the creative edge the art of making ideas work

8/13/2019 The Creative Edge the Art of Making Ideas Work

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The Creative EdgeThe Art of Making Ideas Work

James Hegarty

Smashwords EditionCopyright 2014 James HegartyTheCreativeEdgeBooks.com


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We are the handsand the eyes,

the words and the motion.

We are the power that brings imaginationinto reality;

the spirit that propels us all forward.

__________


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Table of Contents

!re"ace # $earning to "%y!art 1. The process o" inspiration&rti"act'ear%ess$ike water in the desertThe !rophet!art 2. The process o" discovery&rti"act(eady)E*p%oration!assion and signi"icance!art +. The process o" deve%opment&rti"act&cross the "rontier (aw e*p%oitationThe comp,ter and the hammer !art 4. The process o" imp%ementation&rti"act-t s a/o,t power rea%%y

icromanagemento this

!art . The process o" comp%etion&rti"actSpeed /,mpsBaked3n va%,e and p,rposeEpi%og,e # '%ying& note o" thanks&/o,t James HegartyStay in to,ch


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Prefa e

Learning to Fly

$eonardo da inci had a vision that h,man "%ight was possi/%e.He imagined that a machine o" wood5 %eather5 and raw si%k co,%d "%ap its wings %ike a

/ird to rise "rom the gro,nd and give ,s a%% a higher perspective.He was a visionary5 a geni,s5 a master",% painter5 and perhaps the most wide%y

known 6(enaissance man7 o" a%% time. His interests ranged "rom physics to nat,ra%science5 phi%osophy to art. He was an inventor5 a thinker5 a sc,%ptor5 and a painter # hise*pertise spanned a vast n,m/er o" s,/8ects.

He was /orn in 14 2 near the sma%% -ta%ian town o" inci in the hi%%s that grad,a%%yrise a/ove the north side o" the &rno (iver va%%ey on%y a "ew mi%es downstream "rom'%orence. 9hen he was "o,rteen5 $eonardo was sent to '%orence to apprentice with the"amo,s painter5 errocchio. &"ter st,dying with errocchio "or si* years5 $eonardo s"ather set him ,p with a st,dio in '%orence. 'rom that point on he worked as a "ree%anceartist and engineer in '%orence5 i%an5 and (ome.

There e*ist today e%even !odi es o" his written works. Some are %oose co%%ections o" papers com/ined into a sing%e package /y %ater co%%ectors. 3thers are re%ative%y intact 8o,rna%s and note/ooks preserved in their origina% state. Each page is %itera%%y crammedwith his sketches and ,ni:,e /ackwards handwriting # inventions5 st,dies o" anatomy5 his

phi%osophica% tho,ghts5 and ordinary things %ike how m,ch he spent on dinner.Thro,gho,t his %i"e he was "ascinated with "%ying.He writes in the !ode" Atlanti us o" his ear%iest chi%dhood memory; a


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-t is in his hasti%y drawn sketches o" /irds "%ying and t,rning as we%% as themethodica%%y e*ec,ted renderings o" the anatomy o" /ird and /at wings that we can

perceive the e*citement o" discovery that he "e%t as his o/servations coa%esced into athoro,gh ,nderstanding o" the properties o" "%ight.

&nd it /ecomes c%ear5 over time5 that he was ,nwavering%y committed to the concept

that h,man "%ight was possi/%e # i" on%y a machine co,%d /e designed that was capa/%e o"em,%ating the motion o" /ird wings.Creative process /egins %ike this; it is the co,rage to envision that "irst "%ight5 the

/ravery and determination to stand a%one on the edge o" the rea% and to /e%ieve in the power o" creativity eno,gh that we can 8,mp o"" into the very air o" the ,nknown # andsoar thro,gh the c,rrents and waves o" whatever happens ne*t.

B,t $eonardo never act,a%%y /,i%t his h,man>powered "%ying machine5 theornithopter . However5 others have /,i%t it "rom his design drawings. &nd it doesn twork.

-t was a grand vision5 may/e even a /ea,ti",% o/8ect. B,t it doesn t "%y.!rocess is not on%y the a/i%ity to conceive o" e*traordinary ideas /,t a%so the

wi%%ingness and a/i%ity to do the rea% work necessary to deve%op5 enhance5 and e*pandthose initia% "ragments o" inspiration into something that act,a%%y achieves the ",%%imp%ementation o" the potentia%. & /ea,ti",% drawing isn t a "%ying machine any morethan Beethoven s "o,r>note me%ody isn t a ",%% symphony. -t is process that takes ,s "rominception # the initia% spark o" imagination and inspiration # to comp%etion5 the ",%%y"ormed imp%ementation with a%% its dimensions o" detai%5 e*pression5 and fun tionality .

!rocess is the work we do5 the app%ication o" ski%% and reso,rces necessary to act,a%%y /,i%d something we can a%% reach o,t5 to,ch5 and ,se. !rocess is the means thro,ghwhich we have the conviction and ski%% to /,i%d something tr,stworthy eno,gh that wecan make the %eap into thin air with some %eve% o" certainty that this thing is going towork.

B,t it is a%so the "o,ndation o" o,r a/i%ity to rise a/ove the never>ending series o"cha%%enges and set/acks5 the 6%earning e*periences7 and o"ten>harsh enco,nters withh,man %imitations that try to p,%% the who%e thing down.

!rocess gives ,s the power to /e stronger than a%% that? process is the sta/i%ity andresi%ience that keeps ,s standing when /,dgets and time evaporate or there is nothingho%ding ,s ,p e*cept o,r own vision. !rocess keeps everything in motion even whenthere s no one e%se on this p%anet that /e%ieves it co,%d ever /e possi/%e to rise o"" thegro,nd.

&chieving h,man "%ight re:,ired a more deve%oped vision than simp%y em,%ating thewings o" a /ird. -t re:,ired research and discovery5 new insights5 and new too%s toachieve the shaping o" air press,re that generates the %i"t to get a chi%d s g%ider and an&ir/,s &+=0 o"" the gro,nd.

&nd to /e honest5 it takes some ve%ocity # not on%y the power o" a co,p%e o" very /ig(o%%s (oyce engines that 8,st might /e %ying aro,nd5 /,t the moment,m o" o,r ownenergy and determination. 9e ve got to stick with it. 9e ve got to act,a%%y gra/ on tothe idea and p,%% it "orward5 day a"ter day5 no matter how hard it gets. -t is ,p to ,s to %i"tthe idea higher and to do whatever it takes to get it into the air.

-t took me a very %ong time to %earn this and to prove to myse%" that it works. Tenyears o" my creative %i"e were devoted to the composition and prod,ction o" a m,%timedia


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opera. - had to con"ront disco,ragement o" every kind5 se%">criticism5 my own ina/i%ity5and %imited reso,rces. -t was very hard to keep going over so many years and against 8,sta/o,t every negativity there is in the wor%d.

&s - str,gg%ed to stand ,p to those circ,mstances5 it /ecame c%ear that - co,%dn t do ita%one. - needed something stronger than my own h,man g,t strength5 ego5 or wi%%power

to /ring a great work into the wor%d.@rad,a%%y5 the so,rce o" my end,rance and energy shi"ted. &s my own persona%moment,m e//ed and "%owed over the years5 something even stronger took over; the rea%so,rce o" the power o" creativity is not within o,rse%ves /,t is contained within the va%,eand p,rpose o" the statement itse%". The "orward thr,st is driven /y o,r deep>seatedrecognition that the concept # the work s message # is vita%%y important and has va%,e tothe wor%d. The work is its own strength.

9hen - "ina%%y %earned to tap into that vein5 the a/i%ity to maintain "orwardmoment,m came "rom somewhere more re%ia/%e and permanent than my own m,sc%e andinte%%ect.

- ,nderstand now that within those a%%>night composing sessions and "ai%ed

rehearsa%s5 - was doing "ar more than striving to comp%ete a m,sica% composition. - wasdeve%oping my process. Thro,gh the opera - discovered methods and systems5 too%s ands,pport mechanisms5 that worked "or me in my own individ,a% set o" circ,mstances. -"o,nd a process that co,%d achieve comp%etion # here and now5 within the reso,rces andconstraints that s,rro,nded me.

-n the decades since those days5 my work with 8aAA m,sicians and composers5 withmy st,dents and pro"essiona%s5 has shown me that the deve%opment o" one s own processis the key to creativity itse%". Creativity is achieved /y the methods and systems that weesta/%ish within o,r own ,ni:,e com/inations o" a/i%ities5 e*periences5 and /orders.

-deas are the spark5 the impet,s. B,t it is o,r own individ,a% process that a%%owseach o" ,s to /ring o,r ideas into the rea% %ight o" day.

So step ,p5 right here. Hang yo,r toes over the edge. @ra/ an idea and get to work #seiAe inspiration5 discover5 deve%op5 imp%ement5 and /ring it to comp%etion.

!rocess is essentia%. 9itho,t process5 creativity is %ost5 wasted5 nothing. -t isimperative that we a%% deve%op an individ,a% process that we can tr,st5 that wi%% give eacho" ,s the strength and wisdom to keep going5 that wi%% ho%d ,s ,p even i" we "a%%.

!rocess "orms o,r creativity into rea% words and works that soar a/ove the gro,ndand give ,s a%% a g%impse o" something /etter5 something higher. !rocess makescreativity rea%.

-t s %ike rea%%y "%ying.

James Hegarty5 9aterman !%ace5 Saint $o,is ovem/er o" 201+


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Part %

The pro ess ofInspiration

There is a sound in the distan e, &i h, dark olors o'er the hori(on,

)oi es around the orner, A 'iew that suddenly opens on a mountain road.

*"pansi'e.

This is the energy that propels all reati'ity+

Inspiration.


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Artifact -it s the ability to keep the bottom on the hair that s about /0 per ent of what writing

is all about.1 2 3im 4ehrer

-t was the s,mmer o" 1D= and - knew - was nearing a crossroad. &t the time - was 8,ststarting to comprehend what it takes to do serio,s work and - was p,shing myse%" tomove to a higher %eve% o" artistic e*pression. The premiere o" my opera was sti%% sevenyears in the ",t,re and the concept that - wo,%d even attempt s,ch a thing had not yet

/%ipped across my radar.- happened to g%ance at an interview in a newspaper that day. $ehrer had 8,st

comp%eted a nove% and the interviewer was asking how it was possi/%e to work in the"ie%ds o" 8o,rna%ism and "iction at the same time.

He said that 8o,rna%ism had ta,ght him to write at any time and ,nder anycirc,mstance. He didn t need to Fwait "or the /reeAe to come thro,gh the window andhave the %itt%e voices speak to me and a%% that sort o" st,"".F

The interview comp%ete%y arrested me? - remem/er it vivid%y to this day5 as - stood inmy st,dio with the s,n%ight "i%tering in thro,gh the window %ike a spot%ight on the page.

9hat good work that - ve accomp%ished5 what tr,%y origina% and creative work that- ve come ,p with5 has /een the res,%t o" keeping at it # even when disco,ragement ordistractions made it seem %ike - sho,%d give ,p.

'or a %ong5 %ong time5 this has /een my mantra;


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FearlessThe momentum of ideas is the energy of pro ess

9hen creativity works5 a tho,sand mi%%ion things come together %ike they never have /e"ore. &nd something /ea,ti",%5 e*citing5 ",nctiona%5 and even per"ect5 emerges o,t o"thin air.

