Member Spotlight: Jerrie Lyndon
We first met Jerrie Lyndon at the Green Bean back in the dark days of winter, and we quickly found ourselves in a lively, wandering conversation about art, creativity, and designing the perfect coworking space. After Jerrie left, Dena and I looked at each other and said, yep, she’s one of our people.
Jerrie has her hands in all things creative, from whiteboard art at the Harvard Innovation Lab, to sidewalk chalk on the streets of Cambridge, to creativity workshops and consulting in our own New Bedford. In three words, I would desribe Jerrie’s world as whimsical, thought-provoking, and playful.
We are so happy to have Jerrie’s energy in the Groundwork! community, and we’re even more exited that she is leading a workshop for us! In this interview, Jerrie shares some insight about life as a creative professional.
What’s your profession?
My background is in arts and marketing. The profession is the combination of the two in order to inspire creativity at the workplace and in public sphere. I accomplish that through creative placemaking, consulting, workshops and ephemeral arts. My business is called Creative Mind Forward.
Describe a typical work day for you.
The current business incubation period involves a lot of day-to-day positive uncertainty mixed with lots of planning, marketing, networking and daydreaming. We often associate a negative connotation with the word “daydreaming,” however, it plays an important role in the entrepreneurial nature of my work.
What’s the biggest challenge you face at your job?
I think few people understand what exactly I do, since culturally creativity is associated with arts, arts are associated with museums, and museums with preservation. But what I do is the opposite of preservation. Many still believe that creativity can only be seen in a museum or a gallery. The truth is that creativity has already actively invaded the public space and demands participation and interaction. It is now increasingly used as therapy, education, relaxation, and a community building tool. This direction is going to take us into wonderful places, but we need to leave the old assumptions behind.
Ephemeral art: A modern whiteboard take on Monet.
Do you have a morning routine?
The dog gets his walk before I get my cup of coffee.
What are your favorite productivity tips or hacks?
When you hit a brick wall, take your mind off the problem by doing something mindless: i.e. knit, walk, shower, drive, etc. You will find your mind much more productive when you are not forcing it to think. Come to the July 2nd Creativity 101 workshop at Groundwork! to find out more!
What do you listen to during the day?
Music is the easiest way to change up the environment. Sometimes I listen to Gypsy Kings, Rusted Root, Beach Boys, Gotye and the Muppets Soundtrack all in the same day!
How do you benefit from using a coworking space?
I enjoy the community that Groundwork! has created. Knowing that you are not alone, that there are other entrepreneurs who have different ideas but similar paths, is very empowering.
What is the most surprising or unusual aspect of your life?
Where I am now. I think my life could have taken many turns and ended up in many far away places. I am where I am due to circumstances I would have never been able to predict 10 years ago.
What inspires you?
Pretty much everything. I am not picky when it comes to sources of inspiration. Old rusted nails on posts, accents, characters, nature, traveling, buddhist prayer flags, trains – yes, please! What most inspires me are ideas, their execution and the stories they tell afterwards.
Sidewalk Sam tribute in Cambridge.
Curious to learn more about Jerrie’s approaches to creativity? Visit the Creative Mind Forward website or come to her Creativity 101 Workshop at Groundwork!
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