Mar

Adult at Play: The Creative Mind of Javier Pérez

by Sheron Long on March 10, 2014

Open notebook with an illustration turning the spiral into the face of a crocodile, showing how the creative mind of Javier Pérez uses imagination to see things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

Presto! And it’s the spiral smile of a crocodile (in profile)!
© Javier Pérez

A Simple Matter of Imagination

Javier Pérez sees things differently. His creative mind is full of the imagination that many adults tucked in a drawer a long time ago. And he likes to play.

Photo of the artist Javier Pérez, whose creative mind and imagination allows him to see things differently.

Javier Pérez says,
“I just want to create.”
© Javier Pérez

Pérez works as a graphic designer and audiovisual producer in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

But for his own amusement, each week he collects ideas, does sketches, and selects his best. Every Saturday, he works up 3 or 5 images that he then publishes over the next week.

Adult play and adult discipline. That’s a good process for creative success. As Pérez says:

“Create every day. No matter your skills.”

Why? Just Because It’s Fun

When Pérez looks in a drawer, it’s not to find his imagination. Instead he pulls out everyday objects—pliers, screws, old scissors—and he turns them into art.

Two open pliers that form the torso and legs of cowboys finished with imagination in line drawings from the creative mind of Javier Perez. (Image © Javier Pérez)

A couple of cowboys click their spurs.
© Javier Pérez

The combination of 3D objects and simple lines is a pleasing graphic effect, but it’s the inventiveness of the idea that puts the smile on your face. How clever to see bow legs and overalls in a pair of pliers!

Or a dancer’s legs in the blades of scissors. All she needs are slippers—some simple lines do the trick.

Open blades of scissors with shoes drawn at the tips to resemble human legs, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez. (Image © Javier Pérez)

Two legs ready to cut loose in dance
© Javier Pérez

Pérez says he most often starts with the object. He must first see it differently, not for what it is but for what it can be. Then, in about 30 minutes, he adds the illustration—and that’s the fun of it!

Drawing of a porcupine with screws used to form the quills, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez who sees things differently. (© Javier Pérez)

Pérez imagined a porcupine. What could you make
with a scatter of screws?
© Javier Pérez

Pérez has fun, and he describes where that can lead:

“I began to create these drawings because they were fun to do. When I had barely 1000 followers on Instagram, I don’t think any of us understood the potential of this technique. But I started seeing their appeal once they were published on Buzzfeed.”

Hungry for Simplicity

The popular appeal of the drawings derives from their simplicity, not only the clean, minimal lines but their reliance on the objects of everyday life.

Drawings of a trumpet made from a paperclip and an old phonograph made from a flower, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier © Javier Pérez, who sees things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

The brilliant simplicity of Pérez’ illustrations is a treat for the eyes and music to the ears.
© Javier Pérez

Sometimes, just the hint of a line adds the charm.

Drawings of a dog and a cat with Scrabble tiles placed to form the bodies, all from the creative mind of Javier Pérez, who sees things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

There’s more than one way to play with Scrabble tiles.
© Javier Pérez

And when Pérez plays with food, he gets especially creative.

Drawing of an IV tube with catsup package added to serve as the bag, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez. (Image © Javier Drawing of an IV tube with catsup package added to serve as the bag, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez)

Burgers come alive with a ketchup transfusion.
© Javier Pérez

Drawing of globe stand with a cookie added for the globe and North and South America sculpted from the filling, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez. (© Javier Pérez)

Can you find Ecuador, the sweet spot where Javier Pérez lives, on this globe?
© Javier Pérez

Anyone Can Play

Pérez started drawing as a boy and never quit, but for many adults the responsibilities of life have stifled imagination. Creative play is a way for adults to recapture it.

The play can take many forms—drawing, cooking, journaling, storytelling, imagining new worlds in video games, music-making, and more. In fact, you can get started right now with this Imagination app from Paul Neave, a web designer in London.

Pérez sees value in the creative process, and he believes that everyone is creative:

“It’s important to create everyday so the mind stays active. With creativity, we can solve problems—easy and hard—in our daily lives.”

Drawing of an artist's palette with M&Ms placed as the paint, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez who sees things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

Creativity paints imaginative solutions.
© Javier Pérez

Dr. Ben Michaelis, a psychologist writing in the Huffington Post, affirms the importance of imaginative play. His thesis? Play is the four-letter word that will change your life.

To kickstart your adult imagination, the essential ingredient in creative play, follow these words of wisdom from Pérez:

“My advice is that you take in a lot of art, movies, anything that opens up your mind to infinite possibilities.”

Just taking in these charming illustrations from the creative mind of Javier Pérez is a good place to start. Surely, they inspire people to see things differently. Over and over, they made me smile and say, “Oh, I see.” What about you?

Drawing of a submarine made from placing a bent straw on top of blue paper, all from the creative mind of Javier Pérez, who sees things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

What was Pérez imagining here?
How long did it take you to say OIC?
© Javier Pérez

Keep up-to-date with Pérez’ latest work at Instagram. Pérez set a personal challenge to create something every day in 2013. See the results at 364 Ideas on Tumbler.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Sheron Long 2 Comments

Clever Ideas/The World's Art & Design

Mar

Help Wanted: Feathermaster at the Lido in Paris

by Meredith Mullins on March 6, 2014

Orange and turquoise exotic feathers, waiting for a feather master at the Lido in Paris to underscore the concept of living life to the fullest with the right job. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

The Lido feathers wait for a Feathermaster.
© Meredith Mullins

Live Life to the Fullest with the Right Job

Paris seems to have more uniquely specialized jobs than most cities—from the Versailles Royal Molecatcher to the auctioneer who lights a candle every time someone offers a last bid at the Chambre des Notaires.

