ARTOTEMS CO: MARKETING, PUBLICITY AND WEBSITES FOR AUTHORS, NON-PROFITS, AND SMALL BUSINESS
  • Home
  • About
    • Santa Fe
    • Our Clients
    • Testimonials
  • News
  • Services
    • Marketing & Publicity
    • Design
    • Consulting
  • Author Services
  • Working With Artists
  • Sparks
    • Book Santa Fe
    • V Day UVM Hermosillo
    • SFYSA
    • Flamenco
    • Santa Fe Intl. Silk Fashion Show
    • Freud's Artifacts
    • Personal Artifacts
    • Wunderkammer - Artotems Co.
    • Dreams Revisted - Jung
    • Meet Artotem
    • Artistic Business Cards
    • Things on Adobe
    • It Was In Our Hands
    • A Vision of Crows
    • Look and Listen
    • Death of A Book
    • Alan Watts
    • Textures - It's Nature's Way
    • The Early Years
    • Things on Adobe
    • Our Customers Are Creative
  • Contact
Artotems Co. Blog MARKETING AND PUBLICITY
Find out What we are Up to at Artotems Co.

The Road Travelled

9/24/2012

0 Comments

 
Metaphorical Implications
Picture
Winding our way down the road on a journey lends itself to opportunities for metaphorical thinking. From the idea of a pilgrimage of faith to an arduous path to wisdom, traveling lends itself to deeper meaning. This journey “archetype” can be found as far back as our literature reaches into the past. From Homer’s description of Odysseus as widely travelled and hence ingenious to Wordsworth’s description of Newton’s process as, “Voyaging through strange seas of thought.” travel resonates deeply in us in fascinating ways.  Of course a mention of Kerouac’s On the Road, a book about a personal quest for meaning and belonging is a great example of what the idea of the “road” can represent. As Jack said, “Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.” The “road” we realize is a part of us and has been for a very long time.
In a car as opposed to air travel the sense of gradual progress and awareness of the environment is much more immediate. The passing scene and time spent builds a concept of accomplishment from actions taken. While we travel for all sorts of reasons, a business trip, a trip to see family, sometimes we travel to experience a sense of freedom and movement in our lives, the quintessential “road trip”. The idea of moving away from something and toward something else can be very satisfying if we accept the “doing” of and “being” of a traveler.

Picture
If you travel far enough you can watch the environment change. These changes are often gradual but sometimes dramatic. Shifting microclimates merge into a markedly different environmental experience. What starts as an exposed rock formation can slowly lead to a mountain. A scrub tree on the desert can eventually lead to a forest. Or in some cases driving around a curve leads to an unexpected panoramic scene. These changes hint at the progress of the journey and a sense of accomplishment, again, often gradual but sometimes dramatic. Imagine the first time a traveler walked up to the edge of the Grand Canyon. Its depths are so astounding our perception is at times confused by it. How was this person and the journey they were on changed?  It must have been profound. Even now, despite maps and electronic means of finding our way traveling can lead to unforeseen experiences that test our knowledge and our comfort level.

Picture
Just like the microclimates mentioned above we can also experience micro-cultures as we move across the landscape. Despite the intentions and impact of corporate entities that place chain stores across the land, those cultural differences persist in many ways. While humans as a whole are pretty much the same the world over, cultural differences do exist. As we drive through Dodge City, Kansas we instinctively know that people who live here have a specific culture that has been built over a very long time. A culture built around the cattle business. As we drive through Santa Fe, New Mexico we can’t help but notice the adobe buildings in all directions. When we stop for gas or to eat and spend the night we get a sense of the differences. We may notice that the clothing styles are different; the accents are different, and other subtle differences that are noticeable. All travelers throughout time have felt this sense of difference as they travel and for some it is challenging and can cause discomfort. For others it is interesting and delightful. Either way the opportunity for being challenged in some sense is there and thus an opportunity for learning exists.

