Blog Post #3 - Being Good vs. Being Lucky

Many of us are familiar with Alex Honnold's amazing free solo climb of El Capitain. However, not many of us know how much work and preparation went into that actual climb. In this TED talk, Alex explains how before he climbed El Capitain, he climbed Half Dome, another amazing climb. He explained however that during his climb of Half Dome, there was a part in his climb that he wasn't prepared for. This part of his climb caused him a lot of anxiety. Although he managed to get to the top just fine, he was disappointed in himself because he felt that he had not mastered Half Dome, he had simply gotten lucky.

I think any of us would be grateful just to be alive after something like that, but not Alex. He was so determined to master climbing that he knew he could do better than simply scale the wall. This mindset may seem crazy to some, but to others there is an important principle at play here. Imagine if each of us were to take the talents and skills we are trying to develop and looked at our progress the way that Alex looks at his climbs. Do we simply get lucky? Or, do we actually master the things we are trying to do?

I thought it was pretty cool that someone as skilled as Alex, can also be that humble to look at his performances and evaluate them for how he can do better.

Blog Post 4

This week I learned that McDonalds make a first ever restaurant for bees. I have no idea why they did it but I love it and it made me want to eat more McDonalds and render service to more bees. I'm grateful for their honey. Actually I just found out that they did it to raise awareness of the decreasing bee population. so that's pretty cool if i do say so myself.

https://inhabitat.com/mcdonalds-creates-mchives-to-raise-awareness-of-the-worlds-decreasing-bee-populations/

Blog Post 4

This week my sister was determined to make her own mood boards. She had never made a video or a book or anything other than maybe a poster for a class or something. But she saw a mood board online and she had to do one of her own. She even called me to ask if there is a way to make it on a word document hahaha. I just loved it because the way she explained it to me was that she just wanted to dump out some ideas she had and the mood board was the only way she could think of to satisfy that; she had no intention of doing anything else with it. The mood board was enough for her. I think it's cool that she felt inspired by something just couldn't get herself to shove the idea away, she had to do something with it. And she did!

Here's one of the mood boards she made!

Blog Post 4

I was online a couple days ago and I went down a rabbit hole about learning how to draw. I never progressed from the simple stick figures I learned in kindergarten. I want to teach myself but I am afraid of not being good enough. I think this fear is the reason I have not tried sooner. In light of everything we have gone over in this class, I decided it was time to put that fear aside and try just to see what happens. During my search, I kept finding article after article that were all about taking a long period of time and repeating the skill to make it better. I found some though, where the challenge seemed to work better because there was a little more incentive.
One of my favorite articles I found was called 40 Days of Moments. This is a travel writer who gave up her camera for Lent. She still needed to capture what she was writing about so she went back to her roots. She used to do a lot of illustrating so she decided to draw the moments she was trying to capture. In the end she found that through drawing, her skills improved a ton, but what she was more impressed with was remembering the places she had visited a lot better. There was something about drawing the moments that helped ingrain them in her brain even more. She later expanded this challenge to all her followers and had them draw their moments for a month and submit them to her. She wanted people to follow along not to improve their skills (a happy side effect of the project) but to enjoy and remember moments better of their lives better.
I decided that this challenge was what I was going to try and follow, taking a moment each day that I would normally take a picture of and capture it through drawing instead. Today is day 1 of 40 and I will update you all frequently and I guess we will see what happens.

Blog Post 4

I attended the TedxBYU event a few months ago. It was incredible. My favorite talk that night was by Brian Kershisnik, a fairly well known artist. His Ted Talk was titled "Harvesting from Chaos."

Near the beginning of the talk he says "to be human is to be creative." I've thought about that phrase a lot over the last several months. I know a lot of people who insist that they aren't creative because their mind finds it easier to understand math or science instead of art. However, I like the idea that we are all born to be creative to some extent. As we've discussed in this class, creativity is similar to a muscle; the more you use it the stronger you'll get.

Another aspect of the talk I like is where he focuses on embracing the chaos in our lives. The reality is, our lives are chaotic and imperfect. Kershisnik suggests that we will succeed if we can learn to embrace the chaos and build our lives around it. He encouraged us to embrace the chaos by (1) taking notes to better remember the things we learn and notice and (2) to make mistakes in order to learn faster. I like the first suggestion because one of the hardest parts of creativity for me is brainstorming. I have a tendency to dismiss ideas that don't seem good right away--forgetting that ever great idea ever has been worked and reworked a million times. I like the second suggestion because I also tend to forget that even the great creatives of our time aren't flawless 100% of the time. It's good to remind myself that I can make mistakes!

