Some of what inspires me
Automotive Design
It’s easy to compare brand design principles with automotive design principles. I’m endlessly fascinated by how automotive brands carry branded design language from car to car, decade after decade. I admire how Kia has uncovered lighting design as an opportunity for branding that every other brand has missed.
Successful brands that shouldn’t be
This reference is a little Mid-western-y, but brands like Mendards are a great example of how branding that isn’t traditionally sophisticated can still be successful. Menards reminds me to consider the audiences who interact with the brands we make. Know this about Menards, they operate over 350 locations in 15 states, trailing only Home Depot and Lowes as the largest home centers in the U.S. And they do it with maybe the least competent brand I’ve ever seen.
Ambitious creative vision
Corncob Towers. Wilco Towers. Marina City. No matter the name, these buildings create a sense of awe and wonder. When I have extra time during my commute, I’ll walk a few blocks out of my way to sit across the river, appreciate these buildings, and admire the conceptual and technological vision required to create these stunning buildings.
Feeling small
Being in the mountains, reminding myself the world is large and I am small, resets me. Appreciating the majesty and beauty of our geography replenishes what the built environment takes out of me.
Overlooked art
One of the sections in the Art Institute of Chicago's modern wing showcases product illustrations by Richard Ten Eyck. Although these technical illustrations may not have been fully appreciated when they were created, they are now highly valued for their beauty and craftsmanship. This leads me to wonder what aspects of current-generation work we may be overlooking or underappreciating.
Relentless technology
Technology never stops. We’ve entered a new relationship with computed intelligence. I’m excited to interact with and discover new ways to repurpose technology.
America’s real first family.
The breadth of their curiosity and relentless drive to create is beyond inspiring.