johndilworth.com

Lessons Learned on Mt. Rainier

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:58:00 -0700

Life Lessons Learned on Mt. Rainier

On June 25th at about 6:00 am, after months of preparation and conditioning, I found myself standing on the top of Mt. Rainier. Standing at the top of a mountain peak is always a satisfying experience, even though in reality the journey is only half-over you feel a great sense of accomplishment and you are rewarded with a view of the horizon that is only available at the apex of the summit.I climbed Rainier with RMI guides on June 22–25, 2010. Photographs were taken with an Olympus point and shoot camera.

It’s hard to capture the essence of a trip in writing or with photographs. No matter how good your photographs are, they never do justice for what you are able to experience in the moment with all your senses fully engaged and undistracted. I find that the experience has a purifying effect on my mind. On the mountain, things seem simple and clear. Reflecting on the experience often brings clarity to other parts of my life. On this particular trip, there were many lessons learned – metaphors for living and working found in the course of the adventure. I’d like to share a few of them:

Commitment

Commitment is a huge factor in any undertaking – you have to set your mind to complete something early or there’s a chance you’ll end up backing out. Without committing to the goal mentally, I never would have trained properly. I would have found it easy to bail after hearing news of avalanches and death on the mountain. Not committing could have cost me the enjoyment of a truly incredible experience, leaving me only the “debt of regret”.

On our way to Ashford, Washington we were greeted with this incredible view of Mt. Rainier. It had been overcast skies for weeks before, and it cleared up perfectly for our trip.

We booked our trip with RMI guides, a reputable guide service for mt. Rainier. They required a non-refundable $300 deposit, and payment in full 90 days before the trip. Making that non-refundable payment was one way to commit – but even bigger was the mental commitment that I was going to do it. I committed, and would do what it takes to make the trip, and make it enjoyable and safe for myself and the others who committed along with me.

Without real commitment, an idea never becomes anything more than a dream.

Preparation

After I signed up for the climb I started mental and physical preparation. Regular trail running (with lots of uphill) and weekly trips into the mountains with a loaded pack were the main course for my training. I often felt like I wasn’t getting in the training that I wanted, but I was consistently getting out, and trying to get as much elevation as a could. I also prepared by getting my equipment ready and testing it out to make sure it would work for me like I needed it to.

As we started up the mountain for a day of training before our summit attempt, Mt. Rainier had a cap of cloud cover on the summit. For us it was a beautiful clear day, for those on the summit, it was white-out wintery conditions.

As with all things – preparation can make or break your chances at success, and has an even bigger impact on how much you enjoy it. I was glad to have strong legs and lungs, and made it off the mountain with some energy in reserve.

Climbers arriving at Camp Muir across the Muir snow field. Camp Muir sits on the mountain at about 10,000ft, and is the primary base camp for independent and guided parties attempting a summit of Mt. Rainier.

Remember your Priorities

On the first day of orientation, the guides gave us our 3 goals for the trip:

Safety
Have Fun
Reach the Summit

These three goals—in that order—are perfect for any activity, and even for you life in general. There are inherent risks to the activity, and the purpose of the first goal is not to eliminate the first two, but to always keep in mind that if you die or are seriously injured in the process – there’s no chance you’ll accomplish goals number 2 and 3. Having fun is also more critical than reaching the summit – if you can’t have fun or enjoy the experience, there’s really no point in it. These kinds of activities are hard work – as an individual you also have to be prepared to know how to have fun doing things that are difficult. You also have to know how to keep having fun, even if goal number 3 (reaching the summit) doesn’t come to fruition. There is a very high chance that we wouldn’t get to climb to the summit, but with priorities in order, my worst case scenario would include at least 2 of 3 successes.

“The mountains will always be there, the trick is to make sure you are too.” Hervey Voge

Rest and Relief

On our hike both directions (up and down) we took structured breaks. We would hike for 1 to 1½ hours and then take a 10 to 15 minute break. The breaks give you a chance to shed the weight on your back, and to refuel for the upcoming stretch. A break give you a chance to catch your breath (if you need it) a chance to snap a few photos, and a chance to relieve yourself so that you can continue the next section without fatigue. Resting too long can cause you to get cold (literally), and makes it harder to restart. Not enough rest can also cause problems – like trying to get a few hours sleep in a makeshift bunk house packed with 18 people. When you don’t rest, your body doesn’t have time to recover and it can make things tough on you.