The French have a penchant for flair and living life to the fullest, even in the most functional of jobs.

There are also the jobs of utmost rarity. Consider the urban beekeeper who tends the hives on the roof of the Paris Opera House or the 40 “immortals” of the Académie Française, whose job it is to protect the usage, vocabulary, and grammar of the French language (who wouldn’t want to be an immortal?).

In that vein of rare professions comes the job position of Feathermaster at the Lido—the celebrated cabaret on the Champs Élysées in Paris.

Two showgirls at the Lido, living life to the fullest with the right job. (Photo courtesy of the Lido © PICS)

The Lido Revue: the best feathers in Paris
(Photo Courtesy of The Lido © PICS)

Eye Roll, Please

When I first learned that there was a Feathermaster at the Lido, I admit to rolling my eyes a bit. However, one of many “Oh, I See” moments came when I toured backstage and saw nearly 600 costumes for the current show, most of which had feathers. Of course, there needs to be a feathermaster. Why would there not be?

Blue and white feathers hanging backstage, the job of the feather master living life to the fullest with the right job. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

One of the costume areas backstage at the Lido
© Meredith Mullins

“Since the beginning, in 1946, the Lido has always had unique costumes,” says Hervé Duperret, Directeur Général of the Lido. “The sequins, rhinestones, and feathers are really a signature of the spirit of cabaret,” he adds, especially on the grand headdresses and winglike extensions of the dancers’ outfits.

Pink feathers on female dancer, cared for by the feather master living life to the fullest with the right job. (Photo courtesy of the Lido © PICS)

Fluffiness at its height
(Photo courtesy of the Lido © PICS)

The Feathers Need a Master

“Feathers are both fragile and resilient at the same time,” Duperret explains, with the pride of a parent. “They need to be maintained with care. We have more than 20 varieties of feathers on our costumes. Each has its own special treatment.” Taking care of them is the job of an expert feathermaster (plumassière in French). And the position is open.

The Lido has been without a feathermaster for several months now since the last plumassière left. While there were more than 400 plumassières in the Belle Époque between 1871–1914 (feathers were a way of life then), there are now just a handful of experts. It has been difficult to find a qualified replacement.

A white feather headdress at the Lido in Paris, waiting for a feather master, a job that allows for living life to the fullest (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

Splendor in white
© Meredith Mullins

In stellar showbiz tradition, however, the show must go on . . . and the feathers must continue to be nothing short of splendorous. The ten Lido seamstresses (couturières) have risen to the challenge.

With passion and extensive study of what the different feathers need, the couturières dust, brush, steam, wash and dry, reattach, replace, or generally cajole the feathers back to fluffy perfection for the Lido performances each evening. The ostrich, marabou, pheasant, hen, turkey and peacock plumes strut their stuff, as beautifully as ever—the ultimate in cabaret haute couture.

Brown and blue feathers, waiting for a feather master at the Lido in Paris, a job that allows for living life to the fullest. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

You might think 30-pound headdresses of jewels and feathers on a troupe of lithe and graceful semi-clad dancers would steal the show. But there are a lot of competing elements to the Bonheur (Happiness) extravaganza.

An ice skating rink and a golden temple rise from the depths. A motorized elephant transports an Indian princess. A white horse (real) side steps across the stage in the mist. In one scene, there are so many onstage fountains that you feel the humidity change even in the back row.

Fountains over mannequins at the Lido in Paris, a place where living life to the fullest with the right job is possible. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

Precision Onstage and Off

Imagine 23 set and costume changes during the 1.5 hour show. Backstage is organized chaos. Most transitions are completed in minutes. And all are orchestrated from a narrow area behind the stage called “the aircraft carrier”—six floors of “shelves” for props, sets, and costumes.

Backstage at the Lido in Paris, with a variety of costumes, a place that proves concept of living life to the fullest with the right job. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

Precision backstage is as important as presence onstage and customer friendliness for the audience. Every one of the 350 employees is critical to the show’s success. All seem to enjoy the cabaret life.

A costume station backstage at the Lido in Paris, a place where living life to the fullest with the right job is possible. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

Birds of a Feather

So, if you know a plumassière or if you are ready for a career change, keep this job opening in mind.

And keep another “Oh, I See” moment in mind whenever you are thinking about living life to the fullest:

We can’t all be one of the 40 “immortals,” but if we’re happy and needed in our work, whatever niche we may fit into, immortality is within reach.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins 7 Comments

France (Paris)/On the World Stage

Mar

Worker Badges: Vintage Portraits Hint at Life Stories

by Bruce Goldstone on March 3, 2014

Worker's badges that include vintage portraits, hinting at lost life stories of the American worker. (Images courtesy of Ricco/Maresca Gallery)

Once worn to work daily, ID badges are now a hot collectible.
Images courtesy of Ricco/Maresca Gallery, New York

What Do You C in Employee IDs?

Above my computer here at home hangs an old worker’s ID badge. This vintage portrait moves and intrigues me, offering a glimpse into the life stories of American workers who punched clocks day in, day out.

A friend gave me the badge, partly because it’s from my hometown of Cleveland. I often look at worker number 338 and wonder what his days were like.

Worker's badge that includes a vintage portrait, hinting at lost life stories of the American worker. (Image © Bruce Goldstone)

I love this ID, with its worn leather tab and rubbed finish. But mostly I love the almost-smiling portrait of a man I know almost nothing about.

Bruce Goldstone Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/The World's Photography/USA

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