a farmer makes sense of the world by providing food a dentist makes sense of
providing food a dentist makes sense of
providing food a dentist makes sense of the world by helping people to their
the world by helping people to their
the world by helping people to their food a plumber helps people limit where
food a plumber helps people limit where
food a plumber helps people limit where they eliminate their food but how do I
they eliminate their food but how do I
they eliminate their food but how do I make sense of the world as an artist my
make sense of the world as an artist my
make sense of the world as an artist my quick story is I’m paid to pay attention
quick story is I’m paid to pay attention
quick story is I’m paid to pay attention really I’m paid to listen but I don’t
really I’m paid to listen but I don’t
really I’m paid to listen but I don’t come by it naturally I’m often
come by it naturally I’m often
come by it naturally I’m often interrupting people maybe you can relate
interrupting people maybe you can relate
interrupting people maybe you can relate I crave attention so thanks for being
I crave attention so thanks for being
I crave attention so thanks for being here but 20 years into my career or 20
here but 20 years into my career or 20
here but 20 years into my career or 20 years ago when I began my career in the
years ago when I began my career in the
years ago when I began my career in the arts mmm I didn’t have that kind of
arts mmm I didn’t have that kind of
arts mmm I didn’t have that kind of self-awareness so I knew I had to make a
self-awareness so I knew I had to make a
self-awareness so I knew I had to make a living somehow and like a good farmer
living somehow and like a good farmer
living somehow and like a good farmer grows food I decided to make pottery
grows food I decided to make pottery
grows food I decided to make pottery that could hold food and then if I could
that could hold food and then if I could
that could hold food and then if I could sell it I would have it made so I start
sell it I would have it made so I start
sell it I would have it made so I start by making a lot of cups and bowls
by making a lot of cups and bowls
by making a lot of cups and bowls sometimes up to 200 of them in a day and
sometimes up to 200 of them in a day and
sometimes up to 200 of them in a day and one day one afternoon after throwing
one day one afternoon after throwing
one day one afternoon after throwing many of them I am nursing my carpal
many of them I am nursing my carpal
many of them I am nursing my carpal tunnel and looking at all of them and
tunnel and looking at all of them and
tunnel and looking at all of them and thinking what are all these really worth
thinking what are all these really worth
thinking what are all these really worth and so as a way of finding out I make a
and so as a way of finding out I make a
and so as a way of finding out I make a hundred in one vases that graduate in
hundred in one vases that graduate in
hundred in one vases that graduate in size from one inch all the way up to 20
size from one inch all the way up to 20
size from one inch all the way up to 20 inches which did not help my wrist but
inches which did not help my wrist but
inches which did not help my wrist but on a hunch I priced the first one at
on a hunch I priced the first one at
on a hunch I priced the first one at $1,000 and then I decreased the price
$1,000 and then I decreased the price
$1,000 and then I decreased the price and $10 increments all the way up the
and $10 increments all the way up the
and $10 increments all the way up the line until the final one at the end is
line until the final one at the end is
line until the final one at the end is free and the only one I sell is the free
free and the only one I sell is the free
free and the only one I sell is the free one thank you no no it’s free go ahead
one thank you no no it’s free go ahead
one thank you no no it’s free go ahead and finally or suddenly I’m finding that
and finally or suddenly I’m finding that
and finally or suddenly I’m finding that making pottery isn’t helping me make as
making pottery isn’t helping me make as
making pottery isn’t helping me make as much sense of the world as I’d hoped and
much sense of the world as I’d hoped and
much sense of the world as I’d hoped and first I thought well maybe this is a
first I thought well maybe this is a
first I thought well maybe this is a creative problem if I can’t make sense
creative problem if I can’t make sense
creative problem if I can’t make sense maybe the cups can’t make sense
maybe the cups can’t make sense
maybe the cups can’t make sense maybe the cups are too naive to know how
maybe the cups are too naive to know how
maybe the cups are too naive to know how to hold anything at all
to hold anything at all
to hold anything at all or maybe this cup is the prehistoric
or maybe this cup is the prehistoric
