The Jotter - issue 35
“The best place to have or develop ideas is a small town. It has to be a big enough place to run into smart people but quiet enough to allow you to escape back into your own mind.”
Hello
Thank you Ian Sanders for sharing this wise quote from Simon Kuper. It particularly resonated because, like Ian, I live in a small town which is home to many smart people.
Popping to the shops can take some time for I know I will bump into smart, interesting and jolly people. I won’t name them - it would take too long - and we all need some time to escape back into our own minds and develop new ideas.
With Jim Hughes, I organise Bradford Talks. About 35 of us gather monthly in a pub and hear local speakers share ideas which challenge us to think differently. If you are nearby, please come along to listen or speak. You’d be very welcome.
Onwards
Andrew
01, Our island life
Britain today… C4’s new idents made by 17 different artists and film makers.
02, Learning
Richard Feynman understood that complexity and jargon provide cover for a lack of understanding. He set out four stages to help people learn.
“When Feynman faces a problem, he’s unusually good at going back to being like a child, ignoring what everyone else thinks.”
03, F*ck Oatly
Oatly do a sterling job of dealing with complainers, criticisers and boycotters by being very open about them.
04, The Cosmic House
On a recent ‘inspiration jaunt’ to London I visited the extraordinary Cosmic House in Holland Park. Home to cheerleader for post-modernist architecture, Charles Jencks.
It is filled with symbols and patterns denoting solar years, black holes, quantam physics and more things beyond my understanding. I have never visited anything like it before. I will return.
Tickets are scarce. So sign up to their mailing list and be quick with your click.
05, Film
When some photographers, artists, musicians or directors release new work I buy the book, visit the exhibition, listen to the album or go and see the film without question...
… Wes Anderson has a new film out called Asteroid City. You may already know that, but did you know there is an exhibition in London showing the sets, props, costumes and artwork from the movie?
06, Present
Smart chap (and Bradford on Avon resident), Giles Turnbull, has a way with words.
If you would like some pointers on writing and presenting presentations this beautifully simple approach might help.
07, Photography
Over on Substack I share my photos and write about photographers like Jack Davison. I like him because he plays with convention.
08, Design
The Olympus O… a tale of not giving a damn and designing one of the most intriguing cameras of the modern age.
“Japanese companies say they think about the consumer. They’re liars. They only think about their competitors. […] I think about people.”
09, Work.
Leading Energy are renewable energy consultants based in Worcestershire and spend their working life helping make the planet a better place.
Brutiful Brutalism
A 24 page tabloid with a selection of photos and accompanying text of my favourite brutalist buildings. Printed on quality 80gsm bright recycled paper. Buy or browse here.
Thank you for reading the June Jotter. The next issue will flower into life on Friday 28th July at 11am.
Onwards
Andrew
“When burdened by the feeling that there are too many photographs in the world, I ask myself if there are too many flowers.”