My Inspiration

So, if you don't already know, I work at this awesome place in Memphis called cs2 advertising, where I am an account coordinator (more to come on what that means later). Anyway, it's a fantastic place and I love my job. I love coming here every day. One of the reasons for that is the cs2 inspiration art.


Hanging on the walls throughout this building are large canvas images. Each employee here submitted something that gives them inspiration. The art directors then depict that in a way of their choosing, make a canvas out of it, and hang it on the wall one day to surprise you with their depiction.



Some show a certain destination: a sunset on the beach, the Grand Canyon, Chicago in winter time, a map of Europe. Some are things: a blank canvas, oil paints, freshly cut green grass, snow, fashion. Some are activities: running, traveling, basketball, being in love. Others include everything from funny quotes, a Norman Rockwell scene, the moon... to Jane Fonda, Disney, and Ulysses S Grant. ALL of these things mean something to a fellow co-worker.




These images are also inside a cute little cs2 notebook, with the following quote inside the front:

"While great ideas are the cs2 stock in trade, coming up with them is not always simple. And in a deadline driven industry we can't wait on the proverbial clouds-parting, beam-of-light vision from above. So divine intervention aside, where do we find inspiration? Short of hiring Sherpas and scaling Tibetan peaks in search of truth, start by looking around the office. Displayed in our hallways and on the pages of this book are images. Each one is inspiring to someone at cs2. These are the things that fire the synapses and flip the switches on the imaginary light-bulbs floating above our heads. Why are they inspirational? Who's to say? It's different for everybody. If you could bottle it, you could buy Canada. Which isn't going to happen. Bottling inspiration that is. Look, if you want to buy Canada who are we to stand in your way? After all, cs2 is the land of big ideas. Maybe all it takes is a little inspiration."







My inspiration was hung this weekend. Yes, I know, I've been working here since August, but it's been a while since they've placed an order so there are about 5 new ones hanging today.
I love it. It's right by my office door.




For some of you, my selection is obvious. But, I realize that I have some blog readers that may not understand. So, I'll share the story with you.
Over 5 years ago, my younger brother Kyle died at the age of 16. His favorite color was orange. He was full of life, unique, hilarious, a prankster and a great friend. Of course we miss him dearly and his loss was tragic. Since the accident, our family began to notice that a Monarch butterfly (they're orange) would often be around us at hard times, special times, and beautiful days. They have followed my Dad on the golf course, been at the Castle Bluff groundbreaking for the "Bollen Alley", we've seen them on our family vacations, sometimes they even land on our shoulders and hang out for a while. The butterfly has grown to be a symbol of hope to me. Hope that there is something so great beyond this life that we cannot even imagine it. Hope that Kyle is still with me in a lot of ways. Hope because I know I will see him again.
The butterfly is already such a beautiful creature. Delicate and captivating. So, it's easy to see why these amazingly bright orange butterflies truly inspire me.

What inspires you? What would you pick?