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  • Writer's pictureKit Irwin

A couple is walking in the rain. The much shorter woman is holding an umbrella and is about to poke the man in the eye. The man is thinking, "Gah, my combover!!"
Illustration by Clare Mills

Clare Mills, a visual facilitator, drew this illustration after reading my humor piece, "What Will Happen If You Date Someone Above Your Eye Level." I was delighted to see what she captured from my writing. Graphic recording does the same thing for meetings. It lets the presenters or group see what they are taking about.

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  • Writer's pictureKit Irwin

A copper bottle opener with the image of Poseidon riding dolphins. A leather cord attaches at the top.
Copper bottle-opener necklace

At the flea market, I saw this and thought that chunky necklace would look good with a plain top. The dealer asked if I was interested in the bottle opener.


We both saw value in the copper piece, just the usage would be different. Now I have the added benefit that someday I may be able to save a party by opening beer bottles with my necklace.


Can you tell what the image is?


At flea markets, I often hope to see an item at a table filled with tools, sports memorabilia, or weapons, in which the dealer would never see its potential as art or for jewelry. A "trinket" that he would undervalue and I could repurpose.


Is there something you are overlooking because you only see a single purpose for it? Treasures surrounds us waiting to be found.


According to eBay sellers, the image is Poseidon riding dolphins. My husband thinks they look more like squids, and he is a fisherman.

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  • Writer's pictureKit Irwin

Accidental art created by Mark Bracco. Photo of paintbrushes and paint stirrer stuck in resin. The placards for the art pieces read "Mark Bracco/Stuck #1 2019/Paintbrush resin/Collection of the artist"; "Mark Bracco/Stuck #3 2020/Paintbrush resin/Collection of the artist"; "Mark Bracco/Stuck #2 2020/Paint stirrer resin/Collection of the artist"; and "Mark Bracco/Stuck #4 2020/Paintbrush resin/Collection of the artist."
Photo of Mark Braccos's Accidental Art.

My husband told me he had created "accidental art," and showed me a paintbrush that had gotten stuck in resin. Its gravity defying position did inspire awe.


I loved the idea of accidental art, where you are aware and open enough to notice when a mistake has created value.


When I told my husband I was going to blog about this, he brought out more pieces of his accidental art. He had a collection of it.


When I went to photograph the art, I realized they needed placards to take them to the next level. With the series name of "Stuck," the art started to work on a metaphorical level. The placards made me realize how packaging and presentation can add to the value of a product.


Close up photo of the placards, that read: "Mark Bracco/Stuck #1 2019/Paintbrush resin/Collection of the artist"; "Mark Bracco/Stuck #3 2020/Paintbrush resin/Collection of the artist"; "Mark Bracco/Stuck #2 2020/Paint stirrer resin/Collection of the artist"; and "Mark Bracco/Stuck #4 2020/Paintbrush resin/Collection of the artist."
Close up photo of the placards

Are you overlooking the value of what a mistake created?

Can you package yourself or your product so that it commands more respect?

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