or maybe this cup is the prehistoric equivalent of a bad cellphone doesn’t
equivalent of a bad cellphone doesn’t
equivalent of a bad cellphone doesn’t work but you can take it anywhere and
work but you can take it anywhere and
work but you can take it anywhere and what if in five thousand years
what if in five thousand years
what if in five thousand years someone unearth these big jugs
someone unearth these big jugs
someone unearth these big jugs what would they learn about us if I made
what would they learn about us if I made
what would they learn about us if I made something so big and of questionable
something so big and of questionable
something so big and of questionable utility populated with nude suburban
utility populated with nude suburban
utility populated with nude suburban burnouts drinking beers in their lawn
burnouts drinking beers in their lawn
burnouts drinking beers in their lawn chairs I’m getting pretty into myself
chairs I’m getting pretty into myself
chairs I’m getting pretty into myself here and I make a little platter that
here and I make a little platter that
here and I make a little platter that has a bird in the middle where you could
has a bird in the middle where you could
has a bird in the middle where you could go to cry
go to cry
go to cry surrounded by traffic and buildings
surrounded by traffic and buildings
surrounded by traffic and buildings where you might cry after a traffic jam
where you might cry after a traffic jam
where you might cry after a traffic jam and then BAM 9/11 happens and the world
and then BAM 9/11 happens and the world
and then BAM 9/11 happens and the world makes no sense at all and it’s not
makes no sense at all and it’s not
makes no sense at all and it’s not ironic
ironic
ironic and as a way of grieving I look into our
and as a way of grieving I look into our
and as a way of grieving I look into our history and I decide to make these
history and I decide to make these
history and I decide to make these memorial platters about the Japanese
memorial platters about the Japanese
memorial platters about the Japanese children that are evacuated and put into
children that are evacuated and put into
children that are evacuated and put into internment camps from my Seattle
internment camps from my Seattle
internment camps from my Seattle neighborhood in 1942 from my studio in
neighborhood in 1942 from my studio in
neighborhood in 1942 from my studio in fact which was Yoshi OHS cleaners and in
fact which was Yoshi OHS cleaners and in
fact which was Yoshi OHS cleaners and in 1943 became cranes cleaners these are
1943 became cranes cleaners these are
1943 became cranes cleaners these are bowls hanging on the wall now they don’t
bowls hanging on the wall now they don’t
bowls hanging on the wall now they don’t hold food at all I abandoned making
hold food at all I abandoned making
hold food at all I abandoned making things that hold food altogether
things that hold food altogether
things that hold food altogether ten years into my career I cast
ten years into my career I cast
ten years into my career I cast repeatedly a connectable form that helps
repeatedly a connectable form that helps
repeatedly a connectable form that helps present the interconnectivity of our
present the interconnectivity of our
present the interconnectivity of our spirit but at the opening I’m holding it
spirit but at the opening I’m holding it
spirit but at the opening I’m holding it and I realize I’ve stripped my work down
and I realize I’ve stripped my work down
and I realize I’ve stripped my work down to the bone at the height of my career
to the bone at the height of my career
to the bone at the height of my career I’d hit bottom I didn’t know how to make
I’d hit bottom I didn’t know how to make
I’d hit bottom I didn’t know how to make sense of the world through art at all
sense of the world through art at all
sense of the world through art at all and so I become a janitor at my pottery
and so I become a janitor at my pottery
and so I become a janitor at my pottery studio where I teach and now my parents
studio where I teach and now my parents
studio where I teach and now my parents had never said you should make more
had never said you should make more
had never said you should make more useful things out of your life but I’m
useful things out of your life but I’m
useful things out of your life but I’m beginning to wish they had because
beginning to wish they had because
beginning to wish they had because unlike farmers or plumbers or dentists
unlike farmers or plumbers or dentists
unlike farmers or plumbers or dentists my work didn’t seem to really solve any
my work didn’t seem to really solve any
my work didn’t seem to really solve any problems it just pointed at them and all
problems it just pointed at them and all
problems it just pointed at them and all my ideas began to fall flat and I got
