Gist of Jot
Gist Jot is a journal of ideas, resources, tips and some of the cool things I am currently working on, oh, and a sprinkling of philosophy thrown in. So let me explain why and what I plan to share.
Instinctively, I dwell in the world of design, always playing with shape, form, texture and color: finding meaning and refining and working things out. I travel with an imaginary documentary camera in my head self reporting what I see.
There is a constancy of searching and researching: pictures, images, buildings and interiors. In the city, I visit galleries and museums and antique stores, photograph architectural details and try to understand how they got there, what the architecture says and how it aged with time, a continuous loop of recreating in my mind. Or the search could be on the web, clicking for ideas to light the spark.
Things I love include Italian hill towns, most of Paris, rustic minimalism, and art and craft through the ages. Craft is visceral, often devoid of the intellectual baggage that has beset art through the ages. The timeless lineage of textiles, pottery or woodcraft still retain much of the skills that were practiced thousands of years before mass production. The loss of the handmade was something that the 19th century British Pre-Raphaelites continually reminded us of in their drive to keep the crafts alive.
Things I have done with my hands include restoring a 16th century farm cottage in England and working with the Japanese carpentry crew at Green Gulch Zen Center in Muir Beach, California.
As much as possible I have worked with artists and artisans, stone carvers, wood carvers, mural painters, furniture makers, upholsterers, seamstresses, blacksmiths, stone masons, stained glass makers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, engineers, permaculture experts and contractors. The list goes on to include modern day artisans, sound engineers, home automation experts, solar experts and certified “green” builders to help make projects full of craft and meaning for our clients.
My Goal
My goal is to introduce you to artists and artisans, materials, sources, resources, places to go to be inspired, experts to consult, new ideas, tips and techniques. Undoubtedly, some of my favorite subjects will repeat themselves like a TV jingle. Three of these I should mention upfront: The Pre- Raphaelite philosophy as mentioned above, the Japanese esthetic known as Wabi Sabi, fine art through the ages with a strong bias for Italian Renaissance art and 20th century painting. My current favorite design philosophy; avoid being too trendy, mix old with new and mix rustic with refined. Timeless.
There will be a strong emphasis on giving a face to local artisans and resources: the hidden treasures in our own community. And, after all, local is “green”.
A little word about Green
What is green? The clever answer is, “before green there was yellow and blue." Just about everyone is claiming their greenness to indicate their dedication to the health of the planet. As a result of this newly ascribed conscientiousness, green is a careless catch phrase. Green has become the new grey. I will try to be more colorful when trying to convey the meaning of green.