TO DATE I HAVE ONE BOOK OF POETRY PUBLISHED WITH THE SECOND TO BE AVAILABLE THIS FALL, 2010.

YOU CAN VISIT AUTHORHOUSE.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.

HERE IS A LETTER I WROTE TO A STUDENT IN OREGON WHO HAD CONTACTED ME ABOUT BEING A GRAPHIC DESIGNER.

Dear Student,

In high-school I never really made the decision to become anything, I took art classes, and did above average in them, my parents told me to set the goal of becoming an Architect for career and income stability. So I took Technical Drawing, CADD, and my school offered a Basic Architecture class, on my own I always would draw and create because I had that essential passion to do so.
Unfortunately, I was terrible at Math, and at that age my mind really could not conceptualize well enough to place me in the Architecture College at the University of Kentucky. I concentrated on all my Liberal Art classes, that which allowed me to move forward in college without declaring a major. It wasn’t until my junior year of college that I decided to try Graphic Design, but when I went to sign up for classes, they were all full, and my major became Fine Art, Printmaking and New Media (video) instead. In my senior year I finally got into the basic Graphic Design class, but my focus was more towards Fine Art at that point. Let it be known that in college I took classes in everything, which I think is more important then having a specific major that you work on from the get go. I took, Physics, Psychology, Philosophy, Statistics, Theater, Geography, Photography, Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, New Media, Graphic Design, Art & Architecture History. All the while I read as many books on all these subjects as I could as well as surrounded my self with people who were interested in these same things. My friends and peers, constantly talked about and practiced our Art outside of school. Painting murals, building furniture, discussing concepts, expressing ourselves, and feeding off of each other’s aesthetic drive. My roommates where Architects so If they built a model of an abstract building or dwelling, I would take pictures of it and then incorporate that into a print I was working on or an image I was creating on my computer. They had the practicality to represent structure and stability, I was abstract and allowed no rules, anything was possible. As a result we found a balance between the two worlds that allowed us all to create new and innovative ways to represent our world if only by simulation.
As for Graphic Design, I would say this field has been an easy and logical career path for me because I have always been a visual learner, I have traveled all over this country observing color, design and commercial art identity that allows business to attract consumers as well as establish themselves as a recognizable service. I am a Freelance Graphic Designer, which means I have (what I believe) acquired the essential skills to implement my artistic style and creativity through design for a means of supplemental income, separate from my 9 to 5 job as a Manager in an Art Supply store.
My responsibilities are to work the necessary hours to finish a project in a timely fashion for the customer and work with them on creating their vision with computer design technology (Mac- Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign programs).
Graphic design is difficult because depending on your skill level you can go far, but I have felt limitations. I am not a Programmer, I do not know HTML code or Java script, which is the text or “behind the scene” language that allows a website to function, it allows you and me to navigate from window to window on the computer.  I have a little experience in this part of Graphic Design but not a lot, I have chosen not to understand this aspect of Graphic Design because it takes me away from what I am truly gifted at, and that is straight up design. As a result I will never be a multidimensional Graphic Designer, who can implement the navigational language of websites and help businesses get acclimated to an on-line presence.
I have worked as a Graphic Artist for a weekly Employment Ad publication, I sat in a cubicle, and I designed small 3 inch by 4 inch ads for companies looking to hire. The hours were long and as the week progressed I had to create and layout a whole book for a city. Needless to say I never felt like I was creating quick enough for my bosses, and if I mistakenly got too creative, I had to simplify and perhaps redesign the whole ad. This was an entry-level job as they say and it absolutely stifled me and limited everything that I was capable of doing artistically. This is what lead me to take matters into my own hands and create my own business, SWARTS DESIGN CO.
I’ve learned a lot from my experiences as I’m sure you will too, but I’ve also learned that you should do what makes sense to you at that time, be patient and exercise your mind and body. I’ve read more books outside of school then I ever did in, because once school is over you can finally start studying what you are passionate about. This will inevitably help you decide what your own voice and  mark in this world can be. I’ve found that it takes a long time to find out where you fit as far as careers go, in fact I’m still searching, what keeps me going is the fact that I feel in my heart that I am striving for the peace of mind that allows me to feel good about an honest days work.

Sincerely,
Rob Swarts

President,
SWARTS DESIGN CO.

INSPIRATION

His work took possession of him and he felt the approach of what is called inspiration. At such moments the relation of forces that determine artistic creation is, as it were, reversed. The dominant thing is no longer the state of mind the artist seeks to express but the language in which he wants to express it. Language, the home and receptacle of beauty and meaning, itself begins to think and speak for man and turns wholly into music, not in terms of sonority but in terms of impetuousness and power of it’s inward flow. Then, like the current of a mighty river polishing stones and turning wheels by it’s very movement, the flow of speech creates in passing, by virtue of it’s own laws, meter and rhythm and countless other forms and formations, which are even more important, but which are as yet unexplored, insufficiently recognized, and unnamed. At such moments you feel that the main part of the work is being done not by yourself but by a superior power which is above you and directs you, namely the movement of universal thought and Art it’s present historical stage and the one to come. You then feel yourself to be only the occasion, the fulcrum needed to make this movement possible.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

A time comes in your life when you finally get it … when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out ENOUGH!!! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change…or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that you are neither Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance. You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are…and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn’t do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it’s not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance. You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties…and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the junk you’ve been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends. You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with…and in the process you learn to go with your instincts. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for your next fix. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not your job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake. Then you learn about love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. And you learn that alone does not mean lonely. You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK…and that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things you want…and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands. You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won’t settle for less. And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve…and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone…and that it’s OK to risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms. And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn’t punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It’s just life happening. And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state – the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.