On Making Things, Creating Beauty & Crafting a Life.

One of the most powerful conversations I've ever had.

Jonathan Fields with Milton Glaser in his NYC studio in 2013

Some dozen years ago, I had a conversation that would change my life.

An acquaintance had been a longtime friend of iconic artist, designer, maker, and teacher, Milton Glaser. You may not know his name, but you do know his work. They’d spent time in spiritual communities, in and out of ashrams over decades. She asked if I’d be interested in speaking with him.

I jumped at the chance. And, captured it on camera.

I’ve since hosted over 1,000 conversations on the Good Life Project podcast. Yet, this one landed more deeply, and has stayed with me in a way few others have.

In part, because of the depth of wisdom, and the integrity of the human. But, there was something else. It was a very rare instance where I left the conversation and thought to myself, “I’d have lived his life.” More accurately, “I wish I had lived his life.” And wondered, with whatever time I have left, how close might I get with mine?

Milton was 84 when we spoke. He died seven years later at the age of 91. On his birthday. Magical ‘til the end.

In the intervening years, much as I kept trying to find my way back to making and craft, I kept dropping the ball. I’d revisit the conversation, the insights, the vibe I so aspired to embody. Poke around the edges, but then back away. Over and over.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made things for decades.

Books, businesses, brands, experiences. But, Jonathan Fields, Maker of Things That Exist, Not in the Ether, But in the World? Not so much. Even though I’ve known, since I was a kid, breathing life into physical objects awakens my soul more than anything else. And, still, even then, it’d been a fitful reunion.

Then, a few years ago, I decided to begin centering the impulse in a more intentional way. In no small part, because of the experiments in making I was moved to start running as part of my 2x20™ adventure (exploring how to spend 2 years setting up your next season of life). But, also, because it was just time.

In short order, I’ll turn 60. For some reason, that number means something to me, in a way past “big” birthdays didn’t.

I cannot imagine spending this next season of work and life continuing to be pulled out into a sea of “oh, fine” by a gentle, yet persistent, decades long undertow of lament, born of a simple knowing. I’ve spent way too much of my time on the planet being less true to who I’ve know myself to have always been than I’m okay with. Time to come home.

I’ve had a maker-focused project bubbling in my head for nearly 5 years now. Even a name for it. That’s just how my brain works.

Over the last two years, it’s taken form in a much more granular way. Again, due to the action and awakening-centric structure I’ve held myself to in the pursuit of my own 2x20. It will, shortly, meet the world (watch this space).

In fact, just last Sunday, I presented a talk at TEDx Boulder that shared the big idea behind it, accompanied by a call to action to return to working with our hands.

More on that in an upcoming dispatch, along with the video when it airs.

Today, I want to leave you with the conversation I shared with Milton back in 2013. As they say, it’s an oldie, but a goodie. And timeless as ever.

You may want to watch with a pen and paper, or your notes app open. There is a torrent of wisdom that tumbles forth. To this day, every time I watch, I pick up on something new.

To help lead you into it, here’s a longish quote from early in the conversation…

“…after a while, you begin to realize how little you know about everything, and how vast the brain is, and how it encompasses everything you can imagine. But more than that, everything you can’t imagine. What is perhaps central to this is the impulse to make things, which seems to me to be a primary characteristic of human beings. The desire to make things, whatever they turn out to be.

And, then supplementary to that is the desire to create beauty, which is a different, yet analogous activity. The urge to make things is probably a survival device, the urge to create beauty is something else. But, only apparently something else. Because, as you know, there are no unrelated events in human experience.

So, beauty, or the creation of it, is a survival mechanism. There’s something about making things beautiful, and we sometimes call that art, that has something to do with creating a commonality between human beings so that they don’t kill each other. And whatever that impulse is, or wherever it comes from, it certainly is contained within every human being I’ve ever met.”

Enjoy!

I truly believes there’s magic not just listening to, but watching Milton. Still, if you prefer listening, here’s the audio-only version:

And, once you’ve watched or listened, do me a favor. Come back and share your thoughts, favorite insights, or quotes in the comments.

So curious how it lands in your head and heart.

With a whole lotta love & gratitude,

Jonathan