How does this happen) How can something so etherea%5 so intangi/%e5 res,%t inanything that has any s,/stance at a%%)

-t s the process. 9hether we recogniAe it or not5 there is a system5 a series o" actionsthat %ine ,p5 one /y one and one on top o" another5 that take ,s "rom where we are now towhere we a%% wi%% /e in the ",t,re.

Some o" it is entire%y spontaneo,s5 s,/conscio,s5 and may/e at times evena,tomatic. &nd some o" it is strict%y str,ct,red and high%y intentiona% # improvisationand de%i/eration5 at the same time5 on many %eve%s5 sim,%taneo,s%y.

This is what makes creativity so important; ideas are the so,rce o" the rea% so%,tionsthat we a%% need. -" creativity is the discovery and imp%ementation o" ideas that make o,r%ives /etter and raise ,s a%% higher5 it is a/so%,te%y necessary that each idea is deve%opedand imp%emented to the ",%%est e*tent o" its potentia%. 9e can t a""ord to %ose any o"them. -deas m,st move o,t "rom the imagina/%e and thinka/%e to the so%id rea%ity o" thevisi/%e and tangi/%e. -t is essentia% that we get this right. 9e need creativity to work.

So it s time to get dirty5 to act,a%%y take it apart and see how the moving parts rea%%ysho,%d connect together.

-t a%% /egins here5 with an idea. -deas are the ",e%5 the energy o" creativity. Theyinspire ,s5 show ,s the way5 give ,s the motivation to keep working even when it a%%seems impossi/%e. -deas are the atomic str,ct,re5 the swir%ing mass o" high%y compactedenergy that triggers a who%e chain o" reactions that event,a%%y e*p%odes "ar /eyond itsinitia% potentia% and reaches o,t and to,ches everyone. -t simp%y works.

The process o" inspiration is in two parts; the search and the idea. -deas are thespontaneo,s res,%t o" imagination and inspiration. They happen whenever the conditionsa%%ow ,s to /e perceptive.

-deas are ever "%owing. Stand here with me on the very edge5 %ooking o,t into the",t,re and yo, wi%% see that there are more ideas than can /e co,nted # a%% waiting "or me5or someone5 to grasp their import5 ,nderstand their va%,e5 and discern the process thatwi%% imp%ement their potentia%.

-deas are the easy part. 9hat the process o" inspiration is a/o,t is the search5 themeans thro,gh which we arrive at the a/i%ity to see the ideas that are a%ready there5waiting "or ,s. The process is the way we arrive in a state o" perception where we cansee them and ,nderstand them.

The generation o" ideas is the res,%t o" a process o" commanding o,r a/i%ity to perceive. 9hen we are %ooking hard eno,gh in the right p%ace5 ideas wi%% appear.

The process o" inspiration is this a/i%ity to /e in the right p%ace at the right time witha vision that knows which idea is the one to hook ,p with5 which one o" the in"inite


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n,m/er o" ideas is worth p,rs,ing5 today5 this year5 now.&nd it is comp%ete%y not random. -t is the res,%t o" the tangi/%e side o" creativity5 the

process o" inspiration.Separate the idea "rom the act o" searching. &nd start %ooking. -deas are a/stract5

ephemera%5 ,npredicta/%e5 spontaneo,s5 and ever>present. The system we ,se to search

"or those ideas5 however5 is entire%y tangi/%e5 predicta/%e5 and re%ia/%e.The process o" inspiration is a de%i/erate series o" actions that %ead ,s to e*citing andempowering ideas.

G9hen it comes to his ornithopter5 $eonardo wasn t very creative. By one de"inition5

anyway. es5 he was a visionary5 he had tr,%y innovative ideas5 /,t he didn t imp%ementthem. Creativity is /oth the vision # the idea o" h,man "%ight # and the rea% thing # the",nctiona% o/8ectGan o/8ect that act,a%%y "%ies.

-n contrast5 he was amaAing%y creative in terms o" his art # he was a high%y ski%%ed painter. He envisioned ideas no one had ever seen /e"ore and he made those ideas rea%5he made them into paintings that to,ch ,s a%%5 raise ,s ,p5 and inspire o,r %ives. &nd they

are sti%% doing it5 '- E HI (E years %ater. That s power",% creativity.B,t the ornithopter) o5 not rea%%y. -t took other tr,%y creative peop%e who werewi%%ing to do the work5 to "ig,re o,t how to make something %ight eno,gh and "orwardmoving eno,gh to generate s,""icient %i"t to act,a%%y get o"" the gro,nd and stay in the air.&nd then they strapped themse%ves in and took the %eap. They p,t themse%ves on the %ine5no matter whether it meant they wo,%d soar thro,gh the air or %and in a pain",% wreckageon the gro,nd. They did the work and stood a%one with it # ,pright against the "orces o"common wisdom that said the work was "oo%ish or doomed to "ai%,re.

This two>part action is the rea% task o" creativity. &nd it starts with parsing ideas5deve%oping a system o" idea conception that gives ,s a tangi/%e way to sort thro,gh themany "ragments o" ideas that impact ,s on a dai%y /asis.

The process o" inspiration is not on%y the discovery o" ideas5 it is the method thata%%ows ,s to sort thro,gh the vast n,m/er o" ideas that we have and direct o,r "oc,s onthe ones that have rea% va%,e5 that are achieva/%e5 and /est ",%"i%% o,r vision.

Consider $eonardo s 8o,rna%s. His a/i%ity to capt,re ideas and see their potentia%was /ri%%iant and "ar reaching. &%% his ideas had the potentia% to to,ch h,manity in waysthat wo,%d have changed ,s a%%. B,t he knew he wasn t an airp%ane /,i%der5 he was anartist. Conse:,ent%y5 he 8,sti"ia/%y chose not to spend years o" his %i"e p,rs,ing theimp%ementation o" an ornithopter. Beyond the "act that it may have /een impossi/%egiven the materia%s and too%s avai%a/%e at the time5 he recogniAed that his ta%ent and ski%%s

# his tr,e creativity # was as an artist. The statements he was a/%e to make thro,gh thevis,a% arts have had a "ar greater impact than years o" "ai%ed attempts at /,i%ding amachine that "%apped its wings and never took o"".

The process o" inspiration is not 8,st the spontaneity o" great ideas hitting ,s in the"orehead. -t is the co%d%y ca%c,%ated rationa%ity o" knowing the e*tent o" what is act,a%%y

possi/%e and "inding the point where these two di""erent tra8ectories intersect.GThis is process.!rocess is action. -t is the convergence o" "ree>"orm inspiration and de%i/erate hard

work. -t is a proced,re5 a progression. -t is the method we ,se to arrive somewhere new.


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Creative process is how ideas /ecome something very rea%.-deas are the so,rce5 the /eginning5 the energy o" process.Creativity /egins here5 with inspiration5 the idea # a%one and /are. -t presents itse%"

in compacted "ragments o" intensity and it /ecomes o,r task to ,nrave% them5 to "ind the%oose end and start to p,%% the string5 to work thro,gh the knots and to ho%d together the

thin "rayed %ines. -deas are s,pernovas o" comp%e*ity and intensity. &s we open them,p5 dig into the %ayers5 we see more and more "acets o" their signi"icance5 o" the tr,e potentia% we ho%d in o,r tho,ght and imagination.

-nspiration is the res,%t o" energy5 a type o" m,%tidimensiona% moment,m that res,%ts"rom two sim,%taneo,s "orces; interna% vision and engagement with rea%ity # a deepconnection to rea% peop%e in rea% p%aces doing rea% things.

-nspiration is what happens when a%% the wa%%s are down and the vision is "oc,sed onthe distance. -nspiration is the res,%t o" %ooking harder and %onger into the ",t,re andaway "rom the ordinary and the conventiona%.

-nspiration happens when there is no "ear. o "ear o" the ,nknown5 no "ear o"mistakes5 no "ear o" "ai%,re5 no "ear o" /eing ignored5 no "ear o" /eing di""erent.

-nspiration is the res,%t o" ,ncompromised individ,a%ity and se%">know%edge.-magination is %iving in the here and now /,t seeing past the c%,tter o" everyday %i"e tothe c%ean5 c%ear edge o" ",t,re potentia%.

G-deas prope% the work "orward and keep everything moving together5 ,ni"ied. The

idea is the g,ide5 the compass that directs every aspect o" the entire process. Creativemoment,m powers the entire system and g,ides the process o" inspiration5 discovery5deve%opment5 imp%ementation5 and comp%etion.

oment,m is the res,%t o" raw inspiration /eing impe%%ed /y something /eyond anye*terna% point o" re"erence. -t is the "orce that p,shes ,s to go somep%ace entire%y new5 toreach "arther into the ,nknown5 to dare to try.

oment,m e*ists here and now in the core o" o,r vision5 o,r a/i%ity to see into thedistance and discover what is there5 to reach o,t and gra/ something entire%y new5something no one e%se has ever seen /e"ore.

E*pand vision5 and moment,m wi%% grow.oment,m is the res,%t o" a dai%y e""ort to reach o,t and search5 day a"ter day.


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the edge5 the p%ace where the ,nknown /ecomes the known.So do it. Start. T,rn the corner.


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Like Water in the Desert Imagination is the sour e of inspiration

@eorgia 3


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iego # San &ntonio ai% $ine5 The B,tter"ie%d 3ver%and Stage $ine5 and the caravansheading west on the @reat So,thern (o,te.

The B,tter"ie%d 3ver%and ai% (o,te carried mai% and passengers "rom two easterncities # emphis5 Tennessee and St. $o,is5 isso,ri # west to San 'rancisco5 Ca%i"ornia.-n a very tangi/%e sense5 - know that - have /een here /e"ore5 having made severa% St.

$o,is San 'rancisco r,ns over these years since my "ami%y got scattered across theco,ntry. B,t the de5a 'u is more than a phenomenon o" contemporary trave%. -t is the perception that "i%%s me when - know - have crossed a thresho%d # opened a door andentered into a new %eve% o" ,nderstanding5 a /roader and more inspired vision.

- "ee% the need to stand motion%ess5 to %isten and %ook5 to take it a%% in5 to a/sor/ theimpact o" space and iso%ation that on%y the deserts o" the &merican 9est can ho%d.

-t s penetrating%y :,iet5 there s no one here5 and we stand amid the a/s,rd a/,ndanceo" vegetation as i" we have arrived transported to another p%anet. - imagine that - have

8,st stepped down "rom a stagecoach a"ter a ",%% day s 8o,rney ,pon a dry hard road.-nstant%y5 the power o" this new perception hits me; the spirit o" inspiration is as a we%% inthe desert.

Stop. rink it ,p. &%% o" it.-n this story5 we have arrived at the p%ace o" inspiration5 the p%ace in tho,ght that"orges the new5 that shapes ideas that wi%% /,i%d innovations capa/%e o" changing rea%ity.This p%ace5 in a very tangi/%e sense is where we a%% m,st go to "ind o,r inspiration5 to "indideas that stand in sharp re%ie" to the conventiona%ity o" the present. J,st as the greenvegetation stands in sharp contrast to the cracked and /roken rocks and d,sty soi% o" thedesert5 o,r ideas5 o,r inspiration are comp%ete%y apart "rom the terrain o" %i"e as we knowit.