We stayed the night in this hut — probably the worst part of the whole trip. Trying to sleep in a tiny hut with 12 other climbers is not easy to do.

The Alpine Start

Climbers begin a mountain ascent in the early hours of the morning to avoid falling ice and rocks when the sun heats the mountain during daylight hours. An early start is also critical in order to ensure that there is time to get off the mountain in the case of unexpected hold-ups. When the light went on in the hut at about midnight, it was a relief for me and we got up to get ready to start our climb. After an oatmeal breakfast and a good drink, we put on our gear (harness and crampons), hooked on the rope and started at climb at about 1:15 am.

Watching the sun rise on the trail is one of the best parts of the climbing experience. As the sun comes up, your progress is slowly revealed, and incredible views appear.

An early start is a good idea in about anything. Even if you are fast, when you start late, those that left earlier end up in front of you, slowing you down and creating new obstacles for you to deal with. The later and longer you are on the mountain, the more chance you have for things to go wrong. When things go wrong early in the game, you’ve got time to deal with them. When they happen late in the game, there’s no time, and the effect can be exponentially worse.

As the sun came up, we were treated to a beautiful “pink sunrise”. This photo was taken by Yoshi, another climber on the trip. I still can’t figure out why I didn’t think to get my camera out – I think I was momentarily stunned by how beautiful it was.

Remember to Breathe

The key to keeping your energy and endurance at elevation is in proper breathing technique. When you are on the mountain at 13,000ft if you forget to intentionally breathe, or simply revert to your lower elevation breathing style you deprive your body of oxygen and run the risk of ending up a little bit light headed or out of energy. Climbing at elevation makes you realize your dependence on the air in our environment. Each breath is intentional, exaggerated, and in rhythm with the climbing motion. The breath helps focus, it helps the progress, and makes you feel alive.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the things that we are doing that we forget to take care of the essentials.

An early morning view from one of our breaks. We stopped on a steep section of the mountain just after sunrise. We all stayed attached to ropes and took a moment to drink, eat and breathe.

Reaching The Summit

We arrived at the summit at around 5:30 am. It was actually a surprise to me that we had reached the summit so quickly. I was expecting at least another hour of hiking. When we arrived we had clear skies and almost windless conditions. It was very cold on top —probably around 15 degrees or colder. We dropped our packs, took a quick drink of water and ate some food and then headed across the crater to the Columbia Crest which is 14,410 ft. above sea level. On top you could tell that this was not just a mountain, but a living, active volcano. The crater rim had exposed dirt, and you could see steam rising from it.

The photo above was taken from the true summit of Mt. Rainier. Needless to say, it’s quite the experience walking across the crater of an active volcano of that size, especially when you can see evidence that this thing isn’t all that dormant.

A panoramic view composed of a few different shots taken from the true summit.

Getting to the top is great feeling – although sometimes it can even seem a bit anti-climatic. The true summit is the smallest part of the mountain, it’s usually cold, windy and crowded, and there’s not a lot do do there other than to take a large sweeping view. It is also a place of great satisfaction. I never ever pictured myself on top of Rainier, yet there I was taking a picture. The view was amazing, you really get a sense of the horizon, with nothing blocking your view in any direction. For a moment you really are on the top of the world.

Making our way up to the true summit on dirt! After so much walking on ice and frozen snow, it was a strange feeling to step on soft warm dirt at the coldest place we’d been that day.

Looking down from the top, we could see a few clouds that were starting to surround the peak. There was also a beautiful sea of clouds at about 4,000 ft covering the valley floor.

Conditions Change

We arrived with sunny blue skies, but within 30 minutes or so, a cloud had covered the summit, blocking most of our view. Rainier is known to create it’s own weather – storms can appear all of the sudden, and can turn a sunny day into a snowstorm. For us, however, this was just a passing cloud and quickly swept over the mountain revealing blue skies a few minutes later.

