Kyle Meyer

I posted a quote from Sol LeWitt before—I love the way he sees art as a machine rather than something creative. It’s a mirrored way of thinking which will simultaneously humble and confuse you.

If you’re unfamiliar with the man, he typically does not create physical pieces of art that are then bought or sold. Rather, what is bought and sold is a simple set of instructions on a certificate that can be used to recreate the piece many times over. Ownership of the piece is implied by who owns the instructions in the same way that knowing the secret formula to Coca-Cola would allow you to create and consume it whenever you please. Knowledge is power—and free soda.

In some ways I wonder if design can be seen in the same light. After all, design is typically an applied process of problem solving for visual communication. If art, a true form of self-expression, can be a machine than surely design can.

There are formulaic approaches to visual problems that often yield a solid result or act as a foundation for commonly-defined creativity (grids, typographic scales, everything that is The International Style). My own work is so largely predicated on these approaches that I often feel that the term ‘creative’ is questionable for how I do what I do.

Everything is a Remix is a great video mini-series by Kirby Ferguson about what I like to think of as the “It’s All Been Done Before” line of thought. Whenever you read an interview with anyone remotely creative the question of inspiration pops up. It’s always the same answer: whatever is around them—their experiences. After all, many of us have a black box of design tricks that get us out of creative binds, built from the works of others and our past experiences. Sounds formulaic to me as well.

Many creative processes, especially if you went to a design school, involve multiple rounds of iteration. Break a larger problem into smaller pieces, figure out the variables, and make a dozen thumbnail sketches. Pick the best few and see if you can improve upon them. Survival of the fittest thought on pen and paper. Design evolution. Logical. Granted, if there is a spark of ingenuity, it usually occurs here. Darwin would be proud of your design mutation.

Is design as simple as everything you’ve experienced being digested, iterated upon, and spat back out on top of a foundation of principles? I’m not sure either, just thinking in writing.

Last year was massive, and since I promised myself I’d be better about documenting things (and that I’d write more, but we all know how that goes), here’s a shameless quick recap:

I was lucky enough to visit Dublin, Belfast, New York City, Austin, Salt Lake City (3 times), San Francisco and Las Vegas—I’m hoping to continue to travel more in 2012. Flying is no fun, but seeing friends and new things is always worth the sacrifice.

Friends. I met a whole slew of new ones—too many to list for fear of leaving anyone out. It was wonderful seeing everyone at SXSW, Brooklyn Beta, Build, as well as David and Andria’s wedding. Great craic and hugs all around.

I was also fortunate to design a few sites for friends: Build 2011, Permanent Art & Design Group, 8 Faces, and an update for The Manual. I’m proud to have been able to contribute something to their new endeavors. There’s a rekindling feeling of entrepreneurialism from those close to me that is a lovely motivator for all sorts of things—or maybe that’s just jealousy. Well done.

A few of the aforementioned side projects were done on faster than sane timelines as a result of limited working hours (evenings and weekends). Balancing an obsession with trying to produce my best results in a condensed timeline can be an exercise in sleep deprivation and occasional alienation—not something I’m proud of. Establishing a more realistic and less stressful plan for future projects is something I want to work on.

Thankfully I’ve spent my days working for Big Cartel with a super-talented team and founders who truly care about work/life balance as well as creating a product of quality. 2011 was a great year for Big Cartel and I can’t wait to show off what we have planned for this one.

Lastly, I made a big move to San Francisco from Minneapolis in mid-November. I’m still working on settling in and have made a commitment to explore new cities and living situations thanks to my current flexibility. It’s always tough to leave behind a city where you’ve stayed for the better part of a decade, but life is short, there’s lots to do, and I’m tired of snow. Fuck snow.