I linked the Ted Talk above, and you can see more of his work on his website.

Blog Post #4

I recently finished an amazing book called "The Best Story Wins: How to Leverage Hollywood Storytelling in Business and Beyond" by Matt Luhn. It's a pitch-perfect book for my career ambitions. Luhn chronicles his experience as an animator-turned-writer at Pixar and how he learned that in business and beyond, storytelling is all that really matters.
Unlike a lot of other experts, Luhn didn't just stick with one area of expertise. He detailed the importance of storytelling in branding (for business) and for telling stories in film, books, and other mediums (for creatives). Like my own educational path, it was a fusion of the analytical with the creative. I loved it.
I feel that moving forward with my passion project, writing these short stories to work my creative muscles, I can apply what I learned in this book in an effective way. I can pay special attention to crafting memorable, authentic characters and make them to center of my stories. And this can then translate into my more analytical PR tasks. I can take the information I have to write about and turn it into more of a story, capturing my audience in a way that appeals to them and their desire for good stories. The possibilities are endless, but I feel that this book helped me to further my creative passions in a new and exciting way.

Creative Blog Post 4: Nonsense Stories

Something that frustrates me is the art that doesn't include logic in its presentation. I understand art is to be interpreted, and sometimes is given meaning by its audience rather than its producer. Still, I think sometimes people produce absolute nonsense to no particular point. It might be a connection to how life sometimes might not have purpose. It might be to emphasize a weird sense of humor only a small margin of people can grasp. This instagram account I follow produces weird comics each week, every new one just as confusing as the last. This absence of logic, oddly enough, draws me in and entertains me enough to continue looking. There's something about nonsense that brings excitement, wonder, and curiosity. It's definitely more amusing than logic.

Blog post 3

A creative passion project I really like seeing are these cartoons from cartoonist Josh Mecouch. I think there is so much humor embedded in these short comic strips and the style he does them in really matches the tone of the content. It kind of reminds me of the art paired with Shel Silverstein's poems. It's just really cool that Josh MeCouch has the ability to make comics that are much more detailed and in color, as he is a pretty renowned cartoonist, however the simplicity of these drawings is more interesting and match his sense of humor much more. They are all available to see on instagram or twitter. His page on each is called @pantspants

Blog Post 3

This is an instagram account that just shows a bunch of different basketball courts that are either designed creatively or are in amazing locations. It reminds me of something professor Cutri said at the beginning of the semester about how providing constraints to your creativity can sometimes actually make you feel freer. The photography in the account is mostly aerial photography which I'm not usually the biggest fan of. However, quite a few of the courts actually might look pretty normal if you were standing on the court, but the photo of it with the surroundings included in the photograph is what makes it impressive.

On another note, these courts are all over the world. I think that the creative designs that are displayed through the creation of the courts themselves could be some kind of representation of the diverse people, cultures, and places that the game is played. Or something like that!

Blog Post #3

Street art is cool. We've talked about it in class but theres something about putting a message out there in an unsuspecting place, where everyone can see is so cool. It makes people, think, smile, or laugh, or maybe none of those emotions but just lets people look at the art. Back in 2012 a local street artist under the name Leuven took Provos blank walls by storm. In the form of wheat pastes, this artist would print out their scaled art on 8.5 x 11 sheets printed at the byu library (it was the cheapest duh). It started out slow but then got recognition as they were putting up bigger pieces. The small ones were the charmers though. The ones where the didn't jump out at you, they were hidden. This artist designed a logo that got so popular they made shirts and sold them, and when the mayor of provo saw them, the bought the logo and commissioned the artist to put up a mural of the logo. All started with some "punk" kid "vandalizing" the walls of provo. I think this story is so cool! It shows that street art isn't just graffiti, gang related, and trashy. It can be beautiful! It can share a message, and change the place it was put up, forever. I find this artist Leuven super inspiring and kinda like the street artist I look up to. I hope to someday put up as big of pieces as they did. And even though they have since left provo, I hope to kind of carry on the tradition. I just really think they are rad, but maybe I'm biased.

Heres a link to their work!

https://www.facebook.com/leuvenstreetart/

Creative Assignment #5

 Fighting Distance. It'll work, if I work.

 I decided to make a mock Apple Ad that represents a long distance relationship. It depicts a couple's playlist, two people face timing, and a map that shows directions for a long distance road trip right before hitting start. I think the piece tells a story, and that is why I love it. It tells my personal story of dating a girl long distance this summer. I'm not good at portraits so she kinda looks like an Alien. oops. haha.

