Combinations

In many ways, the creative process is all about combinations. You mix and mash stuff that already exists together to create something new. Maybe I'll elaborate on this topic down the road. But one thing I've found is that it's not always the logical combinations that produce extraordinary results. Logical combinations will usually produce what you expected, something not very unique or fresh. They make "work" but they won't stand out.

An example of this would be this next "Summer of Love" series we have coming up. The logical combination would be to use Woodstock hippie imagery. That would've been fine. But it's what you'd expect. By going a different direction with the carnival idea it has the potential (we'll see how it pans out) to be something fresh and unexpected.

And sometimes you combine things that you assume will connect with the masses and get you famous (tubas and a leather-jacketed dancing wolf) and it just doesn't happen. There's a lot of X factors that go into combinations.

So a practical example... yesterday, my brother-in-law, Justin, suggested that we should teach Miss Jackson to open the screen door. She's manic about going in and out. She's figured out how to let herself out. It's the getting back in that we have to do for her. It's very annoying. So teaching this old pup a new trick would be a win win.

Miss Jackson likes to chew and pull on various things. Plastic bottles are some of her favorites. So logically, you'd think if you attached a chewed up Perrier bottle to the door she would still enjoy chewing and pulling and easily figure out to open the door. Not so, my friends. She doesn't get it. Not even a little. She just gets all confused and hyper and can't figure out why we won't just let her inside. It's a logical combination, but it produces less than ordinary results.