The Monthly Jotter
“As you know I love the Jotter. But you also serve to be a ‘jolter’ in my case. You make me reconsider past events / introduce me to new concepts. Thank you. Your e-mails make me think…”
Ritka
Previous issues
“Commonplaces never become tiresome. It is we who become tired when we cease to be curious and appreciative. We find that it is not a new scene which is needed, but a new viewpoint.”
“How much you should worry about being an outsider depends on the quality of the insiders.” Paul Graham
“Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible.”
Rick Rubin on creativity, Thomas Heatherwick on the “blandemic”, Brian Eno on sculpting sound, 40 photos which changed fashion, why technology never gives us a shorter working week and Craig Mod celebrates grace.
A DO/Interesting taster, you may not like Elon Musk but you can still learn from him, Monument by Trent Parke, The Great British Colouring Book and new websites for The Perfect Bottle and Lauren Dunleavy.
Too many buzzwords, slowing down, the iconic portraits of Jane Bown, a new colosseum for Bath Rugby, ditching the process, what questions do people ask and a new website for Humble Bee Films.
“I like elements which are hybrid rather than ‘pure,’ compromising rather than ‘clear,’ distorted rather than ‘straightforward.’ … I am for messy vitality over obvious unity.”
“The best place to have or develop ideas is a small town. It has to be a big enough place to run into smart people but quiet enough to allow you to escape back into your own mind.”
“When the world demands toxic productivity, contemplation is a radical act.” Grenfell by Steve McQueen, a thank you letter to Vitsoe, Brutiful Brutalism and rediscover the lost art of the insult.
“That’s why the time to resist is at the point you find yourself going along with conventional wisdom. It’s uncomfortable to be the outsider. But the only opportunity you have to think is before you join the herd. Once you’ve joined, it’s too late.”
This month - allergy to originality, the lure of free teddy bears, a curious story about WD-40, Alec Soth’s A Pound of Pictures, Nick Cave’s wise advice to a 13 year old and more.
“When burdened by the feeling that there are too many photographs in the world, I ask myself if there are too many flowers.”