The Art of Storytelling

Recently I watched a Ted talk given by John Meada called “How art, technology, and Design Inform Creative Leaders.” John Meada is the president of the Rhode Island School of Design, specializing in connections between design and technology. Early in his career, he created a human computer, which consisted of a team of actors assembled to complete a simple computer task.  In doing this, Meada was highlighting how much we take technology for granted; there is much intricacy in the processes occurring behind the computer screen.  At Loyola, I am studying both arts and communications, and I am heavily invested in the merging of the two.  I was very inspired by his explanation of the purposes of art and technology. He said, “Technology makes possibilities. Design makes solutions. Art makes questions, and Leadership makes actions.”  If I learned anything for our Communications and New Media class, it was how to merge my artistic side with modern communications methods.  Maeda highlighted the fact that, as we move into this new era of digital media, we need not abandon the traditional artistic perspective.  Art, he explained, makes us explore and interact with the world without limitations.   Artistic expression implores people to expand their thinking and make ideas even bigger.  With art, “no” does not exist.  In an era of electronics, we cannot abandon the beauty of aesthetic artistic skill, for then style and individuality will be lost.  Maeda, in stressing the importance of tradition, also talked about how he only buys antiquities if they have a good story behind them.  Upon hearing this, I immediately thought about our class, and how we have been analyzing storytelling as a tenet of good communications, be it in advertising, digital campaigns, or journalism.   To me, a good story is sort of like a good wedding; there is something borrowed, something new, something old, and something blue.  Well, maybe not blue necessarily, but a good story definitely paints a picture with a wide array of colors.  To truly grab the audience, one has to pull from the past; from memories, shared experiences, and human emotions.  But there is also an element of looking toward the future, and the hope of what could be.  Great stories are strung together with beads of the past and present, but above all they come from the heart.  The only requirements are passion and a pencil.  Once lead hits paper, the possibilities are endless.