The process o" inspiration that %eads to power",% ideas is the search "or a vision thatis as start%ing%y di""erent "rom e*pectations as the oasis is to the desert that s,rro,nds it.3,r imagination5 o,r process o" inspiration act,a%%y is an oasis amid the conventiona%ityo" everyday e*istence. -t is %,sh with the richness o" an entire%y new perspective5 vividand inspired with the perspective o" ideas new and invigorating.

The oasis where inspiration happens5 the process that esta/%ishes the conditions "orthe generation o" st,nning ideas5 is a menta% p%ace ",%% o" the energy o" a/,ndance and

possi/i%ity. -t is the p%ace where the new /egins? it is the p%ace where the o%d is %e"t /ehind.

9e get /ack in the car and head towards town5 /ack across the dry so%it,de o" thedesert. The road has changed. - know where it %eads now. -t is shorter5 "aster5 it is %essmysterio,s. - remem/er each series o" t,rns. Even tho,gh - can t see them5 - can drive"ast /eca,se - know what s coming. - know the system5 - know the process. -t sworking.

Trave%ing this road again wi%% /e "aster5 more s,re. &"ter a "ew more trips5 - %% evenstop hitting the potho%es.

The process o" inspiration is a systematic approach to ,nderstanding o,r own needsand the deve%opment o" ways to meet those needs5 to ",e% the system. J,st as the stagecoaches needed water and a coo% p%ace to re"resh the horses5 o,r inspiration needs ",e%and s,pport5 the opport,nity to soak ,p the a/,ndance o" a ,ni:,e vision5 and thestrength o" a s,re set o" way>stations that give ,s the con"idence to set o,t across a /arren%andscape5 a%one.


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8o,rney ahead makes it seem a %ot more %ike%y that we %% s,rvive the trip across the sharpedges o" ,ncertainty that stand /e"ore ,s.

9ith de%i/erate e""ort it s possi/%e to %earn to work within any set o" circ,mstances.-t may not /e idea% or partic,%ar%y com"orta/%e5 /,t inspiration can happen anywhere.

-t s not the p%ace or the time5 it s the "reedom # the wi%%ingness to %et imagination go

and "%y "ree.


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The ProphetWisdom and larity shape inspiration

y "irst rea% "riend in St. $o,is is /y trade a 8o,rna%ist5 a $atin scho%ar5 and writer. - ca%%her The !rophet /eca,se that s what she is.

&s a 8o,rna%ist5 she nat,ra%%y possessed a high%y re"ined a/i%ity to c,t down to the /one. She knew how to get right to the core o" what was going on5 to assess whether anidea had any va%,e to the wor%d5 and to envision the /est way o" e*pressing that va%,ethro,gh tangi/%e connections to a comm,nity.

9hen5 where5 what5 why) -t seems simp%e /,t there s a ta%ent to /eing a/%e toact,a%%y do it. &nd she rea%%y co,%d. She ta,ght me how important this kind o"immediacy is to the vita%ity and s,ccess o" any pro8ect. Starting with the very same:,estions that drive every dimension o" o,r media>sat,rated wor%d is going to p,t anyinspiration and any idea on an immediate%y s,re "o,ndation. These concepts have proven

power",% in the comm,nication o" work no matter what the content is # a news story5 asymphony5 or an art nove%.

Be"ore - met The !rophet5 - had done three prod,ctions o" my opera and a workshop per"ormance o" a m,%timedia piece. -t was a start5 /,t - rea%%y didn t have the know%edgeor the vision to know what to do ne*t.

The !rophet s wisdom and insights gave me a new strength o" determination that it 8,st might /e possi/%e to accomp%ish some rea%%y /ig things. es her know%edge andwisdom he%ped /,t more important%y she was a tr,sted "riend who gave me h,ge doses o"enco,ragement that he%ped me /e%ieve in the va%,e and worth o" each pro8ect. Hers,pport gave me the a/i%ity to e*pand my perception and to reach "or a higher %eve% o"sca%e and e*ce%%ence. The !rophet he%ped me do things - didn t think were possi/%e5 torea%%y e*pand my capa/i%ities and reach "or a higher p%atea,.

She was a si%ent co%%a/orator and together we made a series o" increasing%y st,nning prod,ctions. 3ver the co,rse o" seven years5 we prod,ced two operas and threem,%timedia m,sic theatre works.

These years were a period o" intense creative activity and inspiration. ew ideaswere constant%y in the deve%opment pipe%ine and a %arge n,m/er o" co%%a/orators wereactive%y contri/,ting to the energy %eve%. -t was a workshop environment that gave methe opport,nity to test5 e*p%ore5 deve%op and re"ine creative process. -t was here that -rea%%y %earned how to work5 how to make rea%%y e*citing5 dynamic statements.

The story o" (isk and The !rophet;That was what made it a%% happen. &n a/i%ity to approach the risk o" "ai%,re witho,t

"ear. - co,%d do that /eca,se - knew The !rophet had my /ack.That rea%%y was the key to the s,ccess o" it a%%. - co,%d risk doing craAy o,t o" this

wor%d st,"" /eca,se - knew she was covering me /oth "inancia%%y and artistica%%y. - knew- co,%d tr,st her to come to my resc,e and not %et me "a%%. - knew - co,%d tr,st her to sti%%

/e my "riend even i" - tota%%y "ai%ed. She was an amaAing5 one>o">a>kind person and thoseyears we worked together5 /e"ore - went o"" to chase a rain/ow that evaporated the


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moment - to,ched it5 were the most spectac,%ar years o" my pro"essiona% career so "ar.Everyone needs an e*ec,tive prod,cer.Everyone needs The !rophet.

ragging work to ever higher %eve%s o" sca%e5 e*ce%%ence5 and comm,nityengagement is /eyond the a/i%ity o" one person a%one. oreover5 no one - know has the

kind o" ,n"%inching con"idence it takes to keep doing this high%y competitive st,"" daya"ter day witho,t cr,m/%ing occasiona%%y. B,t to keep going5 it takes the a/i%ity to /o,nce /ack a"ter yo, ve /een hit5 to knock on every door another time even whenthere s a rea%%y /ig hairy mean monster on the other side. -t takes someone5 at %east oneother person5 who is wi%%ing to give ,nreserved s,pport and enco,ragement to thecomp%etion o" the idea.

'or me5 then5 it was The !rophet. &nd that s how the st,"" got made.G- was sched,%ed to present a concert>%ength work at the Contemporary &rt ,se,m

in St. $o,is in the spring o" 2002. ,ring the previo,s s,mmer5 as - /egan to envisionthe pro8ect5 - /ecame "ascinated with the concept o" the 8,*taposition o" techno%ogy and

historica% arti"act.ears ear%ier in E,rope5 - d seen str,ct,res /,i%t "rom the r,ins o" cent,ries past.

3rigina% parts were retained and the missing parts were rep%aced with new materia%s.They were a mi* o" o%d and new. 'ragments o" origina% wa%%s5 roo"5 windows5 and doorswere preserved and the voids were "i%%ed with stee% and g%ass # very contemporary5c,tting edge materia%s 8,*taposed ,pon ancient stonework.

ow known as parabuilding in the "ie%d o" architect,re5 s,ch /,i%dings are the res,%to" gra"ting a new addition ,pon or in association with an o%der str,ct,re. The term wascoined /y the %ate architect,ra% critic Her/ert ,schamp in 1DDD.

,schamp de"ines the term in ways that acco,nts "or a%% the shades o" meaningcontained in the @reek pre"i*5 para . The modern addition e*ists not on%y /eside orre%ated to the origina% str,ct,re5 /,t it may a%so /e in comp%ete contrast and antithetica% toit. The com/ined e%ements can work together or in opposition. 9hen ,schamp sconcept is s,ccess",%5 the com/ined e%ements work together and the res,%t is a ,se",% andinspired e*pansion o" the character o" the e*isting historica% /,i%ding.

B,t when the concept "ai%s5 the res,%t %ooks simp%y inappropriate and st,pid # as i"the addition is a parasite ,pon the 6host.7 -n this sty%e5 the host /,i%ding5 the historica%e%ement5 is either enhanced or rendered insigni"icant /y the treatment o" the re%ationship5the sca%e5 the conte*t5 or the p,rpose.

This is ,se",% revisionist theory. &t the time however5 - hadn t even heard o",schamp or his termino%ogy. B,t the theory is a ,se",% means o" %ooking /ack and

sorting thro,gh a practice that was happening on the gro,nd in rea% in a variety o" mediaat the time.

C%ear re"%ections o" this concept started to appear in many di""erent mani"estations /eyond architect,re # the wor%d o" vintage "ashion5 the ,se o" co%or and e""ects in video5new trends in %iterat,re s,ch as graphic nove%s5 and the ,se o" ind,stria% techno%ogy toe*ec,te c%assica%%y inspired images in the vis,a% arts.

There s an acid trance /eat happening in the ne*t room and down the ha%%waysomeone is str,mming a %,te.


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&nd in the perception o" the moment the re"erences com/ine.B,t it s not some new>age>y version o" ",sion o" east and west or north and so,th.

-t s not ",sion at a%%. The seams are c%ear%y visi/%e and there s no /%ending going on.Ca%% it a "%ying sa,cer that %anded on the &cropo%is. 3r a vision o" the ",t,re;

Chicago s So%dier 'ie%d or the new entrance to the Brook%yn ,se,m o" &rt. o matter

which side o" the aesthetics the work "a%%s # transcendent or st,pid # the res,%t is a%% a/o,tthe interp%ay o" the discontin,ity o" materia%s and the contrast o" re"erence andsigni"icance /etween the contemporary content and the historica% arti"act.

(isky. Comp%ete%y and pervasive%y.&nd that s the who%e point;That prono,nced intersection o" o%d and new is "ascinating /eca,se it inter8ects the

creative ,ncertainty o" contemporary idioms on top o" the esta/%ished so%idity o" c%assica%"orms and voca/,%ary.

I feel good.-n my day 8o/ at the time it was a%% a/o,t samp%ing and %ooping. &nd - was

/eginning to connect the dots. Ising James Brown horn hits and c%assic (KB /eats as the

n,c%e,s o" entire%y new (ap and Hip>Hop m,sica% compositions is ",ndamenta%%y thesame concept as dropping a vintage mid>cent,ry hand/ag on an ,r/an street o,t"it or ag%ass and stee% entrance on a @reek (eviva% "aLade.

9here - was going was trying to discover how these concepts o" c,%t,ra% interaction # the techno%ogica% 8,*taposition o" c,%t,ra% arti"acts # co,%d /ecome the ,ni"ying andidenti"ying "actors in something /eyond the c,rrent pop,%ar "orms. - wanted to app%y theidea to a %arge>sca%e concert work.

The premiere o" a new work is a%ways ,ncertain. &dd in the "act that i" it "a%%ssty%istica%%y o,tside the mainstream5 o,tside the rea%m o" e*pectation5 ,ncertainty isdrastica%%y m,%tip%ied. oreover5 i" no name recognition or /randing can /e associatedwith the pro8ect5 there rea%%y is nothing to %end a %eve% o" tangi/i%ity to the a,dience se*pectations.

Historica% conte*t is very heavy. History is a strong presence. -t carries a %ot o"signi"icance5 a %ot o" deep5 rich associations.

History commands respect.(espect /y conte*t.- /egan to search "or potentia% m,sica% arti"acts5 to seek inspiration in the depths o"

the past. - had no way o" knowing that the work wo,%d event,a%%y /ecome a%igned withone o" the most signi"icant historica% events o" my time.

