I suppose there isn’t much I can say about this remarkable individual that isn’t going to be said in the days ahead as countless stories about his life will be rehashed. I wonder if people truly understand how his creativity, leadership, and spirit of innovation have transformed culture? As a member of the generation that lived through each breakthrough, I understand it. I still remember vividly when the art school I attended acquired the first Macintosh computers. They were kept under lock and key in the “computer lab.” Funny little beige cubes that emitted a soft diffused gray-blue light. They glowed in the darkened room like Christmas tree lights do in dark spaces, creating that calming atmospheric light. Having just been taught the traditional methods of graphic design with an intensive typography program that rivaled few in this country, I was confused, yet intrigued about how I would/should use ‘the computer’ in my own work. Years later, I would return to the Herron School of Art to teach, only to find the latest Macs in nearly every classroom for students to use at will. In subsequent years, owning an Apple computer would be a requirement for all students of design.
Well, my career took off as did Mr. Jobs’. Since I was a designer, I felt like each and every product was being created just for me. Long before laptops, iPods, and iPhones came along, Apple had become an important part of my life. Today, it’s an essential part of my life. I publish my blog, listen to music, watch movies, research, author presentations, and yes, still create graphic design for clients with my Apple products.
So as I write this post (on my iPad), I am glad to have been an early adopter and witness to all the wonderful fruits that ripened in his garden of innovation. I am moved by his aesthetic rigor and stand (fight) against mediocracy and complacency. The season is over, but the seeds have been sown. Be inspired. Be creative. Be well.