George Lois - Do What You Love

If there is one medium I think is underappreciated in the arts it's graphic design. In our modern culture we are so used to ads and images everywhere we take for granted the brilliant minds that design the ads we see and remember. 

I am currently reading Damn Good Advice (for people with talent!) How to Unleash Your Creative Potential by America's Master Communicator by George Lois - the original Don Draper. 

George Lois 1964

Photo courtesy of George Lois.com 

This book gives its reader straightforward advice that intimidates in its put up or shut up manner. 

Here's one of my favorite lessons from the book:

#31. Work is Worship. Working hard and doing great work is as imperative as breathing. Creating great works warms the heart and enriches the soul. Those of us lucky enough to spend our days doing something we love, somethings we're good at, are rich. If you do not work passionately (even furiously) at being the best in the world at what you do, you fail your talent, your destiny, and your god. 

This lesson has resonated with me. I often ponder if I could go back in a time machine and begin my career over, starting from ninth grade in high school, what would I have done different. Would I have studied art history and devoted my life to the appreciation of beautiful things or would I have been more sensible and pursued something that paid the bills better? Truly the jury is still out. However I do know that I cannot imagine my life without art history. 

- Grace