GSeptem/er 115 2001 happened.

evastating. $i"e changing. The end o" an era and the /eginning o" a new5 harder5meaner5 more s,spicio,s time. -n a sense5 the wor%d came o" age that day. $ike the daymy dad passed when - was +D5 - never "e%t %ike a rea% ad,%t ,nti% he %e"t the scene.

9e re a%% ad,%ts now. @rown ,p. &%% the poetry a/o,t the sky never /eing so /%,eagain5 or the grass as so"t is comp%ete%y tr,e. J,st as when he passed5 and then a "ewyears %ater5 my mom5 8oy 8,st isn t the same anymore. E*citement and enth,siasm 8,st"e%% away. 9e don t open o,r door and smi%e any more. 9e crack it open and checkaro,nd the corner. & %ot o" o%d ways ended that day and we a%% co%%ective%y %ostsomething very precio,s.


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conscio,s action that shapes those discoveries into power",%5 ",%%y "ormed concepts.-t /egins with one power",% idea. -deas are the prod,ct o" tho,ght re%eased "rom the

%imitations o" the wor%d and set "ree to move /eyond conventiona%ity where they cross thethresho%d o" the new.

These creative concepts are the power o" ideas made rea% and permanent. -t is the

entire creative process that /rings these concepts into rea% e*istence thro,gh the processo" discovery5 deve%opment5 imp%ementation5 and comp%etion. Thro,gh the strength o" a,ni"ied system5 the ",%% potentia% # the ",%% signi"icance and impact # o" ideas5 inspiration5wi%% /e made rea%.

-deas are the most power",% thing there is5 the most power",% "orce there is in thiswor%d. B,t they need to /e deve%oped5 mo%ded5 re"ined. The process o" inspiration is themethod that rea%iAes the potentia% o" ideas.

-deas provoke. They poke a nerve and 8o%t ,s into an e%ectric response. 9e re payingattention now. &nd we re reacting5 we re changing. !assion5 intensity5 /igness5 energy5immediacy. ay/e it s poignant insights or a high%y charged rant. ay/e it is a %i"echanging spectac%e or the :,iet voice o" c%osest intimacy. ay/e it s a comp%ete%y new

way to interact with the wor%d. -nspiration is a/o,t immediacy and viscera% reaction # it sshock and awe in a very rea% and persona% way.!ower",% ideas %eave ,s /%own away5 sent home to rethink o,r %ives. They hit ,s in

the g,t5 the head5 and the heart.-nspiration is deep5 it s h,ge%y signi"icant. -nspiration to,ches hearts5 in ways that

nothing e%se can. -nspiration is power",%5 more power",% than even devastating tragedy5 ithas the power to renew5 to hea%5 to restore # even when the wor%d seems torn apart.

-nspiration %ights a "ire that /,rns in the hearts o" everyone that it to,ches. -t carries,s a%% "orward into a /etter day.

-nspiration is the energy o" creativity5 the spirit that moves against the impossi/%eand /reaks the chains o" o,r own and the wor%d s %imitations. -nspiration is at once

/eyond this wor%d and in"inite%y rooted in it? it is "ar a/ove the con"ines o" materia%e*istence and it is at the very heart o" the h,man condition. -nspiration g,ides5 g,ards5%eads5 moves5 prope%s5 and changes ,s a%%. -t is that power",%. The energy contained inone idea is s,""icient to t,rn the wor%d. 9e ve seen it happen in tragic and magni"icentways. H,man invention5 machines5 enterprise5 art # these things can t change the wor%d5ideas change the wor%d.

The power o" tho,ght5 the power o" ideas a%one can change ,s.That s the signi"icance o" inspiration.


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Part 6

The pro ess ofDiscovery

There are e"peditions grand and not,We step outside and it is e'er new.

7is o'ering the beauty and potential that lies inside an idea is this+The sear h for intensity, impa t, and meaning.

8ignifi an e.


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Artifact9ood omposers don:t borrow, they steal. 2 Igor 8tra'insky

Ini:,eness5 origina%ity5 is e*citing. -t s thri%%ing to /ring something comp%ete%y new intothe wor%d.

B,t stea%ing) 9hat does Stravinsky s "amo,s :,ote mean in the conte*t o"origina%ity) His statement seems co,nterint,itive5 considering the %eve% o" individ,a%ityhe e*pressed in everything he did. -t wo,%d /e hard to name a composer more origina%and innovative than Stravinsky.

-" - /orrow something5 - intend to take care o" it and make s,re - can ret,rn it in thesame condition as when it was %oaned to me. - m that kind o" g,y5 - g,ess. -t 8,st seemsright to treat other peop%e s st,"" with care and respect. - m going to make s,re that itdoesn t get /roken and - %% "i* it # restore it to its origina% condition # i" it gets messed ,p.

However5 i" - stea% something5 - m taking it "or keeps and - m not ever giving it /ack.-t s mine now. To do with as - p%ease.

- m going to mess with it any way - want; /reak it5 stomp on it5 twist it5 and paint itany craAy co%or - choose.

T,rn it into something comp%ete%y new. Change it into something that - want it to /e.

eah5 - ve sto%en it. -t s mine now.


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Ready!reati'ity is the sear h for the new, don t be held down by old baggage.

Creativity is an action. -t is a process. -t mo'es .9hen everything comes together5 the work5 the prod,ct5 the art5 the idea changes

everything aro,nd it.'or me5 that s what it s a%% a/o,t; ideas that /ring a/o,t rea% change.G$et s start here. The deep prep. This pro/a/%y goes witho,t saying. eaning5 this

st,"" is ",ndamenta% to 8,st a/o,t everything that goes on in the wor%d. o, ve /een here /e"ore5 - m s,re.

C%ean ho,se. Start "resh. rag a%% the menta% /aggage o,t to the d,mpster. !,t a%%the distractions away. (ea%%y do it.

@et the too%s together5 %earn some ski%%s5 co%%ect ideas5 /rainstorm5 8am5 keep the%ights on5 pay attention5 network5 keep yo,r chops ,p. o the maintenance.

C%ear a path. @et a%% the ,nnecessary menta% c%,tter o,t o" the way so there s nothingto trip over.

Think5 imagine5 dream5 en8oy. 3pen any door5 don t e%iminate any possi/i%ity.


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M. Eva%,ate5 "ind connections.. ake some decisions5 choose a direction5 make some p%ans.

=. @et to work5 go do it.D. Eva%,ate5 test5 try every a%ternative # what s working and not5 why)10. ake mistakes5 "i* things5 change co,rse. ake corrections.

11. (evise5 revise5 revise? re"ine the detai%s5 reach "or a high standard.12. 'inish itN on t get trapped in an in"inite %oop o" revision? dead%ines are good.G&/ove a%% e%se5 remem/er this;The prod,ct5 the work5 the art5 the idea is on%y the too%5 the media. These things5 o"

themse%ves5 are not the message at a%%.They are on%y the "orm5 the means chosen5 to e*press something m,ch deeper # the

inspired idea5 the ,nder%ying vision.& g%impse into a new wor%d.The origina% tho,ght.Comm,nicated.


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E!ploration 7ig deep, rea h out, look harder, keep at it.

&s practica% and com"orta/%e as the ais%e seats are5 given a choice5 - ,s,a%%y go "or thewindow.

- want to take a %ook.- want to see something new.- want to see something no one e%se has ever seen /e"ore.&nd - ve seen some amaAing things. Heading o,t o" 3 Hare towards ew ork one

ear%y morning5 the Chicago skyscrapers stood %ike the gigantic iron towers o" another p%anet as they "%oated on a /%anket o" gro,nd>%eve% "og. '%ying into &t%anta "or a %ayoverrecent%y5 the s,mmer storm c%o,ds /%ocked o,r "%ight path. Thirty tho,sand "eet ta%%5 we"%ew in and o,t among these enormo,s "ormations %ike a to,r /,s gawking at themon,ments. -t was /ea,ti",%5 ma8estic5 and grand%y inspiring.

'%ying west towards $& over the Sonoran and o8ave deserts is a%ways a %esson ine*pansiveness. &nd then there s t. St. He%en poking thro,gh the c%o,ds on a trip toSeatt%e a many strange years ago # a sti%% vivid reminder o" the hopes5 dreams5 and greate*pectations o" a yo,ng man who had a/so%,te%y no way o" knowing 8,st how %ong andwinding and comp%icated the road ahead wo,%d /e.

9here are yo,) &re yo, standing on the s,mmit o" a Co%orado 14er) 3r on theD=th "%oor o" the Hancock B,i%ding) &re yo, com"orta/%y sipping a comp%ementary

/everage whi%e %ooking o,t the window o" a commercia% air%iner at +D5000) - mimagining the view "rom the space station. - want to go. - want to see that.

9hat do we see) 9hat montage o" images and e*periences are esta/%ishing the point o" re"erence "or o,r work)

9hat co%%ection o" impressions5 snippets o" conversations5 pieces o" art and %iterat,reand history5 views o" the wor%d5 and cata%og o" most secret and persona% dreams make ,pwho yo, are)

-s the view satis"ying) -s it co%or",% eno,gh) -s it e*citing eno,gh5 e*pansiveeno,gh) -s it wide and rich and deep eno,gh) -s it consistent and thoro,gh eno,gh5 orstrong and power",% eno,gh)

-s it a%% those things) There s a%ways more.@et o,t o" here. @o somewhere5 anywhere. Take a wa%k5 take a train5 take a p%ane5

take a road trip5 get on a /oat5 it doesn t matter. @o p%aces5 anywhere5 it doesn t have to

/e e*otic # e%hi or (io. Eat something new5 %isten to something new5 read5 search the9e/. eet peop%e5 anyone. Have a conversation5 hear a new voice5 %isten to newdreams5 %isten to new so,nds and rhythms.

Crack open the sea%5 %et something dangero,s o,t o" this /o* we ca%% %i"e.GHope5 idea%s5 dreams. These are serio,s and intense words. 9ords that rea%%y mean

something. ot 8,st simp%e words that mean other simp%e words. These words meansomething tangi/%e5 they mean something deep. They are a part o" rea% peop%e5 a part o"


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co%or",% dark %o,d so"t ,g%y /ea,ti",%)7 &nd it s a "riend5 who rea%%y cares. ay/esomeone who rea%%y wants to know /eca,se she rea%%y %ikes yo, /,t 8,st can t ,nderstandyo,r st,"" at a%%.

9hat do yo, say) How do yo, answer)- %ike it) - wanted to do it that way) - don t know)

So yo, make ,p something. &nd it sort o" so,nds st,pid or doesn t make any senseor doesn t rea%%y e*p%ain anything.&nd she wa%ks away.3,ch.3r worse. -t s a prod,cer5 or a c,rator5 or a co%%a/orator yo, rea%%y admire5 or a

sponsor5 or an investor5 or an agent Oas it was in my caseP. Someone who is rea%%yinterested and has a %ot o" hope that yo,r st,"" co,%d /e the ne*t /ig thing. B,t5 see5 inthis wor%d o" rea%ity we "ind o,rse%ves in today5 that person needs more than hope.

She needs something rea% /eca,se she s going to 8,mp o,t o" the window with yo,on this pro8ect.

