Jay, like all of us on the Imagination Corporation crew, sets ambitious goals each day. We understand we might also be interrupted to assist others when needed. There are also daily shop goals to ensure we complete projects as promised. Today, Jay spent time in both the shop, helping with the Downey’s Farm sign and the Hazelnut Inn. His personal goal for the day was to finish the final glaze on the ‘wood’ ceiling of the Copper Crown’s kitchen and dining room areas. When I went out to the Inn as quitting time drew near, I found him reluctant to stop with one last board still to do. He willingly put in a few extra minutes to reach his high goal. The result was fantastic! Thanks, Jay!
Artistic license is the best
Every license and permit I know requires adhering to a strict set of rules, except for artistic license. As an artist, there are no rules that apply. As an artist, I can freely draw things I want just about any way possible. Today, I got the urge to draw the beautiful split-leaf maple that has been on our property for decades. But rather than duplicate what I saw, I chose instead to use the tree as inspiration. The changes I made included dropping the background, flipping the tree, simplifying the top and adding a complex root system to match the top.
A solution to every challenge
I came across an old concept drawing from a project that was one of the first we created with our CNC router back in 2006. It brought back some great memories. The sign was for a couple who had two home-based businesses. One made stained glass, and the other had bees for honey production. The challenges were many on this project, but I was confident we could make it happen. The solution was to create a honeycomb with glass inserts, with bees buzzing overhead. They loved the design and asked us to make a sign that was at least nine feet tall. The city ordinance demanded that any sign taller than eight feet had to be engineered, which took the project out of their stated budget. The solution to this bureaucratic challenge was easy. I asked them to create a three-foot-high berm in their yard, which they could plant with colourful flowers. We planted the eight-foot-tall sign on top. Everyone was happy, and no bylaws were broken.
