About 10 years ago, I built a studio as a summer project. My wife wanted to have a place to paint and I hadn’t done a large project for a number of years. I hired a contractor to dig the footer and lay up the concrete block. From there, I built the building by myself. It was a great exercise in problem solving. How do you put the triangular windows up that high by yourself, how do you build and stand up the walls, can you frame a roof by yourself? I needed help for the roof, too many pieces and not enough hands.

Building this building is not all that different from the real job that I have. It’s all about problem solving and integration between the technical and creative pursuits that make up most business challenges. Some can be accomplished by a single set of skills while others take many tradesmen. In the building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and carpentry skills were needed. In most of my other projects I use developers, business people, creative resources and other skills to bring a project to completion.

This building represents a great cross section of the problems I work to resolve on a daily basis. The advantage for me is that while I’m viewed as a Technologist, I’m actually more of an Artist. I use many tools to visualize the problems, gather the resources, share the idea and build a team to complete the project.

I love working in this building. Around me is a hodgepodge of goodies that help move me in either the technical or creative direction. Each helps bridge the gap to execute on a final work. Just as an artist uses a pallete of paints, brushes and mediums, I use a wide range of tools to create better solutions for businesses. The goal is to always help businesses operate more efficiently, I just use some technology to help make it happen.

And, by the way, the view from my desk doesn’t suck. In the spring the fox come out to sun and the new fawn climb up and down the hill.