This agent5 this prod,cer5 this whatever needs to "ee% %ike the decision to devote time5

commitment5 and reso,rces in yo,r direction has at %east some %ogic to it. She needs to"ee% %ike it s going to /e a good thing to "a%% thro,gh the sky with yo,. She needs to /e pretty s,re the %anding s not going to /e so ro,gh it p,%%s down her mortgage paymentsand the %ease payments on the aserati. ot to mention her kid s schoo% /i%%s.

@ood work co,nts.@ood work starts the conversation.9itho,t good work5 nothing s going to happen.9itho,t good work5 no one s even going to make a pass at yo,.B,t i" they do5 event,a%%y there is some ta%k. &nd what do yo, say) There s got to

/e a strong and identi"ia/%e sense o" an ,nder%ying "o,ndation to the work or there won t /e m,ch o" a conversation. There needs to /e something to hang a re%ationship on.

6Coo%7 on%y gets yo, so "ar.GThe process o" discovery is a process o" knowing. -t is the way we ,ncover the tr,e

",%% potentia% o" an idea. Thro,gh discovery we test the via/i%ity o" potentia%s and wereason with the conse:,ences. -t is a process that is a%ways p,shing at the /o,ndaries5reaching o,t5 rising higher5 e*panding the view.

The process o" discovery re%ates to everything # the comm,nity5 ven,e5 p,rpose5vision5 and the ",nction. The process o" discovery deve%ops the initia% concept intogreater dimensions5 e*pands the potentia% reach and impact5 and envisions higher %eve%so" power and e""ectiveness. The process o" discovery grasps the initia% concept ande*tends it into a %arger scope and point o" re"erence than initia%%y perceived.

-t is the way that we know the power o" the idea that stands /e"ore ,s. -t /rings ,sinto its tra8ectory so we can ",%"i%%5 comp%ete5 the vision that originated it. The strength o"innovation is o,r vision and inspiration /,t it is o,r wisdom and determination that arethe power that /rings the idea to comp%etion. iscover that power and /,i%d o,t "rom itto /ring the idea into the p%ace where it can /e entire%y comp%ete.

&s m,ch as the process o" discovery is a/o,t %ooking o,t and seeing more and moreo" this magni"icent c,%t,re we %ive in # the detai%s and co%or and %ight and peop%e # it isa%so very m,ch a/o,t %ooking inward5 too. -t is a/o,t seeing o,rse%ves with acc,racy #


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o,r strengths and opport,nities5 where we "it in5 what we re rea%%y doing5 what we should /e doing. -t is an a%most detached o/servation o" o,rse%ves as we work and ",nction.9hat s good "or ,s5 what s,its ,s) 9hat 8acket "ee%s right and doesn t make ,s %ook too"at or too skinny) 9hat voca/,%ary5 what set o" initiatives5 what co%%ection o" re"erencesand associations work /est to achieve the ",%%est representation o" who we are and what

we hope to accomp%ish)9hat sho,%d we /e doing) &ight now9hat do we know that no one e%se knows5 what have we seen that no one e%se has

ever seen)9hat signi"icance can o,r work have5 what impact can we make) 9hat can we do

to raise ,s a%% ,p higher)$ook o,t the window5 think a/o,t it. !onder the potentia%s and the rea%ities.9hat can each o" ,s do # that no one e%se co,%d ever do)There s something there. $ook again.That s the target5 the "oca% point o" the process o" discovery.&/ove a%%5 don t get distracted5 or %ook away. Set the "oc,s o" discovery sharp%y on

this and %ock it down.Serio,s%y know this.


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Passion and "ignificance It:s not about the notes, the olors, or the words 2 it s what they say that really matters.

This is a/o,t %ooking hard5 mining ideas "or their ",%% potentia% # discerning the ",%%signi"icance o" an idea.

iscovering5 %ooking5 %ooking harder and c%oser.& window is the means o" capt,ring a vision5 a way to see thro,gh the wa%%5 to see

/eyond /orders5 past /arriers. & way to see something no one e%se has ever seen.This is a/o,t ,ncovering the entire rea%ity o" an idea. This is a/o,t knowing and

,nderstanding the idea in its comp%ete magnit,de.G- am standing in a train station. -t is !aris. -t is Tokyo. -t is ew ork. -t is enice

and - am waiting to %eave. 9hy) Beca,se - have to. The %ast to,ch5 the %ast %ook into hereyes5 the %ast time - heard her voice on the other end o" the phone5 the %ast time - "e%t the

/r,sh o" her hair a%% have some kind o" mystica% power to %inger5 to remain s,spended in /,%%et time. - m standing on the p%at"orm spinning tho,ghts aro,nd and trying to e*aminethe detai%s "rom a%% perspectives at once. Trying very hard to impress those moments intosome kind o" si%icon data/ase that wi%% never /e erased or %ost.

& 8o,rney /egins and ends. Each day is a step ",rther a%ong the path. The doorsopen and another p%at"orm appears. Trains enter and passengers e*it. Sometimes - /oardthe train5 sometimes - %et it go. &nother wi%% "o%%ow short%y. ay/e the destination iswrong5 somehow. B,t how do - know this)

There s a %arge dose o" mystery in a%% o" it. & pict,re5 a "ee%ing5 or an atmosphere. -want to /e transported5 - want to /e a passenger sometimes. - want to step o"" the

p%at"orm into the thin air o" speed and go somewhere. & new p%ace that moves me5makes me think5 reconsider5 revise5 renew. - want to /e ,p>ended5 t,rned inside o,t5rearranged. - want to read


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or worse it has /een "or no rea% reason at a%%.!assion.9hich e*p%ains 4ea'ing )eni e . The gran,%ar resynthesis o" soprano me%odies5 the

vocoded key/oard parts5 the %ayers o" po%yrhythms. -t s a dream se:,ence. -t s a mysterynove%5 it s a /%ack and white hand>he%d indie "i%m5 it s something - can t te%% yo, a/o,t

/eca,se it s not rea%? it is a "antasy o" s,ggestion and imagination.Her voice %ingers5 %ike the memories that "%oat thro,gh the inner cinema o" my mindas - stand on the p%at"orm watching the trains g%iding /y. - m not %istening to them5 -have a di""erent so,ndtrack in my mind. -t s a mash,p5 a s,perimposed imagery ,ponrea%ity that makes everything c%earer somehow. C%arity o" meaning. (earrangement o"conte*t.

There is a /order /etween rea%ity # the known :,antities and entities ande*pectancies # and the etherea% nothingness o" the ,ne*p%ored or ,ne*p%ained. That swhere - m headed. - m headed across that "rontier. - m waiting "or the midnight e*pressto oscow. - want a new kind o" c%ari"ication to those things that don t :,ite add ,pwhen - tap the n,m/ers into my ca%c,%ator app.

That is how it started. -n a "%eeting moment5 standing on a p%at"orm somewhere. -twas may/e 20 years %ater. &nd there was this "%ash o" a moment in enice that 8,st "%ew /y %ike a ghost train that doesn t need to stop at morta% stations anymore. -t was a h,geinstance5 in every e*treme meaning o" that o*ymoron. 'i%%ed with the "ee%ings o" passionand mystery that m,st have /een simmering on a %ow /,rner "or a%% those years. 9hythen and more important%y why at a%%) - don t know. B,t the vi/e5 the "ee%ing5 theatmosphere5 the sens,a%ity5 the overa%% so,nd came in on one /ig /%ast o" air5 %ike thesensation yo, get when the train roars o,t o" the t,nne% at speed and yo, re standing onthe e%ectric side o" the ye%%ow sa"ety %ine. !retty shocking and pretty arresting. - m

paying attention now5 thank yo, very m,ch.This has happened to me /e"ore. 're:,ent%y. This is how it works "or me at %east.

The /ig ideas5 the /ig pro8ects5 the st,"" that s going to /e rea%%y worth it5 come in ones,per nova o" compacted energy with a%% the trimmings. -t is sort o" %ike an e*treme%ycompressed moment that needs to /e e*panded5 stretched o,t5 restored to its intendedd,ration. Time compress ah%er s th so many times it p%ays /ack in %ess than onesecond. That s what - m ta%king a/o,t.

So "rom that moment on5 the process is ,nrave%ing the contents o" this hyper>compacted vision5 trying to ,nderstand what is rea%%y there5 digging into the "ragmentsand piecing it together.

'ig,ring o,t how to make each o" those moments into a track or a scene or amovement gets a%% h,ng ,p in the %itt%e /its o" e*actit,de that tangi/%e work re:,ires.!recision and "antasy are strange associates5 indeed. B,t witho,t a commitment to makeit tr,e to the vision5 what s the point) The point is to try to rea%iAe the idea that has

presented itse%" and to make a/so%,te%y s,re - don t go o"" on some ri"" that %eadsnowhere.

So it is a str,gg%e to make it good. To make it precise. To make it acc,rate. To digin and rea%%y nai% it.

- was ,sing a st,dio that - had designed and /,i%t /y hand5 the "irst high de"initions,rro,nd so,nd st,dio in St. $o,is.

- sho,%d mention that this was a/o,t 1DD=. That sho,%d say a %ot. &%tho,gh - didn t


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know it at the time5 it was the end o" an era5 the end o" the great period o" D0 s e%ectronicaand the work - was /,i%ding was the %ast eep Ho,se pro8ect that - did. &s it t,rns o,t5this was the c,%mination o" near%y 1 years o" e*p%oration into deeper and more remoteregions o" the wor%d o" e*perimenta% e%ectronica. -n retrospect it was the "ina% statementthat a%% those years o" tracks %ed ,p to. B,t at the time5 a%% - knew was - was trying to

rea%iAe a vision o" something that %ooked /ackward into memory with techni:,es andmateria%s that were searching "or the ",t,re.Ending and starting.&rriving and %eaving.Some a""airs carry an edge that 8,st doesn t ever go away. &t some moment %ong

a"ter the kiss that t,rned o,t to /e the %ast one5 there is a moment when it has c%ear%yended. B,t the %ong "ade never comp%ete%y "inishes. The a,dio never drops to a rea% Aero.There is a thin%y evaporating rever/ tai% that enve%opes everything "rom that moment"orward.

G-deas arrive as tight%y compacted /a%%s o" energy. They /o,nce aro,nd the room and

come to rest within the "rame o" o,r perception.


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Part =

The pro ess ofDevelop#ent

8eeing,8eeing something out there,

A flash of an idea, >ighly ompa ted and brilliant,

It is more, mu h more.

7ig down, de'elop,

*"pand, *"plore.

This is the spirit of e"pression, re'ealed.


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Across the Frontier&oads Where we re going, we don t need roads.1 ? 7r. *mmett #rown

@eorgia 3 e*isting e*pectations. The process o" deve%opment is thesystem that sees /eyond the constraints o" conventiona% str,ct,re5 and esta/%ishes the"o,ndation "or the n,ts and /o%ts imp%ementation o" the idea. -t is the way we esta/%ishthe methods and proced,res that wi%% a%%ow ,s to move into the imp%ementation andcomp%etion5 to act,a%%y make st,"" happen.

That s why we re a%% here.G

eve%opment is the e*perimentation that %eads to the most direct and origina% way toe*press the idea. The power o" o,r creative vision is made ,se",% and rea% thro,gh thee*perimentation # tria% and error # o" the process o" deve%opment. -t is the res,%t o" theapp%ication o" time5 e""ort5 reso,rces5 and imagination in the p,rs,it o" something entire%ynew.

eve%opment is the search "or the most e""ective "orm "or an idea. The genre5str,ct,re5 content5 voca/,%ary # voice # that e*presses the p,rpose and meaning most

c%ear%y and power",%%y. &rriving at the physica% "orm that wi%% /ecome the tangi/%estatement o" an idea is a process that opens possi/i%ity /eyond the conventions o"anything that a%ready e*ists.

