I’ve had the privilege of representing the team from Rule29 at several HOW Design Conferences, but this past conference in Boston was really special. I was able to give a presentation on Wonder, a word and a state of being that has grown near and dear to me, thanks mainly to the many conversations I have had with our creative producer, Bob Davidson. At Rule29 we strive to not only make great strategic creative matter, but also to do our part in some way to leave this world better than how we find it. We can easily get caught up in the ways our world doesn’t work, but what’s the point in that? A key part of making creative matter is pursuing wonder through story, through how we see, and most importantly creating space for it whenever possible. Wonder is like a super fuel for the creative, and it’s vital for anyone who wants to see the AWE all around us.

I have received a few requests to share the quotes and our thoughts on elements of Wonder used during my presentation and I do that below.

Authenticity Cultivates Wonder

Think and Wonder, Wonder and Think – Dr. Seuss [ download pdf ]

Create Space for Wonder in Your Life

He Who Can No Longer Pause and Stand Rapt in Awe is as Good as Dead His Eyes are Closed – Albert Einstein [ download pdf ]

Elevate Everyday Beauty

It’s Not What You Look at That Matters, it’s What You See – Henry David Thoreau
[ download pdf ]

It was truly a pleasure to be at HOW, and I hope to speak again whenever they will have me. As I strive to explore the discipline of wonder, I’m excited to see where it will take me and the rest of the design monkeys at Rule29.

Other HOW highlights included creating a poster for Neenah Paper with a group of other brilliant creatives I respect, Life Kerning book signing and app giveaway, raising a pint at Cheers, singing in a Karaoke trio with Vonster and Stefan Mumaw, great conversations, and seeing some old friends and making some really incredible new ones.

Stay tuned for other wonder-filled things coming from Rule29 (in the near future), and maybe we will see each other in San Francisco for the next HOW conference. Oh, and don’t forget: Wonder is all around us… will you see it?

We have been meaning to follow up on our post from last year with JR’s follow up talk from this years TED. Sit back and be inspired by the way art can bring the world together.

Ever since it launched in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has been changing the way we view our universe. Views of nebulas and galaxies have sparked the imaginations of countless individuals. Classic images have sparked several “Top Images” lists. But did you know the telescope orbiting over 400 miles above our heads has taken over a million observations in its 22 year career?

As you can imagine, there are thousands of Hubble images that have yet to see the light of day. That’s where the ESA’s Hubble’s Hidden Treasures contest comes in. Through May 31, 2012, you can dig through the Legacy Archives and find what you believe is the nest best image from Hubble. There are plenty of tips and tricks to get the best out of the raw data stored in the archives.

Learn more about the contest here.

Even if you have no intention of entering the contest – I hope you take a moment to look through some of Hubble’s great discoveries. At the R29 headquarters, we often talk about the idea of wonder and what inspires that sense within each of us. I think it’s no secret that looking up toward the night sky is a continuous source of wonder for me. Despite the ocular limits that I am faced with – the Hubble telescope allows me to look out into space and be amazed by all that is out there.

I can’t be the only one that feels this way, yeah? What’s your favorite Hubble image? Mine has always been the Pillars of Creation.

And best of luck if you decide to enter the contest!

I’ll admit it…I’m a sucker for the end of the year. I love the concept of one thing ending and something fresh starting right around the corner. I make a list of things every year that I’m looking to change, be purposeful about, etc. And for the most part, I’m not too bad at following through on them. I think in life we all need to step out, make a change, pursue that dream, make a difference.

As most of you know, Rule29 tries to make some level of difference by being purposeful with our time and our impact – Africa, Story Telling, and  What Matters, to name a few. We strive to do our part and explore ways to pursue wonder and be aware. I hope, as a leader at Rule29 and a fellow creative, this is something that is not only making a difference outside our walls, but inside as well. To be transparent, though, in a lot of ways it’s easier to make changes at work. It’s just something we have built in to our day to day. But there are still some areas I feel I’m lacking… Read the rest of the entry >

Let me paint the scene. We are shooting our documentary This is My Normal in Nairobi, Kenya last year. We had decided to follow one of our subjects home from work one night. He happened to live in the Kibera slums (one of the largest in Africa). Throughout our trip, there was one primary rule we had been given. “Don’t hang in the slums at night.”

Not only did we decide to travel through Kibera that night, we chose to carry large film equipment, including a giant battery powered LED light (which I happened to be holding over my head). Standing out is an understatement. I’ll admit. My heart was beating fast. We moved fast through a number of alleys and streets and eventually came upon a path that led to the train tracks that ran through the slums. The tracks were elevated. As we walked along the tracks and began to head down the other side towards our friend’s home, I became captivated by the rooftops I now saw. They were painted. They were mesmerizing. They were art?

Not until I returned home and stumbled randomly upon this TED talk, did I realize this was the artwork of famed French artist JR. Not every photo seen above was still present, but enough “eyes” that caught my attention. In the midst of some of the most intense moments of my trip, I paused.

Is this not the hope of good art? To pause. To wonder. Read the rest of the entry >