Creative assignment #4

These are two poems that describe one of my biggest fears. That fear is losing my mom. I show this both through a child perspective losing a parent in the grocery store, and then I show it an in adult perspective of losing a parent in real life. The Poems are in Spanglish with incorrect grammar to represent how I voice thoughts inside my own mind. Both as a kid and now as an adult.

Creative Assignment #3

1. Avocado 2. A guitar 3. Mixed Matches Socks 4. Tennis Racket 5. Keyboard 6. Ping Pong Table 7. Typewriter ( because I'm a writer) 8. The Colombian National Flag 9. Shrimp ( I LOVE shrimp) 10. My Beard. 

These are the 10 objects that represent me.

Blog Post #3

This is a poem that my girlfriend wrote when she was in high school. The poem is an attempt in describing her feelings whenever starting something new. I just think that the process of growth is such a fun topic to write about. Growing can be scary. But, it's a necessary part of life.

Blog Post #3

Video game development is fascinating to me. It's a highly unique mixture of technology and art that's so undervalued yet so impressive. I'm a huge fan of the latest God of War game that came out in 2018. I recently watched a documentary that chronicled the making of the game, and I feel that it's incredibly insightful concerning the creative process. The game was groundbreaking in the sense that game director Cory Barlog took the franchise in an entirely new direction, basically reimagining the titular hero in a way that many were skeptical of at first. The documentary highlights some of the struggles that they went through in making the game. Corporate pressure, creative differences and technical issues are shown in a manner that really drives home the struggle it takes to create something new. Above all, I feel that the documentary really helped me gain a newfound appreciation for the importance of staying true to your vision. Barlog stayed true to his unique, radically different vision for God of War and even though he was unsure whether or not gamers would appreciate it, he made that the core of his project. He talked about how this was important for the success of the game. "Games that are boring and repetitive are because you don't feel the why. You don't feel connected to the world."

In my budding career and school efforts, I feel that it's important for me to stay true to my creative visions and my goals so that I can succeed while also staying true to myself and being authentic with my work.

Here's the link to the documentary, which is completely free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJZWKBDXXFY

Blog Post 3

I've always loved the work of Steve McCurry. His photographs are easily recognizable, and I think he does a great job of capturing the essence of a culture in a single image. I love scrolling through the series on his website and seeing all the different cultures side by side. Here's a link to one of my favorite series of his, called Getting There:

https://stevemccurry.com/galleries/getting-there

I especially love this series because it reminds me that there is a big world out there. It puts my own life and experiences into perspective. Some of these pictures are relatable, but some I can't even imagine living the life that is photographed. This series reminds me that there is so much left that I haven't done and haven't experienced. This series inspires me to experience more of what life has to offer and then use that as inspiration for my work.

I also like this series because it seems like a simple idea: to photograph people as they are just going about their lives. I think this is a good example of an idea that was executed really well. It could have been a really big miss if these photos weren't as engaging or visually appealing.

Creative Blogpost 3: Instagram & Design

My sisters reminded me via pictures sent in our family groupchat that today was my parents anniversary. Each sent an old photo of my parents from their younger years in commemoration. I too wanted to send a similar photo, but in my own style. I took a photo of them I had saved and tried running it through InDesign. After several different attempts at trying to make the photo something more than it was, I gave up. I began to think maybe I am not a design-minded person like my younger sister, and I should stick to copywriting. And then I had an idea. My friend Ryan Schade, who had graduated from the program a while back, always found ways to make his Instagram stories fun & creative by utilizing its features. I decided that if he, a copywriter, could use instagram for design purposes, why couldn't I? I ran the photo through a instagram collage app and then I just let my mind play around with the possibilities instagram had to offer. Eventually, I came up with this as my end result.

To any content creator or art director, it doesn't seem like much, but to me, I am proud of myself for doing something simple yet creative. Instagram enabled me to take a creative vision and turn it into a piece of work I can proudly put my name on. It is, at times, the creative outlets we least expect that give us the creative freedom we desire.

Artist zine stuff I was showing you yesterday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG2B5LuIGHE

Creative Assignment 5

This is something that's been on my mind for a while. I find the older I get the more I notice the unkind nature of the world we live in. Especially in the age of the internet and social media, it is easier for people to be unkind and judgmental towards one another. I don't think kindness has to be a large-scale display in order to be meaningful. I am trying to find small acts of kindness I can do every day to brighten others days in little ways. It is my hope that my small example and influence can benefit those I come into contact with and help improve my corner of the world little by little. 