my ideas began to fall flat and I got
my ideas began to fall flat and I got one useful piece of advice which was to
one useful piece of advice which was to
one useful piece of advice which was to stop you’re stuck make some space for
stop you’re stuck make some space for
stop you’re stuck make some space for something different and for a while
something different and for a while
something different and for a while space was about all I could make and I
space was about all I could make and I
space was about all I could make and I took the advice and I pulled my work out
took the advice and I pulled my work out
took the advice and I pulled my work out of stores and galleries I sold
of stores and galleries I sold
of stores and galleries I sold everything except my favorites at a
everything except my favorites at a
everything except my favorites at a studio sale and I did what any white
studio sale and I did what any white
studio sale and I did what any white middle class American male does in a
middle class American male does in a
middle class American male does in a spiritual crisis I went to graduate
spiritual crisis I went to graduate
spiritual crisis I went to graduate school
to dig a little bit deeper
to dig a little bit deeper I married a writer a poet yes we were a
I married a writer a poet yes we were a
I married a writer a poet yes we were a poet and a potter destined for great
poet and a potter destined for great
poet and a potter destined for great wealth but being surrounded by her
wealth but being surrounded by her
wealth but being surrounded by her community of writers I also fell in love
community of writers I also fell in love
community of writers I also fell in love with stories and in school I made
with stories and in school I made
with stories and in school I made anything that I could tell a story with
anything that I could tell a story with
anything that I could tell a story with so animations and blogs and comics and
so animations and blogs and comics and
so animations and blogs and comics and music theater performance and I helped
music theater performance and I helped
music theater performance and I helped create my first child I did not create
create my first child I did not create
create my first child I did not create income and that space I’d made people
income and that space I’d made people
income and that space I’d made people started to fill it and I started to
started to fill it and I started to
started to fill it and I started to panic no income no free time and I
panic no income no free time and I
panic no income no free time and I answer my next spiritual crisis because
answer my next spiritual crisis because
answer my next spiritual crisis because I finished graduate school I have a
I finished graduate school I have a
I finished graduate school I have a master’s in fine art and I only seem to
master’s in fine art and I only seem to
master’s in fine art and I only seem to know that I don’t know what I don’t know
know that I don’t know what I don’t know
know that I don’t know what I don’t know and I’m looking at my son eat his cake
and I’m looking at my son eat his cake
and I’m looking at my son eat his cake on his first birthday cake mouth
and then I’m like wow what if I watched
and then I’m like wow what if I watched other people make sense of their world
other people make sense of their world
other people make sense of their world and maybe I could get paid to pay
and maybe I could get paid to pay
and maybe I could get paid to pay attention maybe I could start listening
attention maybe I could start listening
attention maybe I could start listening and for those of you who already know
and for those of you who already know
and for those of you who already know how to do this you’re awesome but I just
how to do this you’re awesome but I just
how to do this you’re awesome but I just didn’t at the time
didn’t at the time
didn’t at the time so I start meeting people for coffee I
so I start meeting people for coffee I
so I start meeting people for coffee I start a blog that I call more belief
start a blog that I call more belief
start a blog that I call more belief because I believe in other people’s
because I believe in other people’s
because I believe in other people’s stories and I start writing about them
stories and I start writing about them
stories and I start writing about them and one of those coffee meetings leads
and one of those coffee meetings leads
and one of those coffee meetings leads to this a facilitator needs help keeping
to this a facilitator needs help keeping
to this a facilitator needs help keeping people engaged at an artist’s retreat
people engaged at an artist’s retreat
people engaged at an artist’s retreat and so I roll out an eight-foot-wide
and so I roll out an eight-foot-wide
and so I roll out an eight-foot-wide piece of paper and I grab some mr.
piece of paper and I grab some mr.