On any mountain, weather can change instantly – we were prepared with full winter gear and I would have been comfortable in even much cooler temperatures. In life, you have to prepare for all conditions, and know that as fast as things get good, they might get bad.

Here’s Rob and I on the summit. Just as we got to the top a cover of clouds set in and it was almost a white out. It was pretty cold on top, and I was glad to be bundled in my comfy warm parka.

A few climbers in our group on the true summit of Mt. Rainier. It was cold up there with a bit of wind.

Just before we started our descent, this strange and beautiful cloud began forming off the edge of the crater.

The Descent

As with most everything in life, getting to the top is only half way – you have to make it back down. Most accidents in mountaineering happen on the way down. It can be harder to go down than up, and you’ve expended a great deal of energy to get to the top, and now you have to get down with tired legs. The trick is to prepare for the down climb the same way you prepare for the up. Take extra care, and be sure to make it down with something you gained from the top. You go up in the dark, but you get to come down in the daylight, viewing the whole mountain in a different light. Because of the angle of the mountain, when you go up you can only see a little ways in front of you without breaking your neck to look up. On the way down you can see the whole thing clearly and naturally. It makes you think you might not have even tried, had known what you were going up in the dark.

Descending the Ingraham glacier was truly spectacular. We climbed this section in the dark, and didn’t really get to see the details of the mountain on the way up.

Dealing with Danger and Risk

“Living with the immediacy of death helps you sort out your priorities in life. It helps you to live a less trivial life.” Sogyal Rinpoche

“It is not the goal of grand alpinism to face peril, but it is one of the tests one must undergo to deserve the joy of rising for an instant above the state of crawling grubs.” Lionel Terray

Rainier is a dangerous mountain, there’s no doubt about it. In just the time that I was preparing for this trip‚ two climbers were rescued due to adverse weather conditions. 10 more climbers were buried in an avalanche (9 rescued and 1 dead), and another climber mysteriously disappeared from his team and has yet to be found. Our guides warned us that there was a body on the mountain that may soon surface as the warm weather melts off the winter snow.

There’s danger all around—Rainier is an active volcano – it could blow like Mt. Saint Helens, you could fall into a crevasse, you could be hit by falling rock or ice, you could freeze to death. There’s chance for failure and even death but it doesn’t mean that you can’t do it, and It doesn’t mean that you will die. You have to accept the risk, do everything you can to minimize it, and be alert to know that you are minimizing the chance of an accident, not increasing it with your own stupidity.

The glaciers on Rainier are spectacular. These giant crevasses of the Ingraham Glacier were amazing to see. For a sense of scale, the small orange dot in the upper/middle left are tents.

Make the Path Better for Those Who Follow

On our way down, our guide made adjustments to the path to make it better for groups coming up in the coming days. There was one section of the path that required us to step over an open crevasse. The opening was larger than even just a few hours before when we crossed it on the way up. It had gotten to the point that the route would probably have to be changed shortly in order to keep it safe, and the route that we took would be closed for the rest of the season.

Helping keep the route safe is a huge benefit for all the climbers who attempt to summit Rainier. Even though there are several guide services who compete for individual business, there’s no competition on the mountain for the best route. Everyone contributes to making the route safe and enjoyable for everyone. Independent parties take advantage of the guide service’s day-to-day knowledge of the route.

Our guide Billy Nugent making some adjustments to the path, The small flags help climbers follow the path in the even of new snow or whiteout conditions. Also on the rope team behind me are Rob and Mike who has his head in the snow taking a much needed break.

Rich on the front of our rope team leading us down the mountain.

A spectacular view of Little Tahoma peak and the Ingraham glacier on the way down.

Epic

The trip was epic. I don’t really know how else to describe it. Mt. Rainier is a beautiful place, it’s a place that makes you feel alive. You can’t help but reflect on the stunning beauty of nature and your place in it. We had nearly perfect conditions and a only a few annoyances that will quickly be forgotten. And, as with all trips to the mountains – I learned more about nature, more about my place in it, and more about living.

I hope to find myself on another adventure soon.

Double Rainbow!

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 23:56:00 -0700

Double Rainbow!

