22 Truths

When I worked at KNI, I had the great pleasure of being introduced to Tom Dolan - a graphic designer, musician, artist and all around pleasant thinker. His passion for design - print or web - was infectious and admirable. It still is. He's alive and kicking and churning out more great work than ever. If you are unfamiliar, steer yourself over to his 2022 - 2024 works, dive into the notes and enjoy!

While you're at it, take some time to peruse 22 Truths, Dolan's book on "art and art-making." It's purpose is to provide sharp anecdotes on a path towards making better art. I have a copy and it is certainly worth procuring your own.

Thinking about "making art" is a difficult undertaking for me. I have made countless graphics, album covers, websites, posters, etc but they always strike me as functional, not think pieces. I also believe that making art is a privilege, not one that everyone has and not one that should be taken for granted. To pontificate how to be a better artist often feels self-indulgent.. for me. But I don't think that's actually the case. I am neurotic. I am filled with self-doubt. The process of making art and having tactics to unblock yourself applies to any challenging endeavor, not just "art."

In the same way that Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies isn't really about the recording story or writing music, it's about changing how you think. 22 Truths can serve a similar purpose; a means to an end of unblocking and thinking in a refreshed way.