piece of paper and I grab some mr. sketch markers you know the smelly kind
sketch markers you know the smelly kind
sketch markers you know the smelly kind and she introduces me and I instantly
and she introduces me and I instantly
and she introduces me and I instantly turned my back to everyone and I start
turned my back to everyone and I start
turned my back to everyone and I start drawing everything everyone says right
drawing everything everyone says right
drawing everything everyone says right as they’re saying it and I sort of enter
as they’re saying it and I sort of enter
as they’re saying it and I sort of enter this trance
this trance
this trance and in about four hours later I start
and in about four hours later I start
and in about four hours later I start hearing chairs shuffling and I look
hearing chairs shuffling and I look
hearing chairs shuffling and I look around
around
around and then people are running up to me and
and then people are running up to me and
and then people are running up to me and they’re smiling and they’re shaking my
they’re smiling and they’re shaking my
they’re smiling and they’re shaking my hand and twenty years into my art career
hand and twenty years into my art career
hand and twenty years into my art career 41 years of age I learned three things
41 years of age I learned three things
41 years of age I learned three things one is how to draw with sweaty hands
one is how to draw with sweaty hands
one is how to draw with sweaty hands second is how to draw while listening
second is how to draw while listening
second is how to draw while listening but the most important thing was that I
but the most important thing was that I
but the most important thing was that I just made probably and exhibited
just made probably and exhibited
just made probably and exhibited probably the worst drawing I’d made in
probably the worst drawing I’d made in
probably the worst drawing I’d made in my life and it’s received the happiest
my life and it’s received the happiest
my life and it’s received the happiest reception I’d ever seen I had discovered
reception I’d ever seen I had discovered
reception I’d ever seen I had discovered graphic recording and I find that even
graphic recording and I find that even
graphic recording and I find that even though people talk pretty fast while
though people talk pretty fast while
though people talk pretty fast while they’re excited I was able to make these
they’re excited I was able to make these
they’re excited I was able to make these look half decent and so I volunteer for
look half decent and so I volunteer for
look half decent and so I volunteer for Giant Steps a conference where artists
Giant Steps a conference where artists
Giant Steps a conference where artists and entrepreneurs make up their careers
and entrepreneurs make up their careers
and entrepreneurs make up their careers so I fit right in
so I fit right in
so I fit right in and I started to get some clients and at
and I started to get some clients and at
and I started to get some clients and at this event I slowed down drawing even
this event I slowed down drawing even
this event I slowed down drawing even more because I do the math if pictures
more because I do the math if pictures
more because I do the math if pictures really are worth a thousand words well
really are worth a thousand words well
really are worth a thousand words well then I can expect a little verbal
then I can expect a little verbal
then I can expect a little verbal padding before someone stops and says so
padding before someone stops and says so
padding before someone stops and says so what I really mean is and that’s when I
what I really mean is and that’s when I
what I really mean is and that’s when I draw see my own and creative ideas had
draw see my own and creative ideas had
draw see my own and creative ideas had begun to lost lose their poles so at
begun to lost lose their poles so at
begun to lost lose their poles so at these events creative ideas were
these events creative ideas were
these events creative ideas were everywhere and I just got out of the way
everywhere and I just got out of the way
everywhere and I just got out of the way and I could make art again and a woman
and I could make art again and a woman
and I could make art again and a woman came up to me at this event and she says
came up to me at this event and she says
came up to me at this event and she says I’d never felt so heard or understood in
I’d never felt so heard or understood in
I’d never felt so heard or understood in all my years in city politics and she
all my years in city politics and she
all my years in city politics and she was kind of choked up and this is an Eau
was kind of choked up and this is an Eau
was kind of choked up and this is an Eau Claire Wisconsin they’re just trying to
Claire Wisconsin they’re just trying to
Claire Wisconsin they’re just trying to bring more visitors to their part of the
bring more visitors to their part of the
bring more visitors to their part of the world and I say to her I don’t
world and I say to her I don’t
world and I say to her I don’t understand you do
and so I keep meeting amazing people
and so I keep meeting amazing people like this woman Marie up in the
like this woman Marie up in the
like this woman Marie up in the clubhouse there she’s facilitating a
