creativity is [contagious]

i'm fascinated by origami. something about creating a self supporting structure from a single piece of paper is so intriguing to me. creased folds serving two purposes; giving a flat 2d piece of paper strength to become three dimensional, while at the same time creating beautifully abstract pieces of art.  it's no stretch to the imagination why an architect would be captivated by this ancient art.

in my spare time i've been dabbling with a few easy sculptures. paper normally sent to the recycle bin have slowly, and through the use of youtube videos, become a swan, a crow and a crow sans tail i think looks like a penguin. believing you should always surround yourself with inspiration, i've kept these little sculptures a my office desk.

apparently, i'm not the only one to find inspiration in them....


when i walked into work today i found another tiny sculpture in the collection. next to the swan, crow, and penguin, was in incredibly intricate paper dragon.  i was beyond baffled until i saw the dragon was standing on a post it note.  i picked up the note and read it;

"liked your origami. thought you would like this - luke (cleaning crew)

as you can imagine, i was beyond impressed. i was completely fascinated someone i never met or had interaction with, took the time to create this beautiful piece of art. not only was i inspired at his craft, i was incredibly thankful he decided to share it.

luke gave me a reminder today.  always keep your eye out for inspiration, and when you find it, share it.

hidden in [plane] sight

this weekend found me and my girlfriend visiting the kansas aviation museum. it had been five years since i had visited and i was excited to see it again.

planes are exciting in their own right, however being an architect found me studying more of the building than the biplanes. walking around i noticed architectural details i hadn't noticed before; aviation related design was embeded everywhere.  there were references to air travel in the hand painted ceiling stenciling, the metal work, masonry, and terrazzo floors.  it was almost like the "hidden mickey's" at disneyland.  not only did this little "hidden airplane" game enrich the museum experience, but it gave me an overwhelming appreciation for the architecture of the past.  i couldn't help but acknowledge the time, consideration, design and craft the architects put in this structure; now being appreciated long after the buildings original use had ended....beautiful details now enhancing the building as it houses a new use as the kansas aviation museum.

lord of the [bachelors]

bachelor parties should be as unique as the bachelor they're intended to celebrate, and my buddy tim's couldn't have fit him better.  the best man secured a large house on the shores of the lake of the ozarks for 15 of us to enjoy a long weekend.  time was spent fishing, grilling, floating, watching soccer and of course drinking. for the most part we all lived like complete bachelors for a few days have no contact with the outside world.  most of us spent the majority of the time covered in a mix of sunscreen and bbq sauce, using the lake to rinse off occasionally.  meals consisted of grilled meat of all shapes and forms and beer.  with this group of hob heads we probably had the best selection of beer on the lake, and as much as we hate to admit it, the occasional "mangarita" thrown in for variety.  the only thing missing was a conch shell. 

all in all it was a perfect way to send tim, a guy who loves the company of his brothers and friends, off to get married.