My favorite moment of the week has been watching the Double Rainbow video posted by Paul Vasquez. Paul is sincerely in awe at the beauty of of something he witnessed in nature. The video is good for weeks of entertainment or more and it is easy to poke a little fun at Paul’s enthusiasm.

However, if you’ve never witnessed the beauty of nature in a way that made you go double rainbow like Paul did, you need to get out of the house more often. There are beautiful things to be seen in the world, and if you can witness them in the right moment it is truly incredible.

The video reminded me a double rainbow experience that I had myself a few weeks ago on an early morning training hike in the mountains above my house.

After the bit of rain passed, the skies cleared providing spectacular views from 9,000 ft. of Mt. Ogden to the north.

Still plenty of snow at 9,400 feet in June. Beautiful cornices breaking on the ridges.

Here’s to more double rainbow moments – and to Paul Vasquez for reminding us how incredible the world really is.

Destination: Mt. Rainier

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:35:00 -0700

Destination: Mt. Rainier

Last year Rob Thomas told me that he was thinking about climbing Mt. Rainier this year, and that he had just checked with the guide service and found out there were just a few spots open, but that we’d need to make a deposit right away if we wanted to go. Being the sucker that I am, I signed up without any idea of what I was in for.

Over the past 6 months I’ve taken on a training routine to get ready for the trip. I’ve hiked nearly every weekend, rain or shine, and tried to keep up my mileage in trail running to stay fit. I’ve also spent a small fortune on mountaineering clothing and gear.

Mt. Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 states. The summit is topped by two volcanic craters, and the rim of the crater is exposed due to geothermic heat. We’ll start on climb on Wednesday of this week, and hopefully summit on Friday if the weather and conditions permit.

Needless to say, I’m pretty dang excited to spend a week away from work in the mountains.

Goodbye Sid

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:02:00 -0700

Goodbye Sid

Ten years ago, Kathi brought home a tiny black kitten that she had rescued from the side of a busy street. This little kitten was a wild kitten who had apparently wandered away from his family and was facing certain death at the edge of one of the busiest streets in the area.

Sid was a great cat. He grew up along with our oldest daughter, and was a part of every family activity that we had in our home. Each night, without fail, he’d show up during family prayers, gently making himself a spot in the family circle.

A few months ago Sid went into kidney failure. This was likely a condition he’s had his whole life, and there was little we could do to help him out. He rebounded for a few months with love, care and attention. At times, it appeared that he might rally and be able to hang on a bit longer. Ultimately he couldn’t and it became clear that his condition wouldn’t get better.

Some pets have a unique ability to make deep emotional connections with their owners, and sometimes you don’t realize how deep that connection is until you hold them in your arms as the vet puts them to sleep. Sid was one of those pets, and he will be deeply missed.

Our home feels a bit empty, quieter, and missing a good friend.

Goodbye Sid.

The Bonanza Badlands

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 23:37:00 -0700

The Bonanza Badlands

The Bonanza Badlands is an expanse of desert about 30 miles southeast of Vernal, Utah. There’s a coal power plant in Bonanza, a track for an electric train (feeding the power plant), and a highway that heads east towards Rangley, Colorado. There’s just not much out there to excite the typical person. There are no trees, no shade, and no water. There is however, a beautiful landscape with lots of room to explore.

David and Paxton on the ridge checking out the dirt formations. Mom, Kathi and Klaire further in the background. We had great weather, and no bugs.

There’s just something about exploring a desert landscape – a feeling of isolation, peace and stillness that is hard to find anywhere else. The landscape is fragile, you can break apart with your hands what might have taken nature thousands of years to produce. The desert covers the new and reveals the old. There are signs of life, but life is rarely seen.

We had a great time exploring the hills and formations, we found fossils, ancient bones in rock, recent bones in the wash, and enjoyed a moment in a place where time seems to stand still.

Kathi and Paxton on a ridge. The dirt formation were spectacular, making for lots of interesting exploring.

The main geological formation of the area is the Uinta Formation, hills of dirt containing fossilized turtles and other animals from the Eocene era.

The hills are covered in this fractured soil, in a state of constant erosion.

We found this piece of fossilized bone on top of one of the formations. It was clearly visible (from the top) but must have come from a large animal of some type (maybe a Uintatherium, as they have been found in this formation.)

