SlyBrand

I worked for archer>malmo for about a year after I graduated college. While I was there, I was exposed to some great people and great design opportunities. One of those opportunities was to help design the new marketing logo for the oldest girl’s school in Memphis, Hutchison.

To me, the most interesting aspect of this project was the rich history behind Hutchison School. One tidbit from that story is that Miss Hutchison’s school on Union Avenue had a beautiful arbor, under which, on pretty days, the girls would sit to do their lessons. I was asked to develop an option for presentation, and the image above to the left is what I produced. The lines of the “H”, for “Hutchison”, becoming the arbor, and the hanging vine becoming an “S”, for “school.”

They ended up going with the image above to the right, designed by Richard Williams, Sr. Art Director at the time. I was bummed out then, but in retrospect, I understand why they picked the option they did. I do, however, still believe in the power of the vine logo to tell and preserve a wonderful story about a Memphis educational institution—even though the design may never see the back window of an SUV.

And one final note. Whatever I lost on the Hutchison project, I was able to redeem on this one.

“We fail a lot. We just don’t fail by the time the movie comes out.

John would be the first to tell you that every movie we’ve made has been at one point the biggest piece of garbage we’ve ever worked on.”
—Lee Unkrich, Director of Pixar’s “Toy Story 3″

From a fascinating article in Variety about John Lasster’s take on the role of failure in the creative process.

From the car ride this morning, listening to NPR Morning Edition’s story on Diana Krall:

She demonstrated her version of the song at the grand piano in the suite. Afterward, in spite of her exhaustion, Krall had more to share.

“I’m on the road with 2-and-a-half-year-old boys who, before I came here, they wanted to go outside and play outside,” she says. “They wanted to go down the slide. And I’m like, ‘Where can I find a slide?’ “

But for Krall, that gives her a renewed sense of purpose.

“We’re moving house every day, and like I said, I’m probably as fatigued as I’ve ever been. But in some ways, it’s that fatigue that gives you a strong sense of self — what you want to do [makes you] more relaxed, focused,” she says.

“…and let’s face it, I’m just a graphic designer, there is no great thing here…”
–Paula Scher, getting deep.