it is prudent for creative types to note. when one chooses a field of creative expression , one does so for reasons that do not involve needing stroking and validation from external sources.
because what one might find is that the energy you are desperately looking for to spark your creative ideas and feel you really need, is not always forthcoming from those we are wanting it from.
so the advise that resonates with anyone venturing into any creative design field of expression, is.
"it is often the case that people with hold that which we want the most. this is why a creative is duty bound to find that which they need, within themselves first. before expecting to receive that energy from others. "
its a creative self actualizing concept really. and there in lies the conundrum - why do you do what you do?. for stroking or for passion. if your looking for accolades to further your creative ideals and skill. then this is not always sustainable within a creative design arena.
the reason for my above observation is as follows.
having designed and built several wildetect furniture end products over the past few years. and received many positive reviews and many not so positive. i had rather at first an amusing and then a very worrying response to one of my unsolicited designs to a premier SA design mag.
the response to my DS wildetect design shelf was -" please send in your own original work." which i found rather funny at first, which then got rather worrying, as they didnt really believe my rather exasperated response. that the work was MY original conceptual work - as a book shelf that is. obviously the car itself was designed in the 60"s.
most if not all designers rely on the energy from their creations giving them impetus to create further and also garner clients. so when a premier design mag tells you your original South African interpretation of an idea design work, is not your original work. they are saying 2 things. 1 is that your a hack (i can deal with that - because i am a hack) the second more worrying point is - that the implication that the design work must be copied because nobody local from muizenberg, nogal, could come up with a design like this.
so its a bit of damned if you design and damned if you dont.
either way the recognition for original conceptual work is going to head elsewhere. similar to the erxell concept which has been put in front of many esteemed cape town creatives since 2006 - 2015. firstly the idea was almost cunningly lifted - and then because i absolutely vehemently protested and reacted against the design machine facilitating the heist. the idea and the recognition for the concept has completely lost impetus and been relegated, to erxell is a problem design child status. DONT TOUCH.
its the creative conundrum. - who are you creating for?
i can only imagine how many young designers with no cred as yet - whos work never really emerges as their own, as they have no voice and the design mentors dont pass on the energy out of reasons only they are sure of. so my creative conundrum observation kicks into action.
design and validate your self and please keep creating. the total body of your original work and the DNA of design ideas you leave behind, will be enough of a portfolio of evidence to prove even the most jaundiced eye - "design mag", design platform completely at a loss for words. they might just begrudgingly say - that design hack - sure knew how to hack it in our cut throat industry.