Creative Assignment #5

I'm fighting for my own (verbal) words. If you ask me a question, I'll stutter and trip over my words a million times and I've been like this for as long as I can remember. It's really rare that I can effortlessly express a thought verbally. Even if, to the listener, my words are clear concise, there is a lot more focus that goes into a few simple sentences for me. If I'm telling a story, I'll get details mixed up and leave out crucial pieces. Or if I'm trying to get someone to understand my perspective or opinion on a topic, I get nervous that I won't be able to do so accurately and I get even more frazzled. As a result, I'm constantly tempted to just give up trying to express a thought which is more often than that either problematic or just annoying. And a lot of the time, I actually do give up! You'll hear me say "well, nevermind" or "ugh, its too hard to explain" more often than anyone else. With that, I always say that my closest friends are the ones who refuse to finish my sentences and/or force me to finish them on my own.

The interesting thing is that I have virtually no problem explaining and expressing my ideas through writing. And again, even as a little girl, I remember finding it a lot easier to write things down. Writing is relaxing for me while speaking is somewhat taxing and usually unsatisfying. And I'm definitely not saying this because I'm a copywriter or something because I wouldn't consider myself one at all; my experience with both forms of communication is just so opposite.

Finding the words I want to say is my daily fight that I'm used to but it's still a fight, nonetheless.

Creative Assignment #5

I'm fighting for a lot in my life. Some serious, some tongue-in-cheek. But I think that there is one thing I'm fighting for that's unique from anyone else I know: good-natured, helpful film criticism.

I'm sick of the Internet-housed, negative discourse right now. Peoples' opinions are amplified in their own echo chambers on Twitter and Reddit and then pretty soon a movie that was actually pretty well-made for what it was trying to be is attacked for having "plot holes" or for being "just awful" when really it wasn't. And you can inverse that, too. Plenty of people having blind praise for a film that just really wasn't THAT good. I think that it's important to have a happy medium. To recognize that there are different audiences for different films. To expand your palette and watch lots and lots of different types of movies.

That's what I aim to do with my Instagram page, Stockbuster Film Reviews. My wife and I started this last summer and we love reviewing movies in quick, succinct little blurbs that help our followers decide what type of movie this is and if they would enjoy it, depending on their own tastes.

So yeah, out of all the things I could post on here....I'm going to declare that I'm fighting for good-natured, helpful film criticism. Because at the end of the day, movies deserve to be loved and appreciated for what they are. Not for what some recluse on Reddit thinks it should have been.

Creative Assignment #5 - Do What You Can't

As I mentioned in class the other day when we talked about our projects, one of my biggest struggles is that I'm afraid to try anything I don't believe I will be good at. And it really sucks! There are so many things I want to try, but I feel deep down that I'll never actually be able to do it, so I come up with reasons to never try.

So, what I'm fighting for is for myself. I'm fighting for confidence in myself to believe that it's okay to try something and fail. It's okay if you don't have all the answers or skills at first. That's why for my personal motto I've adopted the phrase "Do what you can't". I first heard this phrase from famous YouTuber Casey Neistat who really lives this motto. I want to just do things that I think I can't do!

That's why for this project I made a small sign out of cardboard and put it up in my office with that phrase on it. Funny thing is, while I was thinking about this project, I had thoughts come in my mind about what it had to be. I thought "I have to put this sign on some fancy metal and have it all measured out so it looks nice and on and on and on..." I even thought, "I'm no designer, I can't make something that looks nice and put it up on the blog". All these stupid thoughts that explain perfectly why I need a motto like this in my life. That's why I decided just to do it. Just to make it out of simple materials and a simple process--just cardboard and sharpie.

And guess what? It's more meaningful to me than if I had tried to do something super complex.

Do what you can't.

Creative Assignment #5

I am fighting for nostalgia. It sounds weird I know. But I always find myself reminiscing and reflecting on the past. I get nostalgic a LOT. I try to hold on to things. I fight to hold on to things. But I had a realization last week that its good to hold on to things, but a little more importantly, it's good to let go of things. I had this epiphany while I was making list of things I forget to love/appreciate before its too late. The list was called "Things you love 2 seconds too late" then, without thinking I made a list under it called "Things you realize in 2 seconds you don't need".  I'm not sure if that even makes any sense, but the first list is all about holding on to things, but the second list is about letting things go. Things that aren't essential to my personal happiness. I hoard memories of my past life, and while it is ok to be nostalgic, I learned that it is really good to let things go. Here's my lists:

Things you love 2 seconds too late:

the house you grew up in, family dog, sunsets, your parents, cake, long hikes, hugs goodbye, summer, a good bike ride, a good conversation with friends

Things you realize in 2 seconds you don't need:

washing machine, headphones, car, social media, cake, parties, clothes, drama from high school friends, grudges

I made a nostalgic playlist last year around my birthday because what is more nostalgic than another year around the sun? If you want to listen while you are holding on to things, give it a listen, then let it all go.

https://open.spotify.com/user/jellsworth00/playlist/7o9HL0bqCdfvbAF3phDeZF?si=jWOHKXjFSFSMglwbzaLjlA

Creative Assignment #5

I am fighting for kindnesses. The small kind acts between humans.