E*perimentation is the search "or the e*tremity o" an idea5 the idea e*panded ande*tended5 ",%%y revea%ed.

-t is the search "or the new.3rigina%ity is the res,%t o" new processes and new materia%s. -t is the res,%t o"

crossing the %ine /etween what is common%y accepted as possi/%e and seiAing the


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impossi/%e.3rigina%ity is more than new or di""erent5 it is ,ni:,e and witho,t president. B,t it

takes a power",% %eve% o" origina%ity to t,rn the who%e wor%d towards a new direction.Standard "orm,%as and temp%ates aren t going to get ,s where we need to go.

Conventiona% processes yie%d conventiona% res,%ts. That s not good eno,gh.

& process that centers on e*perimentation is necessary. Testing5 research5 and awi%%ingness to try the impro/a/%e. istakes wi%% /e made5 st,"" wi%% /reak. That s good.-t takes some time to do this right5 some time to cross eno,gh /orders to "ina%%y arrive atmethods that act,a%%y work5 that achieve the ",%% vision.

The process o" deve%opment is critica% and necessary. -t is the means thro,gh whicho,r ideas /ecome rea%. -t is thro,gh these rea%5 tangi/%e "orms that the wor%d con"rontsthe import o" o,r ideas.

GThe idea to write a m,%timedia opera emerged at the %ow point o" my career when -

had come to the rea%iAation that it was necessary to do something that wo,%d either raisemy career to a s,staina/%e %eve% or end it comp%ete%y. - was prepared to either s,cceed or

"ai%5 to either move "orward or give ,p.-n terms o" the process o" deve%opment5 it was the con"rontation /etween adetermined vision and the rea%ities o" circ,mstance. 3ne or the other wo,%d prevai% and -was ready to get on with it.

-t was indeed a desperate and drastic time.-t was c%ear "rom the /eginning that the main p,rpose o" the work was to /e a

statement that was grand5 pro"o,nd5 and innovative. -t needed to /e something thatwo,%d ,ne:,ivoca%%y command attention? it had to /e something that hadn t /een done

/e"ore in Chicago. - knew that was the on%y way to re/,i%d my career.'ort,nate%y5 - had at %east seen a map.'or ten years my day Oand nightP 8o/ was in symphony orchestra operations as the

%iaison /etween the grand ideas o" the cond,ctor and the harsh rea%ities o" the theatre prod,ction managers. 3ver h,ndreds o" prod,ctions - %earned what works and how to get pro"essiona%s to work together to achieve e*ce%%ence. - knew that i" - co,%d write thework5 - co,%d prod,ce it.

The ,ncharted "rontier that stretched o,t /e"ore me was the %ong and ,nknown process o" deve%oping my artistic vision into a tangi/%e5 per"orma/%e piece o" power",%m,sic.

The deve%opment process /egan with the vision5 the concept5 and the ,nder%yingtheme. 'or the work to /e pro"o,nd5 - reasoned5 it needed to to,ch ,pon somethingdeeper than the traditiona% %ove themes o" c%assic opera. Having grown ,p watching thehorrors o" the ietnam 9ar on my "ami%y s te%evision5 - have a%ways tho,ght that peaceamong the wor%d s peop%e sho,%d /e the highest priority o" o,r time. This work /ecamemy opport,nity to imp%ement that conviction.

- researched the events o" peace movements in the &merican So,th5 in the Tro,/%eso" -re%and5 among the co,ntries o" the idd%e East5 and the con"rontations res,%ting "romocc,pations in the co%onia% era.

3ver severa% years5 the %i/retto evo%ved "rom a simp%e rete%%ing o" events to thest,nning%y direct and gripping e*cerpts o" primary so,rce materia% co%%ected "rom the%etters5 speeches5 and writings o" over "i"ty peop%e active in the non>vio%ence movement.


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&s the %i/retto was evo%ving5 - was writing the voca% %ines and orchestrations toindivid,a% scenes that portrayed signi"icant events s,ch as the 'reedom S,mmer o" the&merican Civi% (ights movement5 @andhi s attempt to :,iet a rioting crowd in Ca%c,tta5and %i"e on (o//in -s%and in So,th &"rica d,ring the &partheid era.

Sim,%taneo,s%y5 - was sitting ,p near%y every night in "ront o" the screen o" my

eQT comp,ter assem/%ing and rendering the comp,ter m,sic "i%es that wo,%d /ecomethe contin,o,s sonic /ackdrop o" the work.The vis,a%s were created at the very %ast min,te and consisted o" pro8ected te*ts o"

:,otations that gave additiona% depth and conte*t to the scenes /eing portrayed on stage.The work was premiered in 1DD4 at The Cindy !ritAker &,ditori,m in the Haro%d

9ashington !,/%ic $i/rary5 Chicago5 -%%inois. The deve%opment o" the work had takenon%y two years /,t - knew it was not over. ,ring the ne*t eight years5 the work wentthro,gh three more signi"icant%y revised prod,ction versions inc%,ding a series o"

per"ormances in ew ork City with s,pport "rom the ationa% Endowment "or the &rts.espite my sincerest intentions to p%ace as m,ch rationa%ity as - can ,pon the ",t,re5

a %ot o" the signi"icant st,"" that - ve done has /een the res,%t o" either desperation or

necessity. B,t o" those i%%ogica% acts o" artistic intensity5 - regret none o" them. -t seems5%ooking /ack5 that the /ig works5 and even the ones that didn t resonate signi"icant%y atthe time5 have a%% made a %asting impression on my practice and on peop%e they haveto,ched.

ears %ater5 the st,"" is sti%% working.So - 8,mp in.&nd %ogic gets p,shed aside.&nd the process o" deve%opment takes over. St,"" gets made. &nd in %arge or sma%%

ways5 something changes. 9e are a%% %i"ted a %itt%e /it higher.GThe process o" deve%opment is a commitment to p,sh harder and ",rther into the vast

"rontier o" the ,nknown5 the ",t,re.The work that /rings o,r ideas to the /rink o" rea%ity is an e*pedition o" discovery

that /egins in the "ami%iar and sometimes dangero,s "rontier town at the edge o" thewi%derness. -t re:,ires ,s to co%%ect o,r s,pp%ies5 assem/%e a s,pport team that haseno,gh credi/i%ity that we can tr,st them with the %i"e o" the idea5 and then we set o,t.

oving deeper and deeper into p%aces never /e"ore seen5 ,nknown even in the mostsophisticated theory /ooks5 "ar /eyond the conventiona% imagination.

The process o" deve%opment is a science %a/ where rea% o/8ects coa%esce and take"orm o,t o" materia%s and imagination. B,t even more than that5 it is an e*pedition o"e*treme potentia%5 a 8o,rney into p%aces never /e"ore imagined5 to p%aces where theo,tcome is entire%y ,nknown. & series o" advent,res sma%%5 and sometimes very %arge5that /ring ,s to a p%ace that is the "o,ndation o" p,re origina%ity.


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Ra$ E!ploitation #reak it down, melt it, use it.

9here has my @& monitor gone) 9here have a%% those green screens gone)Somep%ace %ike &sia.The inspiring and sometimes shocking rea%ity o" %iving in a wor%d that is /oth

deve%oped and deve%oping sim,%taneo,s%y is that the o/8ects o" one wor%d take on entire%ynew meanings in the other. The high%y comp%e* too%s s,ch as comp,ters and machineryo" my neigh/orhood are event,a%%y discarded5 rendered o/so%ete /y newer moredeve%oped versions5 and they end ,p in the remote corners o" the wor%d5 "ar "rom theirorigina% conte*t. There5 the origina% p,rpose and meaning is o"ten a/s,rd%y ,se%ess andmay/e even enigmatic # what s this thing do) -nstead o" seeing the o/8ect "or its higher%eve% p,rpose # a comp,ter perhaps # it /ecomes simp%y a package o" components5 parts5meta%s5 p%astics. -t /ecomes a sma%% /,nd%e o" raw materia%.

That s where The e%ter ,des come in. They tear my o%d -B green screen apartand me%t down the /oards5 e*tracting the meta%s and se%%ing them The a%arming thing o"co,rse is that a good amo,nt o" to*ic ",mes and other /ad st,"" is re%eased into the "ami%yhome at the same time. &nd the cooking pot ,sed to me%t this st,"" down is the same potthat dinner is prepared in. &%% very m,ch not good.

G- %ived in Brook%yn "or a short time with a "ami%y "riend5 y 'airy @odmother. She

gave me she%ter whi%e - "inished the prod,ction o" my opera at a ven,e in Soho. -t wasthe %ate =0s. Soho was di""erent then # %o"ts and ga%%eries and no shoe stores. -t was onthe edge5 the "ringe5 as hard as it is to /e%ieve today. The @,ggenheim had a space therewhere e*perimenta% works were shown. - saw my "irst Bi%% io%a there. His st,"" /%ewme away.

-t was a time and p%ace where 6new7 was happening everywhere. B,t what wasmost e*citing to me5 an independent artist5 was that it was a%% happening witho,t /igind,stria%>siAed /,dgets. -t was5 arg,a/%y5 the /eginning o" a co%%ective ,nderstandingthat great work can happen with the materia%s avai%a/%e? that it doesn t take h,ge ,ptownreso,rces # ven,es and "inances # to create something e*citing and compe%%ing. Themateria%s themse%ves stop /eing a constraint and /ecome the inspiration that prope%sinnovation. The materia%s spark new insights and possi/i%ities.

The process o" deve%opment is the way we approach the too%s and materia%s. The

process o" deve%opment is the a/i%ity to assess e*panded visions o" potentia% "rom withinthe /orders o" tangi/%e assets # time and raw materia%s.

Gy dad5 The -nventor5 was an ind,stria% engineer. 9hen he wasn t dreaming ,p new

mechanica% o/8ects to make dai%y %i"e /etter # or at %east di""erent # his day 8o/ waso/sessing over a /%ock>%ong piece o" machinery. He was in charge o" an a%,min,mro%%ing mi%%. -t was the /iggest thing - d ever seen. eed%ess to say5 - grew ,p knowinghow mechanica% st,"" worked? taking things apart was 8,st something we did.


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that the wire was made o" copper. e%t it down. Se%% it. So why /other spending a%% thattime and e""ort weaving it into something when yo, can 8,st throw it into a pot5 /,rn o""the p%astic ins,%ation Onever mind a/o,t a%% those ",mesP and what s %e"t is a nice c%eanh,nk o" copper that s worth some cash. Simp%e5 no art5 no cra"t5 anyone can do it.

G

Soho is di""erent now. Changed "rom those days when - was "irst %earning to see pastthe s,r"ace o" materia%s. $ast - was there5 the "irst "%oor o" the @,ggenheim space was a!rada shoe store. The m,se,m had c%osed in 2001. The ,se,m "or &"rican &rt isworking hard to /,i%d a new space on East 110th in a part o" the city with an entire%ydi""erent heritage and conte*t. The wire /askets have /ecome commercia%iAed and themateria%s are no %onger scavenged or sto%en. -t s a /,siness now. The %eading edge o"recyc%ed art has /ecome o/8ects made "rom soda cans # a practice /eg,n /y 9est &"ricanchi%dren making their own toys "rom whatever they co,%d "ind.