Another fossil in the rock wall, which looks to be an intact prehistoric turtle shell. That’s my dad, Ken, below taking photos.

View more photos and higher resolution images on flickr.

In the Hollow of a Tree

Tue, 25 May 2010 23:08:00 -0700

In the Hollow of a Tree

I decided to make my way up a small mountain trail near my home as part of my evening run. The trail is one of my favorites, as it has a nice flow of runoff, a steady climb, and beautifully quite scenery. It is also not one of the most popular trails, and I rarely encounter anyone on it.

As I made my way up the trail, I decided to take a break near a small level clearing next to the stream. I thought to myself that the spot would make a nice little campsite, or even just a nice place for personal reflection. The spot was just off the trail, out of view, and contains a perfect stone to sit on. As I sat down, I noticed what I thought was garbage stuffed into the hollow of a tree. I looked further and pulled out an empty zip-lock bag. Under the bag was another bag which contained a book of some sort.

A photo of the bible taken with the camera in my mobile phone

The book turned out to be a beautiful copy of the Holy Bible containing two inscriptions inside the front cover.

The first inscription, written in cursive with blue ink read:

Please leave this Bible here, for I often come to this spot and read God’s word. It would mean a great deal to me if it is here when I return each day.
Thank you so much,
Marcy

The second inscription, printed in black ink read:

On Oct 12, 2009 Marcy left this Earth and is in the Presence of God. She was 59 years old. She loved the high mountain trails, hiking with her friends in all seasons and winding her way toward the mountain peaks and the light blue windless skies, now she will be part of them forever. Marcy loved her mountains and her hiking friends and family.
To my beautiful wife, Goodbye.
Stephen

I was deeply touched. I felt privileged to have the opportunity to become part of a very personal and beautiful story of life. I imagined Marcy taking a break and reading from the scriptures, searching and finding spiritual peace. I also felt the love and respect that her husband had for her.

Finding and reading this book tonight, in this setting with this artifact told me so much about these people I’d never met. It also told me a beautiful story about life and love, and let me experience it first hand in a beautiful setting. It transformed that little spot into holy ground, and I hope to return there often as well.

Marcy and Steven, thank you for your gift.

Super Elevated

Thu, 13 May 2010 00:29:00 -0700

Super Elevated

Here’s a little typeface I’ve been working on for a few months now – I’m not really sure why I made it, or what I will do with it now that it is done, but I like it and had fun doing it. There’s a bit of work still to be done, but wanted to share it. Font-making has become a favorite family pastime, or weird addiction – whatever you want to call it.

Inspired by a bit of type found on the inside of an elevator door, this new typeface is designed with extra tall and thin letters. The tallness and thinness surpasses most type designs in it’s class. Super Elevated also incorporates a subtle serif and elegant proportions that give it class. The extra tall letters are especially difficult to read at small sizes, making better to use at large sizes, however, non-readability is considered a feature of this typeface.

This is what happens late at night at the Dilworth home… I hope you enjoy it.

Download it here

A Cosmic Knot: Exhibition at Universe City

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:53:00 -0700

A Cosmic Knot: Exhibition at Universe City Gallery in Ogden

This Friday night (April, 2, 2010) I’ll be opening a show of my work at Universe City Gallery in Ogden, UT (2556 Washington Boulevard). Gallery hours are Fridays, 5:00-8:00 and Saturdays, (NEW HOURS) 1:00-6:00 pm. or by appointment (call Benjamin Jennings at 801-458-8959).

The Labyrinth represents a puzzle that we are driven to solve. It also represents our stubbornness to accept that help when we need it most. The design of a knot is like a labyrinth, a maze of crossing lines and paths, eternally connected with no end and no beginning.

The show will feature work from the “Cosmic Knot” series which focuses on depictions of archetypal events and experiences, and how they relate to our own spiritual identities. These experiences are presented in symbolic form, incorporating tradition, myth, and culture into radiant compositions which attempt to harmoniously balance structured form with spiritual and chaotic energy.

The show’s main focus will be on a series of 9 works, each one exploring the symbolism of the knot through narrative compositions.

