taken for granted. Getting to a favorite spot–whether somewhat new or all-too-familiar–jump starts my awareness for the here, for the right now. For those few important things that are usurped by the ephemeral things that entangle us, yes, we all need to live in the present moment!
So, on this Independence Day weekend, take a chance. Make the most of whatever day you have. Any one is a gift. Even when things go awry [I fell into the water moments after releasing this trout!], or not according to plan [I could’ve left the water empty handed but for the wet clothes that chilled me to the bone!] , don’t dwell on what might’ve-could’ve-should’ve happened. That’s done.
I think you’d be much better off acknowledging how far you’ve come.
And for the aspiring fly-fisher, that beautiful brown was caught and released on an an unusually cool late June, mid-morning [10:00 am?]. The details: o I used a #16 pheasant’s tail nymph I tied with a barbless Partridge hook [unweighted]; o tied to a 5X fluoro tippet about 2-to 2 1/2 -feet in length; o attached to a tippet ring on a 6-foot furled dacron [?] leader; o to a 4WF fly line; o spooled onto a Grey’s cassette reel with #20-backing o all collaborating with a Winston Biiix 9-foot 4WT fly rod
To be a master of something–musician, painter, composer, fine art photographer, athlete, dancer, among others–one must be willing to dedicate 10,00 hours to become a master. Author Malcolm Gladwell in his best seller, Outliers: the Story of Success, offers that requisite number in order to reach the pinnacle of your skill set. Gladwell has a point, but his critics have also noted that time and practice are only part of the formula required to achieve mastery.
Firefly and Fan on a Plate
It’s been said that the 10,000 hour rule is not a complete answer; in fact it’s only part of an even greater whole that involves, an individual’s patience, persistence, motivation and commitment to arriving at that zenith of expertise. And then there’s the detail about the ambitious student and the environment she/he lives in. Dynamics in culture, support, the actual starting age [5 vs 35 years of age], the type of discipline being pursued and so on. I know I’m missing some important research areas, but I’ll admit my interpretation in becoming a master of something is duly influenced by past and current understanding.
The Hare with Amber Eyes
You’re looking at buttons, or Netsuke, each hand carved to represent some aspect of Japanese culture. Many of these small pieces offer an amazing amount of detail, some of such complex design, I wonder how any of the work could’ve been done long before laser and water cutters were invented.
Mouse on a fish [the white dot is a reflection on the glass]
At the turn of 17th century Japan, these buttons or toggles were crafted to hold pouches and small items onto the sash [“obi”] of a man’s traditional attire. Seeing no pockets were fabricated in the clothing, the only way to carry a pipe or talisman or something else small, one needed a netsuke.
A stirrup fashioned from hardwood.
A myriad of designs and materials were used to create them, and the cognoscenti of these artifacts cherish them as not just statements of culture and tradition, but as pieces of art, of craftsmanship and a tangible expression of patience. I’ve read that some of the more valued netsuke have actual layers layed up onto the main body. Some of these additions included gemstones and other esoterica pertinent to Japan and/or the creator.
I’m sure many know that life’s journey produces a few, “….well, I didn’t know you did that….” Through the years, I’ve worked with a lot of talented professionals who have made me look good because of their skills and various competencies. I’m a practitioner from the, let-them-work-from-their-strengths school. There are some things better left to those who really know what they’re doing.
Recently at MAP Gallery in Easthampton, MA, David Kutcher, the principal of Confluent Forms, had a show of Japanese wood block prints. Together David and I have worked on corporate communication projects through his digital and website firm. He sent me an invitation to this opening. I knew something about his interest in Japanese prints, but as I told David at this show, I simply said, “…I didn’t know that you were involved with collecting actual Japanese wood block prints.” It’s a fascinating art form with a long-standing tradition that not many folks hear about, let alone having an opportunity to see an actual print.
All pieces are original, some signed by the artists and others being initial production proofs that have an attraction all their own for aficionados and collectors. The details, colors and registration of the art are nothing short of incredible. I’m oversimplifying, but each color on the paper is made from an imprint from a series of wood blocks. If 4-colors are required, then 4 specific wood blocks containing details would be created. I wouldn’t be out of line if I thought the entire creative process was painstakingly purposeful and lengthy.
However, the end justifies the means. You need to see, even touch, one of these beautiful prints. Nothing compares to seeing these prints in person. It’s taken years for David to build a collection and working knowledge of the who’s who of this medium. In fact, his knowledge has been sought after by collectors, museums, art dealers and galleries.
Surprise! Surprise…!
One of the more unique acquisitions he owns is a candy tray, a wooden candy tray. For years its sole function was just that. I can see how a family could use this pretty piece of wood as a repository for wrapped chocolate mints or lifesavers. However, it was more than just a pretty tray to hold a postprandial treat. Flip it over and note the bottom was designed to purposely create a print. After scanning the block and tweaking the digital image for clarity and legibility, David did some research and discovered that the block he owned was part of a series that made up a leaflet or booklet.
The “candy tray” wood block and the cover of the leaflet that holds that page.
This was quite a find and a unique bridge tying both the finish artwork and a block used in its creation. While his day job keeps him quite busy, his time studying, collecting and marketing wood block prints is an endeavor that keeps his mind, body and soul in an enthusiastic and balanced way of managing life’s uncertainties.
Carlo Centeno 