&nd %ike the 8aAA %o"t scene5 the independent artist co%%ectives5 and the sweatshopsthat preceded them5 Soho itse%" has /een again comp%ete%y rep,rposed. Here5 as inco,nt%ess other neigh/orhoods5 the /,i%dings and the environment have a%ways /een

simp%y raw materia% to /e e*p%oited and recyc%ed "or new p,rposes o" the moment. &constant%y changing app%ication o" content5 redesigned and re>a%igned to a vision that isever moving "orward5 reaching o,t5 %ooking "or something new. The /,i%dings5 theneigh/orhood5 the recyc%ed comp,ter monitors5 the te%ephone wire5 and the shippingcrate5 are in rea%ity the raw materia% waiting to /e e*p%oited /y a process o" deve%opmentthat sees the potentia% /eyond the s,r"ace.

-t was as - stood there that day in the m,se,m5 %ooking at those wire o/8ects "or the"irst time5 that my perception o" materia% and reso,rce was reca%i/rated. The materia% that

/ecomes the content and "orm o" o,r vision is no %onger simp%y items o"" the she%"5ordered "rom a cata%og to /e ,sed "or a preconceived p,rpose. The key to rea% creativework is seeing materia% as a co%%ection o" potentia% that is not predetermined. -,nderstood "or the "irst time that rea% creative work is the res,%t o" seeing the app%icationo" reso,rces in a way that no one has ever seen them /e"ore.

The process o" discovery is not on%y the way we deve%op o,r methods and esta/%isho,r proced,res. -t is most signi"icant%y the a/i%ity to envision the imp%ementation andcontent o" something in a way that no one has ever conceived o" it /e"ore.

The res,%t o" artistic creation has nothing to do with the high price o" raw materia%sand everything to do with "inding ways to ,se the materia%s at hand in the moste*pressive way possi/%e.

9ire is in "act simp%y a medi,m o" e*pression # &s it is %ying there on the ro%%ingmi%% "%oor in a 8,m/%ed heap it is in "act an o/8ect o" high energy5 e*treme potentia%5 rawmateria% waiting to /e e*p%oited. B,t that s precise%y the point. -t is there waiting "orsomeone to come a%ong with the a/i%ity to perceive its potentia%.

The process o" deve%opment is the discovery o" the ,nknown5 the ,n"oreseen5 thenew and ,ne*pected5 o,r arriva% at a p%ace no one has ever /een /e"ore with too%s that noone has ever contemp%ated ,sing in ways that have never /een tested. -t is e*tremee*perimentation5 discovery5 it is the way the ,nknown /ecomes known.

GThe rea% meaning o" raw is this a/i%ity to de>co,p%e the component parts o"

something "rom its initia% intended concept or p,rpose. -t is the a/i%ity to see potentia%


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The Co#p%ter and the &a##erThe instruments of e"pression, the weapons of pro ess 2 tools blunt and sharp.

Thor and The !ers,ader.Hammers have a %ot o" persona%ity. i""erent weights5 siAes5 and shapes according to

the p,rpose.The !ers,ader is a 20>po,nd s%edgehammer. - /o,ght it /ack in = when - "irst

moved to 9isconsin. Together with a wedge5 - ,sed it to sp%it wood "or my "irep%ace.Since then5 - ve ,sed it to tear down wa%%s when necessary and to genera%%y convincethings to go some p%ace they rea%%y didn t want to go.

- ve had Thor since 1D . -t s sma%%5 massive5 and %ooks prehistoric. Back then - hada M @B with rea% knock>o"" wire whee%s. There were two o" them in the /oot. Sowhen - had to se%% the car - decided to keep one o" the hammers "or myse%".

&nd then there s the comp,ters. & %ong %ineage o" hardware that - m "ar too attachedto? we 8,st spent way too many ho,rs together "or me to send them o"" to the recyc%ersnow. There s my craAy tea%>co%ored S@- 3ctane5 my eQT s%a/ that - spent a%most everynight with "or over a year writing the opera5 a ac !%,s ",%%y %oaded with 4 B o" (&that was the "irst comp,ter - had that co,%d do m,sic notation5 and my workhorse !ismo%aptop ,pgraded with an a"termarket C!I to a D00 HA @+. The overc%ocking "ina%%yimp%oded and it won t r,n anymore. - %ike to think he s gone /ack to hangin at the /each.

GToo%s /%,nt or sharp.Too%s are the means o" e*pressing o,r ideas5 o" comm,nicating o,r inspiration.

They e*tend o,r reach5 m,%tip%y o,r "orce5 amp%i"y the vo%,me o" o,r content. Too%sa%%ow ,s to imp%ement the pro8ect in ways that we co,%dn t on o,r own. Too%s are themeans thro,gh which the work is rea%iAed.

Too%s are o"ten essentia% to achieve the p,rpose. So choose something power",%.$imitations stink. Choose something high%y re"ined. (e"inement is a/o,t e*ce%%ence andappropriateness. -t is a/o,t /eing per"ect%y s,ited to the task.

Something that works every time.Something %ike a hammer5 perhaps.GHow o"ten5 especia%%y at the /eginning5 did - 8,st ,se whatever was avai%a/%e)

(eached down and gra//ed whatever too% was %ying there) Especia%%y in regard to high%y

e*pensive hardware "or many years - co,%d a""ord on%y one too%. &nd ,navoida/%y thatone too% pretty m,ch de"ined my capa/i%ities. - had grown tired o" the %imitations o" the%ow>/,dget too%s - ,sed. - had grown tired o" potentia% c%ients te%%ing me that some o" thework was %ame when - knew it was the package5 the s,r"ace5 the e*ec,tion # and not theidea5 itse%" # - rea%iAed the work wasn t good eno,gh. -t was "r,strating to know that them,sic - was composing was /eing %imited /y the %ow>:,a%ity e*ec,tion o" the too%s - hadavai%a/%e.

So - decided to go a"ter the /est too% o,t there. &nd in this partic,%ar story o" too%s


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/%,nt and sharp5 the o,tcome was comp%icated and emotiona%. Sort o" %ike a %ove story.- came within moments o" /etting everything on a very shiny 'air%ight C - Series

--* sitting in the g%ass>wa%%ed s,per>room o" @and ,sic and So,nd. - saw this verye*pensive and high>pro"i%e instr,ment as a way to raise the %eve% o" my e*ec,tion to thehighest standard o" the day. &nd as a res,%t - a%so tho,ght it wo,%d attract more c%ients to

my m,sic prod,ction company. -n Chicago at the time5 there was on%y one othercommercia% prod,cer who had one.- was pretty s,re that /eing a/%e to "%ash aro,nd that kind o" /%ing wo,%d attract some

attention. B,t wo,%d it attract c%ients) 9o,%d it pay "or itse%") There was no way toknow the answer to those :,estions witho,t taking the p%,nge. &nd - /a%ked.

&t the time5 the 'air%ight C - was the highest :,a%ity e%ectronic m,sica% instr,mentavai%a/%e. There rea%%y wasn t any other device that co,%d do what it did in a way thatwas as m,sica% and rea%istic. othing co,%d s,/stit,te "or the 'air%ight. 3n that /asis5 -

/%ew it.Too%s are either /%,nt or sharp. -t s easy to "a%% in %ove with either kind. B,t it s the

sharp ones that can rea%%y h,rt when they /reak or t,rn o,t not to de%iver on the promise

o" their e*actit,de.id - make the right decision)!erhaps those month%y payments wo,%d have /een 8,st a %itt%e more tangi/%e

incentive "or me to get o,t there and make more contacts5 "ind more c%ients # do even /etter work. ay/e it wo,%d have /een the motivation that wo,%d have kicked my %itt%eoperation ,p to the ne*t %eve%. &%% that wo,%d have /een a gen,ine%y good o,tcome.

B,t what i" the c%ients didn t materia%iAe) Ig%y.To this day5 - wasn t s,re i" compromising on an a%ternative prod,ct was /ri%%iant or

st,pid. So - cracked open the history /ooks;-t t,rns o,t5 predicting the ",t,re isn t so easy # who knew) 'air%ight went /ankr,pt

in %ate 1D== and the %ast --* was so%d thro,gh @and ,sic and So,nd. 'air%ight didn t orco,%dn t pay @and the sa%es commission. So @and s,ed 'air%ight. B,t @and neverreceived the sett%ement /eca,se 'air%ight went /ankr,pt a "ew days %ater.

9as this partic,%ar --* the one in the history /ooks) Based on the dates and the "actthat @and to%d me it was the %ast --* avai%a/%e5 - m pretty s,re it was. -nteresting.

-n the end5 - wo,%d have /een the %ast person on Earth to p,rchase an e*treme%ye*pensive dinosa,r. $ove%y5 /ea,ti",%5 charming5 /,t tota%%y o/so%ete within a matter o"months.

So what s the take away on a%% that) The /iggest hang>,p to this entire e*ercise inspec,%ation is the "act that - was stretching everything to a""ord it. o matter howincredi/%e that piece o" gear was the /,rden o" "inancia% risk took a%% the /ene"its down.

$et s add in a sma%% /it o" economic conte*t; B%ack onday. - distinct%y remem/er3cto/er 1D5 1D= . y partner and - were o,t making sa%es ca%%s. Sitting in the car withthe radio on5 news o" the crash hit me %ike a wave o" ice co%d water. - knew at thatmoment /,siness wo,%d p,%% inward5 /,dgets wo,%d shrink5 and work wo,%d dry ,p. -nthe months "o%%owing5 the dec%ine in the %eve% o" corporate spending "or advertising wash,ge. -t took years "or the ad ind,stry to regain pre>B%ack> onday %eve%s. By mid>1D==5things were rea%%y not %ooking a%% that m,ch /etter "or ,s. 9e s,rvived /etween gigs

/eca,se we were yo,ng5 wi%%ing to eat cheap "ood5 and o,r "i*ed costs were essentia%%yAero # no kids5 no "%ashy cars5 nada.


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'ee%ing %ike a "oo% "or /eing the %ast one to the 'air%ight party wo,%d have /een /adeno,gh5 /,t having the month%y payments p,%% down the who%e operation wo,%d have

/een "ar more than em/arrassing.-t wo,%d have /een p,re%y st,pid.G

& "riend r,ns a so,nd company providing racks and stacks "or weddings andcorporate. -t s very hard work. Heavy sch%epping and in"initesima% pro"it margin. oesanyone rea%%y want to pay "or so,nd) -sn t that5 %ike "ree5 with the /and or whatever)

3ne time we were ta%king. He had 8,st /o,ght a/o,t grand worth o" JB$ ca/inets.Standing there %ooking at the g,y it was hard "or me to image he co,%d p,t that kind o"change together. So - asked him i" there co,%d have /een a cheaper a%ternative.

S,dden%y5 he %a,nches into a %itany o" a%% the %ame gear he d /o,ght in his time andhow it had messed with his %i"e in a tho,sand di""erent ways when it "e%% apart at the gig.The "act is5 gear that s /,i%t cheap%y is 8,st "ine i" yo, re not p,shing it. B,t take it on theroad5 throw it into a van three or more nights a week "or a whi%e and it s not going to /eyo,r "riend "or %i"e. -n "act it wi%% sta/ yo, in the /ack at the worst possi/%e time.

