The name of this website caught my eye this morning, creativemornings.com. On a crisp, sunny spring morning in Whitehorse, a creative start to Monday is good definition of my experience. The website features a series of lectures delivered by creative professionals and posted as videos for us to enjoy online!  

The first one I watched was a talk by design business consultant Emily Cohen about why "the fish stinks from the head down," or in other words: "Most of the problems you have are your own fault." If you're interested in creating or understanding how a successful design agency works, check it out.

For non-designers looking for morning inspiration…

…Okay, here's another one for designers,  a talk by Laura Brunow called "Why we work." 

…Well, seems most of the topics do focus on creativity related to design, but of course, that's why you're reading this blog; even if you're not a designer but are interested in the subject, you'll surely find something you like in the lecture series at creativemornings.com.

Warning: They are long, so try playing it in the background when you're typesetting tables or something that allows your ears to be free to absorb.

Sometimes Mondays are tough, and a little inspiration is needed to get the week rolling. My current muse is the blog BRAND NEW. It's a site that chronicles recent corporate brand identity work. Each day a new identity (suggested by a reader) is critiqued under discerning eyes. I like it because it consistently presents iconic identities that make big news. The idea behind BRAND NEW is kind of like headline articles for identity designers: each story explains the highlights of the concept behind the work and the pros and cons of the new identity. Check out BRAND NEW and see for yourself.

Ode to inspiring weekends

My design teachers told me that it’s good to diversify my sources of inspiration and be in contact with all kinds of art… Following their wise advice, I like to extend my contact to all kinds of people, activities & rhythms, in all kinds of weather, headspaces & revisited environments.

I spent most of my weekend in the at-first-unploughed Log Cabin parking lot at the Pass, which could sound at first like a relatively lame (a.k.a. “safe”) plan. But add to the story a massive snow dump forecast, an actual metre of fresh snow, a cooperative snowplougher ready to make a little detour in trade for a brownie, a road temporarily blocked by an avalanche, a bunch of highly motivated and creative people ready to overcome any obstacle for a friend's birthday party, frantic shovels, an oversized party tent, courageous dogs, a mysterious backcountry ice cream recipe, colourful wigs, lovely ski turns, an efficient first aid rescue scenario and a Log Roll for the Hawaiien birthday girl and…(breath)…it all suddenly turns into a giant breath of fresh inspiration for the week ahead.

That said, I am definitely saving first prize for creativity to the weather, always surprising us with such different backgrounds and ambiances for every single day we spend out there, winter after winter. It makes our beloved “safe” skiing destination a fun place to "discover again" every time we go.

photo credits: Bridget McClarty and Valerie