The premise of this dinner was that to be relevant, you have to move past contemplation and cross the threshold to actually CREATE something that can be shared. To jump out of the box, and JUST GO DO.
Read more
technology
Painting the Music Recap
We were treated to a magnificent and innovative performance from Jeremy Sutton. He showed his unique style and process he engages in order to produce his original paintings.
When Jeremy Sutton asked us to make sure there was a bit of space up at the front for him to dance during his presentation, I wondered what we were in for. It turns out we were in for a powerful look at the intersection of art, technology, music, and improv, with a bit of swing dance thrown in for good measure.
Jeremy Sutton is a physicist turned artist who uses a combination of digital tools and traditional painting techniques to create his artwork. We’ve all experienced the magic of listening to someone create music. Or watching someone perform dance. It’s much more rare that we get to see art in the creation stage. Jeremy took it one step further, and did his best to draw us into the creative process, from the beginning stages of percolating ideas, to the loose throwing of paint onto a digital blank canvas, to the final steps of reigning in the wild brushstrokes to make something that really captures the subject.
In this case, the subject of the painting was SVII’s director, Howard Lieberman. Howard was also an active participant in the creative process, offering improvised piano music that helped influence the rhythm of the brushstrokes. Piano pairs very well with art.
At our August event, our topic was improv. We talked a lot about how improv relates to business. It opens up our thinking and lets us accept what is, rather than what we’d like things to look like according to our careful plans. Jeremy’s presentation touched on many of the same things. He mentioned that he never uses the “undo” button, although you’d think that would be one of the blessings of being a digital painter. He doesn’t use undo, because he sees every brushstroke as a gift, as a step towards something bigger. Mistakes are worked into the creative process, not “undone”.
As innovators, this mentality should feel familiar. People who keep trying to undo errors to manage their creative process won’t allow themselves the freedom required to make breakthroughs. It’s beyond a simple willingness to fail. It’s a knowledge that what we’re trying to reach is about ten steps past failure, and that failure was necessary and helpful part of the process.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Jeremy’s work, check out his websites: http://www.jeremysutton.com/ and http://www.paintboxj.com/. You can also stop by his studio this weekend (Oct 8-10) for his Fall Open Studios event. Or check out his live performance as Vincent Van Gogh at the de Young on October 15th or October 22nd.
September Newsletter
A Recap of our September events.
September Event Recap
The Impact of Ubiquitous Bandwidth and Connectivity:
A Multi-Perspective Panel Discussion
Ubiquitous bandwidth may not sound like a controversial topic, but our panelists (Alexander J. Field, Pete DeLisi, Ray Abrishami, and Ann-Louise Kardas) did a great job stirring up our minds to think about the true impact of a constantly connected society. So many aspects of connectedness offer us a double-edged sword. Is it a sad sign of our hyper-conected world that a dad is tapping away on his iPhone during his son’s birthday party? Or are we looking at a positive sign that this dad can now be connected to both the party and the office, where he might have been totally absent before?
Our panel offered insights on the constantly connected brain. They challenged the idea that online social connectedness necessarily has a positive impact on loneliness and isolation. The group also pondered whether increased capability equals increased productivity. The lively dialougue brought out the truth that people have very different ideas on how this increased bandwidth should be “spent” and about whether we are currently putting it to good use.
The conversation that happened at this event gave us a preview into some of the issues that will shape the ubiquitous bandwidth debate in the months and years ahead.
October 6th Society Event
Improvisation & Innovation:
A Powerful Duet in Art, Science & Business with Jeremy Sutton
Artist, author, educator and digital painting pioneer Jeremy Sutton demonstrates through spontaneous, improvised live art-in-action how he harnesses the creative power of improvisation to generate innovation on his digital canvas. During this exciting presentation you will see Jeremy, using state of-the-art digital paint technology, create a live digital portrait of musician, technologist and entrepreneur Howard Lieberman as Howard plays improvised music. Throughout the process Jeremy will share his decision-making strategies and provide insights into how the same principles can be applied in other arts, in science and in business.
Jeremy Sutton—world-renowned artist, author, educator, digital painting pioneer and Corel Painter Master—has drawn and painted for over forty years, and worked with digital painting media for the last eighteen. Please visit www.JeremySutton.com to see more of his artwork and www.PaintboxJ.com for his online training materials.
November 3rd Society Event
Technology Serving Humanity:
Exploring the Impact of Accessible Technology with Jim Fruchterman
Jim Fruchterman believes deeply in the power of technology to transform the world. “We fail to give technologists a model between making scads of money on an idea, or doing charity,” says Jim, “and I think that technology can do so much for the people who can least afford it, as long as the cost is accessible.”
At our November event, we will develop a better understanding of that missing model–the balance between generating profits, and breaking down barriers to technology for the people who could have the greatest benefit.
A bit about Jim Fruchterman:
A technology entrepreneur, Jim Fruchterman is a former rocket scientist who has founded two of the foremost optical character recognition companies and developed successful social enterprises. Jim co-founded Calera Recognition Systems in 1982. Calera developed character recognition that allowed computers to read virtually all printed text.
In 1989, Jim founded Arkenstone, a nonprofit social enterprise, to produce reading machines for the disabled community based on the Calera technology. Following the sale of the Arkenstone product line in 2000, Jim used all the resulting capital to fund Benetech, with an explicit goal of using the power of technology to serve humanity. Jim believes that technology is the ultimate leveler.
December 1st Society Event
NASA’s New Frontiers: A conversation with Bruce Pittman
At our December event, Bruce Pittman of NASA will lead us in an interactive discussion focused on the exciting, innovative, and cutting-edge happenings at NASA. More details to come!
Silicon Valley’s Role as the Global Engine of Innovation
Tom Foremski
Principal Journalist, Silicon Valley Watcher
What do you observe? Join us as Tom Foremski of Silicon Valley Watcher shares his observations and personal perspectives on Silicon Valley’s critical role in driving global innovation. Come with your own observations, and join the discussion.
As a reporter on “the business of technology and media”, Tom Foremski acts as your daily eyes-and-ears-on-Silicon-Valley, offering news and “Foremski’s Take” on issues ranging from product releases and media’s morphing, to industry events and organizational change. Tom is passionate about Silicon Valley, and offers his expert critical view to professional and casual players alike. To get your own daily dose, subscribe to Silicon Valley Watcher now through feedburner or email.
Tom Foremski was a columnist and reporter at the Financial Times until five years ago, when he left FT to become a “journalist blogger” and founded Silicon Valley Watcher. Crowd-Powered Media names Tom as #28 in the top 50 Silicon Valley influencers, and PR Week names Tom as one of the top eight “journalists you should know about”.