This is the first public showing of these works, and I’m excited to get them out in the public. Come out and support the Downtown Ogden’s First Friday Art Stroll and come and see the show.

If you are interested in previewing the works, more information can be found in the Fine Art Prints section of the web site.

What You Think, You Become

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 23:46:00 -0700

What You Think, You Become

This latest print, part of my Life and Geometry series is inspired by the geometric grids used by Tibetan Buddhism to maintain consistency in the drawing of the Buddha. The design reveals the grid and structure behind the image while retaining the peaceful and meditative qualities of the Buddha image.

“What you think, you become” — one of the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, is a truth that transcends religion. It is a thought to live by, and inspires one to spend more time with ones thoughts—through meditation and inaction—before acting.

What you think, you become is available starting at $65.

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:43:00 -0800

Over the last several years it has become a bit worrisome to me that perhaps technology is taking more that it is giving. This thought, has led me down a path in-between technology and the more humanistic things that we find in our history. The work on my thesis project approached this topic by using the computer to create work and art which has a classical and spiritual feeling. I feel that this work was a success (images found here: http://store.johndilworth.com).

On the other side of things, I also find myself enamored by technology, by its image, complexity, and industrial nature that seems to move ahead without regard for the past. In all of this, I have recently found a few interesting forms and ideas that are moving my work in new and perhaps surprising directions, where technology is juxtaposed with classical elements.

The next project has involved the development of a new typeface, Cloaked Humanity, in a few variations, and the typesetting of the bible in that font. There’s something funny, interesting, and hopefully powerful in a book that contains all the content of the original, but can’t be read because the humanity is “Cloaked.”

I’ll be making some updates here as I embark on this project.

(If you are reading this on a feed reader or other site, make sure that you view it on the site for full effect)

Advice for Artists

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:27:00 -0800

Advice for Artists (or for anyone who loves what they do)

“Ultimately, the passage of time is far more important than strategizing for success. Make art, get it out there, do what you have to do so that as many people see your art as possible, prove that you’re a going concern, that you’re in this for the duration, you’re committed, you’re not going to give up, and that nothing will stop you. Sooner or later, others will begin believing in you just like you believe in yourself, and that’s when good things start happening.”

From Strategies to Advance your Career…Maybe

The Power of Inaction - Salt Lake City Ignite Presentation

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:11:00 -0800

The Power of Inaction – My Salt Lake City Ignite Presentation

I’ve just finished up my presentation for the upcoming Salt Lake City Ignite Event. Ignite is part of Oreilly’s Global Ignite Week – speakers from all over the world will share a short 5 minute presentation including 15 slides on the topic of their choice.

My presentation, the Power of Inaction, is about an idea that I’ve had for a few years now based on the principle of inaction found in Chinese Philosophy. I decided to hand illustrate all 20 slides in the presentation, a task which turned out to be way more work than i had originally anticipated. In the end, I’ve got some fun drawings, including an impressive mullet, Chuck Norris, and more. I’ll post the full presentation and drawings after the event.

Ignite SLC will be held this coming Thursday, March 4th, 2010 from 6 – 10 pm. The event will be held in the State Room. The event is free, but there’s only room for 300 people (it is anticipated to fill up), so if you want to go, you should plan on arriving early.

I’m looking forward to the other presentations, and am expecting to have a lot of fun.

Hopefully I’ll see you there to cheer me on.

The Store is Open

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:33:00 -0800

The Store is Open

Over the past year, I’ve been working slowly but surely on completing a site to showcase and sell my artwork. The store is now up and running, and prints are waiting anxiously to be on the wall of your home. Please take a moment to read about the site, or head on over and view the work.

The store is available at: http://store.johndilworth.com

The work that is published in the store is all original work completed by me over the past few years. Now that the store is finished, I look forward to creating lots of new work instead of investing my time in computer web site programming.

Here are some highlights of the store, and some features that I hope will help people to get a better feel for the quality and originality of my work.

The store features thumbnail views of artwork collections. I’ve started by featuring the cosmic knot series and my geometric poster series

Deep Zoom

The store includes a “deep zoom” feature which allows you to get a close up look at the artwork at nearly full resolution. An important aspect of the artwork is how much detail goes into each work. Layers and layers of line are built up to create each image and pattern.