Kindnesses are more important than ever, the world is mean and it just keeps
getting meaner. It is something that everyone deserves just for waking up that day,
for being alive, for being human. Kind acts should flood our lives daily, tender
mercies for the people around us. So that is what I am fighting for. Kindnesses
for the people who are just trying their hardest to get through the day. For 10
year old Emily and all the kids who are made fun of for being themselves. For
the people who are human and need support. For the people who feel worthless,
who are struggling. For the people who are different. For every Child of God.
Act Kind.

I created this sticker that I want to get printed and pass around to have others
be inspired to fight for kindnesses too.

Creative Assignment 5

Something that is impacting me tremendously right now is mental illness, and not necessarily my own mental health, but the mental health of those closest to me that is making me fear how they are struggling. I lost a roommate to suicide a couple years ago and I constantly fear the safety of those around me who struggle with coping with their own mental health.

I'm fighting for good mental health, I'm fighting for a change of culture in the world that promotes more love, peace, and acceptance. I have often struggled with insincerity and levity but I am really trying to become more genuine and understanding of people. I'm trying to become a better listener. It takes little steps at improvement every day but I feel like I'm improving each day.

Here's a one-off ad I made for the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education after my friend Zac passed away. It was more of a reminder to me than a declaration to everyone else.

Creative Assignment No. 5

I am fighting for subjective improvement. That means I am fighting with myself. Constantly. What I decide as improvement today will possibly in every way change tomorrow. I have to make the decision of who I am, and each day, the criterion shifts for who I want to be. New experiences cloud what I once wanted for myself before and influence me to want something else. I might circle back around to something familiar, and I’ll eventually let that go. At times, I am subjected to voices of cynicism and malice that lay hold on me, and then I need to fight that too. I keep struggling.  I continue wrestling. Because I am fighting to be better than who I was once, whatever that means. So, until I become a person I’m completely satisfied with or simply die, I will always fight with myself and against the world to subjectively improve. This purpose might be more egocentric than fighting for some righteous universal cause.  

It probably is. 

Creative Assignment 4

For this assignment I decided to do something that I've always wanted to do, and that has always been scary to me. This weekend I registered to run in a Spartan race. For those who don't know what a Spartan is, it's a race with various obstacles spread throughout--each varying in length and intensity. I like working out and staying healthy, but I've always been a really bad runner. I have little to no endurance, I'm slow, and I don't like the way I feel when I'm running. In other words, I'm not the type to just "go on a run." I don't mind running when I'm playing a sport, and I'm fine with other kinds of cardio...but for whatever reason running and I just don't match very well. Additionally, my husband ran track in high school, so running with him makes me feel self conscious.

All of these reasons have made me hesitant to sign up for a race that requires training and long-term prep. But I've always wanted to buckle down and do it, just to see if I end up liking it and also just to say I've done it! So anyways, this weekend I finally decided that I needed to do this, so we registered for a Spartan in June up in Idaho. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. We only have about six weeks to train so I'm looking forward to some intense workouts these next few weeks.

I drew a picture of what I imagine the race to look like (complete with me and muscles since that's how I expect to look post-training):

Creative Assignment #4

Something I have always been afraid of is actually being honest about how much I dislike my job. Each week I have a one-on-one with my manager and he always asks how I am doing with work, and just one time I hope to have the courage to say exactly how I am doing instead of my normal "yeah I am good, its going good." I think I am not honest about this because I am tied so much to this job for financial support for me and my husband so I don't want to risk losing it. Or maybe its because deep down I am a people pleaser and I just want to make the people I work for like me. Either way, this is what I really want to say.

Creative Assignment #4

Something I've always wanted to do but have been too lazy, scared, and/or busy to do is to write a book. I have so many stories flowing through my head and I would absolutely love to commit to one and write it. I've studied the art of storytelling on my own so much that I feel like I'm ready to take a stab at it.

The thought of doing this scares me, though. It's the fear of the unknown. The fear that someone will critique me too much or won't get it or won't appreciate something I make. The deep fear that those closest to me won't like it that much.