Picture
The road, simply intended to allow transport from one point to the next also bears the implications of its history. Like the progress of any endeavor in regards to both time and success it has an historical element.  Travelling across the Southwest of the United States one can easily imagine the trade routes of the Native Americans or wagon tracks of determined settlers that became the interstate highway. The routes the roads take were determined by trial and error that sometimes led to tragic consequences. It was travel at your own risk. While that risk is not what we face, every trip has its risks, breaking down, being in unfamiliar territory, etc. and really that’s part of what makes it fascinating. As we whiz by in the comfort of our vehicles we sometimes see remnants of the past. An abandoned ramshackle building can speak to another time when the passersby were travelling slower on the road and the location was perceived as viable and essential in some way. While it no longer serves an immediate function it evokes a sense of history and can be emotionally moving.

A Business Metaphor
Going back to journey metaphors we encounter that almost universal myth of the “Hero Journey”. It’s the basis of many children’s books, movies, and literature throughout time. The journey is typically one of leaving behind the known and venturing forth on a quest or adventure. The hero experiences difficulties as well as support throughout the journey. In the process profound learning occurs. When the hero returns he or she brings with them knowledge and experiences to assist others.  This Hero myth has become a learning lesson and tool for many businesses. The implication of transformative change is one that is powerful and lends itself to many aspects of innovative endeavor.  We see ourselves on this journey and often use this metaphor to help others more clearly see the journey they are on and its implications. Artotems Co, was started quite a long time ago as a business that worked with healthcare data and designed databases. As we traveled along our business path we made changes to what we did based on our experiences and the needs of our customers.  For many of our business clients the Hero Journey myth fits right in. Starting a new business is certainly a journey of discovery and learning and is an effort worthy of admiration. Whether that business is one that helps companies be more efficient in its energy use or one that creates unique one of a kind totem poles they are on a journey that not all are willing to venture forth on. It takes independence and vision to step out of the comfort zone and create something. Understanding the journey and its implications is vital to success. Whether it’s the subtle differences in the environment of your field of endeavor, the people you work with and serve, or the history of what’s come before, vigilance is required. It’s a “road trip” of awareness, vision, and creativity.
As the season changes and the summer vacations are over, we wonder how many of us enjoyed the journey as much as the destinations we arrived at. I know we did.

​Below are a few random car photos taken as we traveled across part of U.S. to Los Angeles.
0 Comments
    Picture

    Artotems Co.

    Sharing our creative efforts, work and travel.

