Milton Glaser

Glaser distinguished the difference between the two types of art: commercial art, which is art made to sell, and fine art which is given value by the people who purchase or view it.  He does not like to define art in that way, but rather, he prefers to call art a process.  Glaser’s definition of art is that art is the core value of making things and turning ideas into physical objects.

Glaser’s statement “we should always operate by interruption,” is a little harder to explain.  I think that he meant that we should not operate on a fixed schedule.  We should be prepared to multi-task, rearrange things, and go with the flow.  The more “adjustable” we are, the more successful we will be.  Whether it is stopping to ask a question or taking the time to answer a question, accepting interruptions will make us better. 

But also, Glaser wanted his artwork to cause an interruption in the lives of the people who saw it.  He wanted his work to catch people’s eyes and make them to pause for a second.  Glaser also operated on his idea of interruption when he stopped to enjoy his lunch every day.  Even if we are really busy, we should always take a moment to pause and relax.