I just envision myself holding a hardcover copy of my very own book at a Barnes & Noble signing event, having a chance to show the world what I can create. Maybe someday. But I'm off to procrastinate one more day.

Creative Assignment #4

I love taking pictures but I really only take the kinds of pictures that I want for myself. So I take a lot of landscape photos and pictures of my friends and family. Every time I get asked to take pictures for someone else (engagements, senior photos, ...) I say no because I don't want to be responsible for someone being sad because I ruined their crucial photos hahaha. Buuuut this weekend I said yes to taking someone's little sister's senior photos! I don't think I'm the best at taking formal/posed pictures but I still think it went well and she really loved the photos I've given her so far even though to me they're not the most exciting haha. It was scary but it was good!

Creative Assignment 4- Haír

This isn't a shameless instagram plug

I was self-conscious

My hair was falling out

I fought with myself

for 30 days 

What should I do?

I jumped.

I was afraid to let anyone know,

but I can't go back.

It's a simple act.

Nothing else.

Blog Post #2 - Instagram

Pleasant Photography

              Last night, I stayed up later than I should have. Usually, in the event of breaking the bedtime barrier, I am scrolling through all the different apps on my phone without any rhyme or reason. It's an active attempt by my brain to prevent my body from what it wants to do naturally. Last night was different. Last night had some inkling of a purpose. I was not so much looking as I was studying an Instagram account of an old friend of mine. His follower count was something among 37,000, and it was obvious why. Each photo possessed a level of artistry and detail that made them stand out, and yet, there was uniformity throughout his whole page. His captions made the photos all the more intriguing, presenting the reader with either a quip or a short summary into his current life. His portraits seemed so effortlessly simple, yet recreating them would take serious creative effort. It is a shame that photography, in the age of social media, has become so oversaturated in its practice. Luckily, when true artistry can push past all the noise, a beautiful compilation of color and mastery of the natural world will break through.

Creative Assignment #4

I love telling stories and being a filmmaker has always been my desired route to do so. One thing I have always wanted to do, but never dared, was to quit school, go live in LA or NY in a tiny study apartment and write the next big block buster movie. It's something I've fantasized about for a long time, but also have never dared to try.

Every time I even consider the possibility I immediately get scared. Fear enters my mind as I think of all the repercussions that would occur if I did that. I think of how my family and my in-laws would all believe I'm crazy. I would hear endless sermons about the value of an education. I would also personally feel stupid knowing I've invested all this time in my education only to walk away from it all. I would also feel guilty dragging my wife into a hot mess like that.

But still the idea is there and the dream lingers. The thought of walking down the red carpet at the Oscar's and hearing my name and movie called as the winner of this year's "Best Picture". It's quite the fantasy! The thought of spending long nights in a tiny cafe in downtown NY working on a screen play or calling friends and colleagues to recruit their help on the project just sounds awesome.

So, that's something crazy I've always wanted to pursue. I don't ever see it happening. But, it's sure nice to dream.

Blog Post #2 -- A Padded Box

This post actually draws inspiration from our first assignment. After creating my little cardboard airplane, I realized that I enjoyed cutting up cardboard to make something. Continuing that theme, I realized that for an upcoming trip of mine, I needed some kind of travel case to put my microphones in to protect them while flying. Looking around I realized I had more cardboard boxes and a lot of foam from other previous purchases. So, I decided instead of buying a padded case, I was going to make one.

I measured out the foam and the box and began making cuts. Some things worked and others didn't. I found that a combination of tape and glue was the best way to keep the foam to the box. and after making a few cuts in the foam, the microphones fit snugly and securely in the box. I was pretty proud of my handy work.

What I realized from this quick project was that I was able to take a simply idea in my head and actually turn it into something tangible. When I started, I didn't know exactly how it was going to turn out. As I kept working on the box, step by step, I problem solved my way through it until I found something that worked. For me it was a big deal, even though at the end of the day it's just a simple box. But, it was cool to gain some confidence in my abilities.

Creative Assignment 1

This is my very very favorite childhood object: "Cool Shirt". It was tough for my mom to peel the shirt off of me at the end of each week to wash it. I wore it just about every day because I felt really cool when I wore it.

The image quality is terrible, but I decided to give the shirt to my little cousin who was named after me, who also looks just like I did at his age. I chose to give it to him to kick off his creative career and his own sense of fashion that might eventually blossom out to a better taste for color like it did for me.

Creative Assignment 2

This is super heavy, but it's the only thing that's been on my mind the past few weeks. Tonight I'm breaking up with my long term girlfriend. I have a lot of support but I'm still terrified. So I made this "flyer" and posted it at a pavilion at Nielsen Grove park in Orem where we tried to work things out sometimes.

