Lecture Series Kicks Off with Jon Wettersten
A little over ten years ago, I met Jon while we were both working at Larsen design office in Minneapolis in their newly-founded interactive department. (Yes, it was but a mere ten or so years ago that the big design firms were creating interactive departments, trying to catch up with the young hacker-culture/boutique firms that were eating their lunch in the newly-minted “discipline” of Web development). We both had nice titles and stuff at Larsen, but let’s just say the interactive department was very small, very busy, and, um, very deep within the bowels of an old design firm. (I think it was even literally kinda dark, and I remember Jon had a weird dark little monitor-encrusted workspace with a lone light-bulb hovering six inches over his desk illuminating whatever “tome” (his word) he happened to be ingesting at the time.
We had some fun clients—for example Jon programmed a site that Kate Pabst (an upcoming lecturer in the creative bridges series ) had designed for Hormel foods….www.SPAM.com. Yep, Spam. The quasi-meat product. Jon and Kate built their Web site (I was called “producer” on that one, but I think I was more like an “enabler”). Anyway, I digress—Jon and I met at Larsen, worked together for a while, and then professionally went our separate ways (Jon to B-Swing and then IDEO, me to Intel then QUANGO). Last night was a reunion—Jon reminded me (and my staff and the general public) that I used to call everyone in my midst “bonehead”. My staff then reminded me that this is still the case. It’s a nice feeling to know that there is continuity to my management style over time.
Jon spoke on his creative process—a collusion of music, math and programming as it relates to his current professional charter (he is a member of the design community at IDEO)—though broken into digestible disciplines and demonstrated by example: at one point Jon performed a Paganini suite (I think… I’m sure I got that wrong) on his violin and then presented the same piece performed by his computer in order to illuminate concepts such as the relationships between logic and voice, etc. Jon clearly articulated his opinion on creative logic and thought—and I encourage you to watch the video of his lecture , read the transcript of his talk , and participate in this discussion on creativity. Personally, whenever I talk with Jon (or hear him speak in this case), I reevaluate my own personal discipline of creative thought, logic and process and always walk away reinvigorated and inspired. Give it a go—and let us know.
~ Dave Anolik
V.P. // Creative Director
QUANGO