GSt,"" /reaks.Sometimes on p,rpose.Circ,it Bending) &wesome. -t s a %ot easier to rationa%iAe the downside o" crossing

wires when it s a R1 ',r/y. - think this has ta,ght a%% o" ,s a n,m/er o" important%essons.

'irst5 /eing wi%%ing and "inancia%%y a/%e to p,sh something to the point o" /reakingcan have signi"icant%y e*citing res,%ts. (isking %oosing something is no reason to /e shywith the too%. -" yo, re not wi%%ing to /reak it5 yo, sho,%dn t /e ,sing it.

Starting with some e*isting circ,itry can drastica%%y shorten the deve%opment time.'ind something that sort o" does the 8o/5 and 'rankenstein it.

B,t sometimes there s 8,st nothing on the she%" that %% do the 8o/. 9e%%5 that s whenit s time to ro%% yo,r own5 my "riend.

'rank%y5 it s getting pretty o/vio,s that it takes new too%s to create new work. &nd- m not 8,st ta%king search engines or so"tware apps. 9hen ind,stria% grade science #materia%s and processes # gets app%ied to "ood5 sc,%pt,re5 amp%i"ication5 processing5 "a/ricand materia%s5 e*citing new st,"" happens. -t s a%% a/o,t devising an origina% too% to dosomething that has never /een done /e"ore.

&nd it doesn t have to /e comp%icated. - spent one s,mmer o" my co%%ege careermaking ro,nd wire into "%at wire. -t was an a/s,rd%y simp%e machine. & spoo% o" ro,nd

/rass wire on the %e"t and a co%%ection ro%%er on the right. -n the midd%e was a very sma%% pair o" ro%%ers and a motor. The wire "ed "rom the %e"t to the right and was "%attened /ythe ro%%ers. Simp%e. B,t it was the "o,ndation o" a m,%timi%%ion>do%%ar /,siness makingsomething we a%% ,se every day. & very sma%% piece o" that "%at wire acts as a type o"stap%e to ho%d the /rist%es into their ho%es on the head o" the tooth/r,sh. Check it o,t ne*ttime yo, ve got a moment in the morning. That %itt%e piece o" meta% 8ammed down in theho%e keeps the /rist%es "rom p,%%ing o,t.

@et the too%s right5 and the too%s wi%% generate work that is wi%d%y ,ni:,e5 e*citing5and ,nprecedented.

-t ,sed to take ind,stria% /,dgets to do something %ike that. B,t /,i%ding yo,r own


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origina% too%s5 or rep,rposing too%s to ",nctions in ways that have never /een tried /e"ore5is a %ot easier now. &%% o" this is as c%ose as the nearest %aptop5 the s,rp%,s store5 or homeimprovement center. @ot ! C)

G-n the end5 it comes down to the recognition that achieving the inspiration5

comm,nicating the vision5 sharing the p,rpose is what rea%%y co,nts. &nd too%s he%pmake that happen. !ower too%s5 vintage gear5 origina% st,""5 they a%% e*tend o,rcapa/i%ities or %ead ,s into wor%ds o" entire%y new opport,nities5 new possi/i%ities.

So p,sh st,"" hard5 "ind o,t 8,st how m,ch press,re can /e app%ied /e"ore somethingshatters. -t takes a "ew attempts to %earn when to /ack o"". -t s a high%y n,anced /a%ance

/etween practica%ity and e*tremity? a rea%istic mediation /etween a""orda/i%ity and /etting the "arm.

Standing on the creative edge5 ho%ding that %ine /etween "ree "a%%ing and not5 can /e pretty scary. & strong rope and a cara/iner or two 8,st might make a%% the di""erence.

The right too%s give ,s %everage. !,sh them hard5 app%y some press,re and someheat5 rea%%y %ean into it. They give ,s a %itt%e /it o" certainty that it is act,a%%y possi/%e to

do this craAy st,"" # that these ideas might act,a%%y work.


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Part @

The pro ess ofI#ple#entation

Ideas ha'e the power to inspire and hange.They take shape in ways that rea h out and grab us,

In a form we an hold.Words, songs, olors, onstru tions.

The power of ideas is the apa ity to tou h the heart,To show us a better way.

Ideas mo'e us with the power of a 'ision made real.


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Artifact $rom a re ent online au tion site+

8peak 8pell )intage %/B0s *le troni *du ational 4earning 9ame+ C%=.D08peak and 8pell !ir uit #ent+ C66/.00

There are no r,%es5 no conventions5 no givens # anymore.-mp%ementation is a/o,t accepting that nothing is o"" %imits5 nothing is sacred. There

is nothing that is o"" the ta/%e5 ever. o matter what ven,e the work %ands in5 no matter where the idea is coming "rom or

the tra8ectory that %ies ahead5 accept no /o,ndaries5 don t get s,cked into acceptinganything as inherent%y necessary. &nd there is nothing that is a/so%,te%y essentia%5 either.

There are no esta/%ished norms anymore. The wor%d has changed and the way st,""gets accomp%ished now has "ar more to do with seeing the potentia% o" avai%a/%e reso,rcesthan "o%%owing the esta/%ished techni:,es o" the past.

Throw away a%% preconceptions o" right and wrong imp%ementation5 %eave everynotion o" esta/%ished practice where it /e%ongs5 in the desk drawer with the dictionariesand phone /ooks. -t s a%% a/s,rd%y irre%evant now.

9e need to crack open the /o*5 gra/ some wire5 and make something entire%y newand ,ne*pected happen5 right now.

Back in 1DMM when (eed @haAa%a p,%%ed open his meta% desk drawer andaccidenta%%y shorted his toy transistor amp%i"ier5 a stream o" so,nd never /e"ore heard

po,red "rom the speaker.Coo%.@haAa%a s geni,s was that he recogniAed the potentia% o" the accident and went on to

deve%op the practice he event,a%%y ca%%ed circ,it /ending # the spontaneo,s manip,%ationo" e*isting %ow>vo%tage e%ectronic toys and instr,ments "or the p,rpose o" generating,ni:,e and origina% so,nds.

Ised ',r/y)C,te may/e5 /,t - m thinking not. -t s /een done way too many times a%ready.

o matter what the "orm the idea ,%timate%y wi%% take5 the imp%ementation has to /e,ni:,e and individ,a%. Conventiona% ways %ead to esta/%ished res,%ts. There are no priAes"or /eing second5 third5 or %ast to the party anymore.

The on%y thing that matters now is /eing "irst.So as we raise the work into the c%ear co%d %ight o" the rea% wor%d5 this is the process

o" imp%ementation;The necessity o" "inding a creative process5 an imp%ementation5 that s never /e"ore

/een contemp%ated. &nd discovering the means to achieve it.


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It's Abo%t Po$er Really $orm is the ontainer; the idea is the message.

- m serio,s.The reason we re doing a%% this hard work is to "ind a way to e*press an idea with

s,ch intensity that it ca,ses a serio,s%y %arge impact. St,"" needs to change? we need to"ind some rea% so%,tions to the hard pro/%ems that con"ront ,s. 9e need some hard>corecreative work that can go o,t there and make a rea% di""erence # here and now.

9hether the "orm is a nove% or short story5 a symphony or a d,et5 it doesn t matter inthe %east i" the ",nction5 the intent5 is comm,nicated in a way that is compe%%ing ande""ective. Creativity is not power",% or meaning",% 8,st /eca,se it comes packaged in a%arge and impressive /o*. There are p%enty o" /%atant%y st,pid and ,se%ess symphonies5operas5 nove%s5 ma8or "i%ms. 9orks that to,ch ,s most deep%y5 that stick with ,s the%ongest5 are not simp%y the /iggest5 "astest5 %o,dest5 or /rightest things we have ever seen.The st,"" that rea%%y s%ams ,s5 picks ,s ,p and heads ,s in a new direction5 are statementsthat are power",% /eca,se they are the most direct%y e*pressive representations o" ahigh%y compe%%ing concept.

G9hen - get wrapped ,p in the possi/i%ity o" composing something "or a symphony

orchestra5 the possi/i%ities o" imp%ementation carry me away # - can t resist imagining theincredi/%e array o" so,nds and te*t,res. B,t that s /ackwards thinking; - m composing"rom the standpoint o" the imp%ementation5 rather than /,i%ding "rom the "o,ndation o"the concept5 p,rpose5 or idea. &nd it comp%ete%y ignores the "act that it s tota%%yridic,%o,s "or me to even contemp%ate a pro8ect o" that scope ,nder my c,rrentcirc,mstances. y %i"e is way too "ragmented to /e a/%e to "oc,s on something that %ong>range.

ot to mention5 there s no symphony orchestra waiting to p%ay the thing5 either.The "act is5 the wor%d rea%%y doesn t need another symphony. 9hat it needs is a new

idea5 a /etter vision o" what %i"e co,%d /e. That5 we need. -" that vision can /ecomm,nicated /est thro,gh the "orm o" a symphony5 then it is e*act%y what we need. B,t

8,st another orchestra piece5 sitting in the drawer) o5 that s not the o/8ective.The point is the imp%ementation o" ideas that are power",% eno,gh to inspire change

and make everything it to,ches5 /etter.The process o" imp%ementation is where we dig down to the core5 the "o,ndation o"

what yo, re rea%%y trying to accomp%ish # what is rea%%y worth saying # and then "ind away to say it in the most compe%%ing way possi/%e.

The process o" imp%ementation seiAes the depth and richness o" the idea # the /readthand potentia% generated /y the deve%opment process # and makes the idea into somethingthat reaches o,t and to,ches ,s a%%.

The ",ndamenta% /asis o" any work is an a/stract vision5 an idea or statement thatneeds to /e e*pressed. -t is this vision5 this statement5 not the materia%s that is the

p,rpose o" the work. -mp%ementation is not a commitment to speci"ic materia%s and "orm.


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The materia%s serve the vision and the message. The work is not a/o,t the materia%s? it snot even a/o,t the content5 either.

Ise "orm. on t %et "orm dictate the statement. 'orm is the container "ore*pression5 e*pression does not con"orm to str,ct,re.

G

Concepts need to /e separated "rom their "orm5 their str,ct,re.9hat rea%%y g,ides the determination o" the "orm5 the decision o" materia%s andcontent5 the shape o" the work5 is the necessity o" precision and directness.

-t s a demand in two parts; C%arity o" e*pression and the immediacy o" c%earcomm,nication. The imp%ementation # the words5 chords5 me%odies5 moves5 co%ors5shapes # needs to /e precise eno,gh that the critica% e%ements o" the concept aree*pressed. &nd it needs to /e str,ct,red to comm,nicate within the e*pectations o" theintended a,dience and ,sers.

-t s a /a%ance. The goa% is to "ind a way "or something e*ceptiona% to /e achievedwith the reso,rces avai%a/%e. @oing into a pro8ect with preconceived e*pectations o""orm drastica%%y red,ces the options "or "inding a /a%ance /etween e*pression and

comm,nication.'inding a /a%ance means keeping the concept5 the idea5 the statement in the"oregro,nd5 not the materia%s. The idea can /e comm,nicated in a variety o" media #some are more practica% and achieva/%e than others ,nder the circ,mstances o" avai%a/%ereso,rces.

There are many5 many ways to e*press an idea. &n idea can /e e*pressed in anin"inite n,m/er o" di""erent "orms. Some

the creative edge the art of making ideas work

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