Creative Assignment 4

Something I've always wanted to do is create a cartoon of some kind. I grew up watching a lot of Spongebob, scooby doo, rocket power, adventure time, etc etc. I think anime is an incredible art form as well, even though I don't get extremely into anime movies and shows. I also love music and grew up watching a TON of music videos. I wish MTV were still just filled with good music videos.

Some of my favorite music videos I've seen are from the band Gorillaz. They are a music+art project of one musician (Damon Albarn) and an artist (Jamie Hewlett). the "band" is comprised of 4 made up gorillaz in cartoon form with back stories, and in all their music videos, these 2D characters are doing something in live action form, something that coincides with the music Damon records.

Something I'd love to do is either make a music video or short film with 2D and live action elements. Something like "Who framed roger rabbit". All I really know how to do is cartoonize and illustrate characters, but I really don't know how to animate or insert into live action film. I would need to assemble a team of people more talented than me and have the vision and make it a reality with them.

Last summer I wanted to cartoonize a girl ice skating in a real ice skating rink to the tune of "Out there on the ice" by Cut Copy, this fall I wanted to make an anime of 4 characters that would represent the Hi Chew Brand, and I still think it would be amazing to do.

I want to create 2D people and pair them with a live action world, perhaps tell a story in a short film about what it might be like to struggle with mental illness and pretend like everything is ok, or what it might be like to struggle with addiction, or someone who struggles with heartbreak. I still need to work out the details but i do want to do something unique like that.

Creative Assignment 3

I think a true friend is anyone who knows you, knows your potential, and brings out the very best in you. Someone who doesn't care what people think and are just plain good with right intentions. My brother Jacob is my hero, role model, and best friend. He makes me laugh and makes me more creative, he makes me always want to think outside the box. Whenever he shows me something creative I love it. He's got an amazing family because he is an amazing person who wants me to be my best, happiest self.

Blog Post 2

This last week I had the opportunity to be in NYC for creative week and the one show. I saw some pretty amazing work, a lot that is deserving of blog posts written about each of them, but one that really stood out to me, the one that won the most awards is the campaign that was done for AIG new zealand all blacks uniforms, they did this amazing campaign for diversity where they added rainbows to their uniforms which you can see here.

I think it's amazing to see a change of culture that allows things like this to happen. The all blacks are a very masculine world famous team, their polynesian culture is very masculine, and even the name "all blacks" doesn't have much room for inclusion. It's amazing to see a team do something so creative and powerful as this to help change the world for the better.

Blog Post 2

This last week was the Met Gala. It was miraculous.
There were so many creative aspects in the looks people were wearing. Lady Gala had 3 on carpet changes, Zendaya's Cinderella dress lit up, and Jared Leto was carrying his head. This years theme of "camp" lent itself well to creativity within the form of fashion. One of my favorite pieces was Zac Posen's 3D printed dress worn by Nina Dorbev. To create this look, Posen worked with GE to take Nina's measurements and print the dress to fit her exactly. There was definitely out of the box thinking on this dress with the use of the 3D printer and I love it. 3D printing technology has been doing amazing things in the science realm that are truly mind boggling. People have been printing prosthetic limbs for vets, replacement heart valves, and working firearms. My sister literally works on printing parts of rockets to send people and satellites to space. It is insane what 3D printers can do. I would not have though to use this technology to create something to delicate and that's what makes it so creative in my opinion. This designer took an existing medium and introduced it into a new realm to create something fresh. Its rad.

Creative Assignment #4

I made a compilation skate video. (haha) But instead of me doing really sweet tricks I'm just falling a lot. (hahax10) It leads up to me dropping in by myself, which sounds impressive but looks really weak. Lol. At least I can laugh at myself. Maybe one day I can make a video of me doing real tricks. I think I need to fall a few more times.

Blog Post #2

Leah Goren. An insanely talented artist that I've looked up to for a long time. She's cool. She's talented. And she probably likes cats more than you. Known for her patterns and prints, Leah has mastered painted illustration and has the coolest style. What I like most about her is that she is always trying new things and branching out. One of her latest is pretty awesome. She was always in the city. Working freelance for big brands and projects. Her and her boyfriend then suddenly moved out to the desert in southern california to start this project called "The Courts". Which is basically just some tennis courts, and a pool in the middle of the desert. She designed and decorated all of it and its SO COOL. I mean even just to have the guts to do that! She is still so young but she left the city to chase this crazy dream. It's awesome. Its cool because she could paint in sketchbooks for the rest of her life. Like shes good at that. She got it down. She was killin it. But she decided to make her creativity manifest elsewhere. Like a tangible place! so cool. Ok just check her out. And check out The Courts. I wanna visit someday. class field trip? it looks so dreaaamy.

