Impressions of Storytelling

 In reference to : "Ira Glass on Story telling 3", which can be found on youtube, and is short 5 minute excerpt of a larger body of work in which he shares insight into his success as public radio personality. 

In the clip Ira explains how most of us pursue creating because we are passionate about a certain designed medium, and we possess "good taste". Yet, often times as we pursue our own practice, in the early to medium years of professional work, we are unable to create examples that fit our personal standards and expectations. Even if this isn't something all creatives can relate, to every artist can recall a handful of projects from their early years of experience, that just didn't hit the mark but had the potential to be something great. Glass affirms that this is a natural part of the creative process, and that his "gap" between what he found to be fitting of good taste, and his own personal production didn't close until much later into his professional career as a 28 year old. 

Glass says that the only way to bridge this gap is through creating a volume of work. He mentions setting goals and deadlines every week or month to ensure a constant stream of production. His point is essentially in line with the age old saying "practice makes perfect". It also reminds me immediately of Sister Corita Kent's 6th rule, "Nothing is a mistake. There is no win and no fail, there's only make". Recently my professor Saskia Van Kampen even said "No design project is ever finished, it has only been submitted". I think all of these points are in the same vein; that design is about a continued pursuit of exploration. Even though Glass has reached a point where he feels his work aligns with good taste, his job isn't finished, but he's reached a point where he can be proud of his creation. His message to young creators is to stay hungry and in pursuit of production. The gap will be bridged with persistence.