Meet the "pixel painter." He was 97 years old at the time this video was made. While the story of this artist is inspiring for all the obvious reasons, I have to admit that I am also moved by his use of technology.
Hal Lasko uses technology the way I think it should be used, to improve his life, not to place further burdens on himself.
Too often, we want the latest-and-greatness gadget or software, thinking it will somehow make us happier or inspire us to do great things. Most of the time, we end up in such a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with new technology that we forget why we acquired it in the first place.
Mr. Lasko uses Microsoft Paint -- software so old and clumsy by today's standards that it's probably unthinkable to the boys over at Pixar or Apple. Microsoft Paint is what a Polaroid film camera is to photography these days.
Because of a sight problem, Mr. Lasko uses a technology, not a paint brush and canvas, to express his creative passion. The quest for newer, better, faster software isn't his concern. He uses what works for him. It allows him to focus on the art, not on the technology. There are no manuals to read. No steep learning curves to distract. Just pixels.
There is a simplicity to his approach. An elegance, if you will. Mr. Lasko doesn't want to learn Adobe Photoshop, Flash or Illustrator. He doesn't need the fancy filters and other features of high-end graphics applications. His art isn't about the technology, it's about the joy and purity of each dot.
I believe pursuing creative passions in the simplest ways possible, without over abundance or complication, is one of the secrets to a long life. If you can share those creative endeavors and enthusiasm with others, all the better.
No comments:
Post a Comment