clubhouse there she’s facilitating a
clubhouse there she’s facilitating a conference in Iowa to bring a 1950s
conference in Iowa to bring a 1950s
conference in Iowa to bring a 1950s brand the Rotary Club out of the
brand the Rotary Club out of the
brand the Rotary Club out of the nineteen fifties and we did it I meet
nineteen fifties and we did it I meet
nineteen fifties and we did it I meet leaders i bask in their wisdom
leaders i bask in their wisdom
leaders i bask in their wisdom leadership isn’t people that know how to
leadership isn’t people that know how to
leadership isn’t people that know how to make sense of the world always but they
make sense of the world always but they
make sense of the world always but they keep going I admire that I learned how
keep going I admire that I learned how
keep going I admire that I learned how to scale a company in that context I’m
to scale a company in that context I’m
to scale a company in that context I’m drawing understanding I’m being paid to
drawing understanding I’m being paid to
drawing understanding I’m being paid to pay attention and a man comes up to me
pay attention and a man comes up to me
pay attention and a man comes up to me at this event and he says do you know
at this event and he says do you know
at this event and he says do you know what your gift is and I say drawing and
what your gift is and I say drawing and
what your gift is and I say drawing and he says space you understand how it
he says space you understand how it
he says space you understand how it feels in here not just the words that
feels in here not just the words that
feels in here not just the words that come out of people’s mouths but how
come out of people’s mouths but how
come out of people’s mouths but how everything fits together
and I go cool but a little while later I
and I go cool but a little while later I invite three people to join my company
invite three people to join my company
invite three people to join my company including a science writer and an
including a science writer and an
including a science writer and an aspiring space engineer and we call it a
aspiring space engineer and we call it a
aspiring space engineer and we call it a storytelling company and we make it a
storytelling company and we make it a
storytelling company and we make it a mission to make space for change we make
mission to make space for change we make
mission to make space for change we make it a space mission and we’re within a
it a space mission and we’re within a
it a space mission and we’re within a year working for national corporations
year working for national corporations
year working for national corporations like nutri blend telling their story of
like nutri blend telling their story of
like nutri blend telling their story of how they’re making a drive to save
how they’re making a drive to save
how they’re making a drive to save hungry children and we start training
hungry children and we start training
hungry children and we start training graphic recorders and we expand to
graphic recorders and we expand to
graphic recorders and we expand to include animation and content strategy
include animation and content strategy
include animation and content strategy for brands as varied as BASF trying to
for brands as varied as BASF trying to
for brands as varied as BASF trying to tell a story about how they’re using
tell a story about how they’re using
tell a story about how they’re using data to save billions of dollars of
data to save billions of dollars of
data to save billions of dollars of waste and their supply chain or nature
waste and their supply chain or nature
waste and their supply chain or nature works right here in Minnetonka Minnesota
works right here in Minnetonka Minnesota
works right here in Minnetonka Minnesota converting greenhouse gases into
converting greenhouse gases into
converting greenhouse gases into biodegradable plastics and the st. Paul
biodegradable plastics and the st. Paul
biodegradable plastics and the st. Paul public schools how youth and mentors can
public schools how youth and mentors can
public schools how youth and mentors can work together more democratically and
work together more democratically and
work together more democratically and well I used to be envious of farmers for
well I used to be envious of farmers for
well I used to be envious of farmers for having such a clear way of serving the
having such a clear way of serving the
having such a clear way of serving the world now I get to work with Land
world now I get to work with Land
world now I get to work with Land O’Lakes and help farmers understand how
O’Lakes and help farmers understand how
O’Lakes and help farmers understand how to get a little more food out of a seed
to get a little more food out of a seed
to get a little more food out of a seed out of a square foot of soil out of a
out of a square foot of soil out of a
out of a square foot of soil out of a bucket of water and I’m helping 3m work
bucket of water and I’m helping 3m work
bucket of water and I’m helping 3m work with a global Council of dentists so
with a global Council of dentists so
with a global Council of dentists so children can stop skipping school all
children can stop skipping school all
children can stop skipping school all over the world because of tooth aches