Image zooming is powered by Openzoom an open source technology that allows large high resolution images to be viewed in a way that doesn’t monopolize your computer’s bandwidth.

Multiple Sizes

Each print is available in multiple sizes. It was important when developing the prints and the site to make the artwork available in different sizes. I wanted to make sure that anyone who was interested in the work would be able to purchase something within their price range, or something that is the right size for their home or office.

There’s a print size and price for everyone

On Sale for a Limited Time

As a special for friends and readers of this web site – all unframed prints will be on sale for 50% off until the end of the February (2/31/2010). Use the promotional code “COSMIC” at checkout.

Hand Bound Sketchbooks

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:22:00 -0800

Hand Bound Sketchbooks

For the past few years, I’ve decided to do away with the Moleskin, and have started making my own sketchbooks. I’ve found that the handmade books become even more personal. I enjoy having them with me, I like decorating them—not just the pages, but the books themselves.

The books gain even more character as I carry them around, write worthless meeting notes and todo lists, and fill blank pages with doodles or art ideas. I get attached personally, and have a hard time giving them up, but also look forward to making new books when the pages are filled.

Here’s a few examples of some of my favorites:

The Golden Ratio motif cover accompanied a presentation and workshop on harmony and proportion last year.

The Sri Yantra was one of my favorite books. I used a soft hand made paper cover. The book included pockets and a hidden binding.

Metatron’s cube – and the scripture reference from Enoch are materials soon to be converted into poster designs. This book was also one of my favorites due to the doodle potential, and combination with geometric and organic shapes.

As October nears, I always get the desire to draw skulls – I love the symbolism of both death and life that accompanies the skull. This was a bit awkward carrying this one around at work, as I’m sure most viewed it and thought that I was some loser 30-something still into death metal and skull drawings on his notebook (which is ok, because it is partially true).

“Cloaked Humanity” is the latest sketchbook, decorated with a custom techno typeface, and an anti-technology quote by Neil Postman.

In the future, and if others are interested, I’ll post more about how I make these books and what I’ve found works best for me.

Cloaked Humanity

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:31:00 -0800

Cloaked Humanity

For whatever reason, tonight I ended up staying up till 2:30 AM doing nothing particularly important.

Inspired by a few letterforms I saw on a newspaper cover by Mark Manders and Marije Langelaar, I ended up making a typeface that I don’t need, a poster with a great quote from Neil Postman, and a few sketchbooks to go along with the theme.

“Cloaked Humanity” seemed like the perfect name for a typeface that looked so digital. The quote by Neil Postman is one of my favorites from his book “Technopoly”

“There is no escaping from ourselves, the human dilemma is as it has always been and we solve nothing fundamental by cloaking ourselves in technological glory.”

Here’s a photo of the sketchbook cover to go along with the poster art.

johndilworth.com

Lessons Learned on Mt. Rainier

Life Lessons Learned on Mt. Rainier

Commitment

Preparation

Remember your Priorities

Rest and Relief

The Alpine Start

Remember to Breathe

Reaching The Summit

Conditions Change

The Descent

Dealing with Danger and Risk

Make the Path Better for Those Who Follow

Epic

Double Rainbow!

Double Rainbow!

Destination: Mt. Rainier

Destination: Mt. Rainier

Goodbye Sid

Goodbye Sid

The Bonanza Badlands

The Bonanza Badlands

In the Hollow of a Tree

In the Hollow of a Tree

Super Elevated

Super Elevated

A Cosmic Knot: Exhibition at Universe City

A Cosmic Knot: Exhibition at Universe City Gallery in Ogden

What You Think, You Become

What You Think, You Become

Next

Next

Advice for Artists

Advice for Artists (or for anyone who loves what they do)

The Power of Inaction - Salt Lake City Ignite Presentation

The Power of Inaction – My Salt Lake City Ignite Presentation

The Store is Open

The Store is Open

Deep Zoom

Multiple Sizes

On Sale for a Limited Time

Hand Bound Sketchbooks

Hand Bound Sketchbooks

Cloaked Humanity

Cloaked Humanity