    "Wherever you go, go with all your heart." -Confucius

    Follow me on Blogarama

    Archives

    December 2022
    July 2022
    October 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    June 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    April 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    June 2014
    February 2014
    August 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    1937
    Acting
    Adobe
    Allen Long Author
    Amsterdam
    And Gray
    And Pink
    Andrea Cassutt
    Andy Warhol Mao
    Apps For Kids
    Apps For Learning
    Architecture Exhibit
    Art
    Art Book
    Art Bookstore
    Art History
    Artist
    Artist Marketing
    Artist Publicity
    Artists
    Art Museum
    Art Museums
    Artotems Marketing Clients
    Art Tucker
    Athor
    Author
    Author Blog
    Author Headshots
    Author Hugh Fritz
    Author Marketing
    Author Michael R. French
    Author Photo
    Authors
    Author Services
    Authors Writers
    Author Video
    Back To School Santa Fe
    Banksy Cardinal Sin
    Banksy Love Is In The Air
    Beastly Books
    Bed And Breakfast Website
    Black
    Blue
    Blue And Yellow (with Viewers Reflection)
    Book Promotion
    Books
    Book Santa Fe
    Bookstore
    Book Trailer
    Book Video
    Cabaret Voltaire
    Carl Knauf
    Case Study
    Centre Georges Pompidou
    Champaign Urbana
    Change
    Charity
    Children
    Cliff Hanger
    Cliff Hanger Jump Before You Get Pushed
    Climate
    Collaboration
    Contemporary Art
    Creating Art
    Creativity
    DADA
    Dadaism
    De Stijl
    DYING
    Encaustic
    Explora Albuquerque
    Fiction
    Fiona Simon
    Francisco Benitez
    Francis Picabia
    Fthwer
    George R R Martin
    Georges Braque Mandora
    Georg R. R. Martin
    Geri Rietveld Red And Blue Chair
    Granola
    Green
    Grey
    Headshots
    Henri Matisse - Back 1 From A Series Of 4
    Hermosillo
    Hero Journey
    Himalayan Youth Foundation
    Hopi Chief White Eagle
    Housing For Everybody Moderna Museet Architecture Exhibit
    Hugh Fritz
    Hugo Ball
    Illinois
    Inside The Van Gogh Museum
    Internet Safety
    Internet Safety For Kids
    Jay Womack
    Joy
    Kids Apps For Learning
    Kids Summer Activities Santa Fe
    Kids Technology
    Kurt Schwitters
    Kurt Schwitters The Workers Picture
    Larry Silverberg
    Learning
    Learning Apps
    Leonardo Da Vinci La Gioconda (Mona Lisa)
    Life
    Light Box
    Literature
    London
    Loss Of Child
    Louvre
    Love
    Loving Child
    Made Roe Broken
    Made To Be Broken
    Making Your Mark
    Man Feeding Pigeons
    Man Ray Rayogram
    Man Ray Transmutation
    Marcel Duchamp Fountain
    Marcel Duchamp Fresh Widow
    MARIACHI
    Marketing
    Max Ernst The Elephant Celebes
    Merketing
    Mexico
    Moco Museum
    Modellarum
    Moderna Museet
    Modern Art
    Moments
    Mondrian Composition With Yellow
    Mondrian Paintings
    Murals
    Musee Du Louvre
    Music
    Nanoscience
    Nepal
    New Mexico
    New Mexico Author
    New Mexico Museums
    Non Profit
    Non-Profit
    Non Profit Marketing Santa Fe
    Novel
    Objects
    Olafur Eliasson
    Olafur Eliasson - Art Space "Modellrum"
    One Minute Of Moments
    Painting
    Pandemic
    Parenting
    Parents Guide To Social Media For Kids
    Paris
    Paul Klee Forest Witches
    Paul Klee Jumper
    Paul Klee Moleskin Notebook
    Paul Klee Portrait Bust Of Gaia
    Paul Klee Rose Garden
    Paul Klees
    Performance
    Persistence
    Photography
    Piet Mondrian Composition In Red
    Poetry
    Pompidou
    Powerschools Santa Fe
    Praying For Restraint
    Promote Your Book
    Publicity
    Raphael Portrait Of Baldassare Castiglione
    Reading
    Rebecca Pott Fitton
    Red
    ReDING
    Resilience
    Roy Lichtenstein As I Opened Fire
    Salvador Dali Caring For A Surrealist Watch
    Salvador Dali Industrial Life- Prémonition De La Guerre Civil
    Salvador Dali The Enigma Of William Tell
    Santa
    Santa Fe
    Santa Fe Artists
    Santa Fe Author
    Santa Fe New Mexico
    Santa Fe NM
    Santa Fe Public Schools
    Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association
    Sfps Technology
    Shirley Melis
    Social Distancing
    Social Media
    Sonora
    Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
    Stockholm
    Sweden
    Sylvia's Irish Inn
    Systems Biology
    Tate Modern
    Techie Corner
    Technology
    Technology At School
    Techno Tourism Santa Fe
    Ted Karpf
    Temoral Modeling
    The Road
    Things
    Things Cubed
    Thriller
    Totem Poles
    Travel
    Tumbleweeds Santa Fe
    TV Appearances
    Van Gogh Museum
    Van Gogh Museum Digital Mosaic
    Victor Pasmore Abstract In White
    Video
    Virtual Reading
    Vista Living Care
    Website Design
    What Is Technology
    Whole Foods Market
    William Waag
    Writer
    Writers
    Writing
    Zurich

    RSS Feed


Site Design by Artotems Co.
​Copyright © 2020 Artotems Co. All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • About
    • Santa Fe
    • Our Clients
    • Testimonials
  • News
  • Services
    • Marketing & Publicity
    • Design
    • Consulting
  • Author Services
  • Working With Artists
  • Sparks
    • Book Santa Fe
    • V Day UVM Hermosillo
    • SFYSA
    • Flamenco
    • Santa Fe Intl. Silk Fashion Show
    • Freud's Artifacts
    • Personal Artifacts
    • Wunderkammer - Artotems Co.
    • Dreams Revisted - Jung
    • Meet Artotem
    • Artistic Business Cards
    • Things on Adobe
    • It Was In Our Hands
    • A Vision of Crows
    • Look and Listen
    • Death of A Book
    • Alan Watts
    • Textures - It's Nature's Way
    • The Early Years
    • Things on Adobe
    • Our Customers Are Creative
  • Contact