Leah also has a few skillshare vids out about her sketchbook/other cool stuff to learn. go check her out on there if ur into that.

The Courts:
https://www.thecourts.net/stay

Leah:
https://www.leahgoren.com/

Blog Post 2: Old Spice x Hulu

I saw this ad this week and want to hear what other people think about it:

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/IUiS/hulu-old-spice-ad-featuring-isaiah-mustafa

I was surprised when I saw it because I really did think it was another Old Spice ad at the beginning. Then when it switched to Hulu I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I'm torn between finding it clever and finding it lazy. On one hand I think it was smart to play off of such a successful campaign. On the other hand, I think it's not very creative to ride the coattails of another campaign.  Obviously the goal was to mimic the style of the Man Your Man Could Smell Like campaign, but it's interesting that an idea that was once so creative and unique can suddenly feel stale. Adweek.com says that Hulu teamed up with P&G on this one, and their respective ad agencies worked together to create the final product. I'd be interested in hearing what other people's impressions are!

Blog Post #2: Tween Surf Style

O S C A R   L A N G B U R N E

Like any sport, there is an entire culture and style that surrounds surfing. What's great about this little teen is that he is completely in the mix of it all but he has his own take on it. He is so young and already has such distinct taste and with that, a personal brand. He says he's been designing surfboards that look like this since he was 10 years old! It's honestly impressive that he has any unique style of his own, let alone one that is just really cool and a little off-beat from what you see in typical surfer style and other surfboard designs. 

Here's a little video of him doing his thing

https://www.haydenshapes.com/2018/11/enjoy-elegia-oscar-langburne/

Johny Walker Whiskey Ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2caT4q4Nbs

This is my all time favorite ad. It's a master piece. The story is poignant, heavy, and profound. I can watch this clip 5 times in a row at any given point. It hit homes for anyone who has siblings that they are really close to. The English style of the Ad makes it feel that much more classic. I would explain more but I do not want to say more for spoilers. Watch it. Let me know what y'all think.

Creative Assignment 3: Friendship

I chose to do two different portraits of two very important friends because life is too lonely to just focus our energies on one specific companionship we have.  

These two have both, in their own way, represented and demonstrated an exact definition of friendship that I have tried to emulate in my own personality. It is near impossible to detail every moment, inclusive of every emotion, that they share with me. Those moments, some of them the most crucial of my life, hold even greater value because of the support and love which was shown.

What I consider a true friend is someone who holds these attributes:

Patient

Loyal

Understanding

Accountable

Straight-forward

Honest

Bold

Compassionate

This is what embodies the best of a true friendship and this is what I know I have found in these two people, among few others. If you are fortunate enough as to find at least one person such as them, keep them close, and in return, give what you can. 

Creative Assignment #3

When it comes to friends, I had a few different ideas come to my mind.

I thought of roommates.

I thought of coworkers.

Mentors.

Teachers.

Pets.

But it was clear who has been the best friend to me.

My wife, Lindsay.

I asked her to pose for this picture in the kitchen because she loves to cook and to decorate. She was super proud with our little apartment and how she decorated it. But in addition to her abilities to cook and design, she's a great friend and my inspiration for this assignment. I decided to compile a list of 10 reasons she is a good friend and why she represents what a good friend should be:

1. It's both easy and not easy to be here friend. This is how being a friend should be. It should feel natural and fun, but should also require effort on your part. It shouldn't be passive.

2. We share interests and we don't share interests. This allows us to enjoy things together, and also respect each other's differences.

3. She's a team player. Team work makes the dream work.

4. She lets me know she cares. It's one thing to say you care about someone. It's more important to let that person actually feel cared. Good friends do just that.

5. She's funny. Friends need to be able to laugh together. It bonds you through experience and laughter makes tough times easier. Good friends make each other laugh.

6. She communicates--this is important because it's how you get to know the other person. Whatever communication style it may be, the ability to communicate is what makes friends.

7. She keeps growing and helps me grow--friends change and adapt. We are not static creatures, but constantly growing. Good friends should expect change.

8. We spend time together and we spend time alone. It's important to do things together, but it is also important to give each other space. We need time for ourselves and good friends respect that.

9. She listens--good friends listen. It's that simple. They don't always have to solve each other's problems, but the do need to listen.

10. She loves me--love is what makes good friends better. Gotta have that love!