over the world because of tooth aches
over the world because of tooth aches and if you know any plumbers that need
and if you know any plumbers that need
and if you know any plumbers that need some drawings are their ideas let me
some drawings are their ideas let me
some drawings are their ideas let me know
my cake today and I can eat it too
my cake today and I can eat it too though I have to share it with my
though I have to share it with my
though I have to share it with my eight-year-old and now a three year old
eight-year-old and now a three year old
eight-year-old and now a three year old but I get to draw cartoons every day and
but I get to draw cartoons every day and
but I get to draw cartoons every day and it’s may seem small but drawing cartoons
it’s may seem small but drawing cartoons
it’s may seem small but drawing cartoons is a way to bring joy to really intense
is a way to bring joy to really intense
is a way to bring joy to really intense amounts of chaos and that helps me
drawings you’ve seen weren’t made for
drawings you’ve seen weren’t made for this talk they were first made for
this talk they were first made for
this talk they were first made for someone else listening to someone else
someone else listening to someone else
someone else listening to someone else discuss how they make sense of their
discuss how they make sense of their
discuss how they make sense of their world demonstrating to me that the work
world demonstrating to me that the work
world demonstrating to me that the work that serves me the most is the work I do
that serves me the most is the work I do
that serves me the most is the work I do for others and more belief makes a space
for others and more belief makes a space
for others and more belief makes a space for change like I had to make to become
for change like I had to make to become
for change like I had to make to become more curious and when we meet people
more curious and when we meet people
more curious and when we meet people like business leaders or even our
like business leaders or even our
like business leaders or even our neighbors we’re meeting him at a point
neighbors we’re meeting him at a point
neighbors we’re meeting him at a point of crisis or burnout and we offer them
of crisis or burnout and we offer them
of crisis or burnout and we offer them three things when we roll out a canvas
three things when we roll out a canvas
three things when we roll out a canvas or when we start scripting an animation
or when we start scripting an animation
or when we start scripting an animation we ask them to make some space for
we ask them to make some space for
we ask them to make some space for change and to become curious in that
change and to become curious in that
change and to become curious in that space and to share that space even if
space and to share that space even if
space and to share that space even if it’s uncomfortable who you’re sharing it
it’s uncomfortable who you’re sharing it
it’s uncomfortable who you’re sharing it with in fact ideally the person you’re
with in fact ideally the person you’re
with in fact ideally the person you’re sharing it with is somebody you might
sharing it with is somebody you might
sharing it with is somebody you might have conflict with because that’s when
have conflict with because that’s when
have conflict with because that’s when you become most creative and then show
you become most creative and then show
you become most creative and then show your work to each other be exposed it’s
your work to each other be exposed it’s
your work to each other be exposed it’s a safe space for that to happen you’re
a safe space for that to happen you’re
a safe space for that to happen you’re part of a lineage of people that have
part of a lineage of people that have
part of a lineage of people that have influenced you and who you will
influenced you and who you will
influenced you and who you will influence and don’t cut that off
and really farmers aren’t the only ones
and really farmers aren’t the only ones who grow food and dentists aren’t the
who grow food and dentists aren’t the
who grow food and dentists aren’t the only ones who clean teeth an artists
only ones who clean teeth an artists
only ones who clean teeth an artists aren’t the only ones who are visionary
sense of the world we can still do
sense of the world we can still do something we can begin to listen to each
something we can begin to listen to each
something we can begin to listen to each other
other
other we can listen to each other and not just
we can listen to each other and not just
we can listen to each other and not just the people we want to listen to listen
the people we want to listen to listen
the people we want to listen to listen to people you don’t want to listen to
to people you don’t want to listen to
to people you don’t want to listen to that helps you become more creative and
that helps you become more creative and
that helps you become more creative and curious
curious
curious and maybe we can stop being scared of
and maybe we can stop being scared of
and maybe we can stop being scared of each other and we can give each other
each other and we can give each other
each other and we can give each other hope
”
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