Skapad att skapa

Vad är kreativitet, vad gör jag för att hålla den vid liv och varför blev jag designer? Läs en jättebra artikel av Marika Jonsson i tidningen M2 Magazine med mig om kreativitet. Denna artikel skrevs i samband med releasen till mässan M2 som årligen arrangeras på Handelshögskolan som en mötesplats mellan företag och Handelshögskolans studenter. Temat för i år var ”Creative Space” med produkter från bl.a. Runius Design som gåvor till besökarna.

How did you decide to become a designer?

I moved away from home when I was seventeen years old to study traditional boatbuilding handicraft followed by a program in Science and Mathematics. After my military service as an Arctic Ranger I started my studies for Mechanical Engineering, Product Development and Industrial Design. While I was working part time as a product designer I got my degree. I had not studied long at the International Master Program in Naval Architecture when I really realized who I was and what I wanted to do. My family is full of artists, craftsmen and engineers, which has also inspired me to become a designer.

What did you dream of becoming when you were a child?

I was that kind of child who got lost day-dreaming, staring out the window for long periods in school thinking about little bit of everything. I never really saw myself in a specific role or job. I had dreams about things I wanted to do, everything from learning how to play guitarr to design and build my own boat. I wanted to understand everything I got in contact with and if I did not understand, it became a dream to one day be able to. It has always been about creating though. As a child I loved to design, construct and lear new things.

What do you dream of doing right now? (Both with your career and with your life in general)

I would love to help companies with design and product development and I am always on the lookout for new challenges. I have designed patent protected designs, consumer products, developed a time capsule to the world’s largest photo project and commercialized two of my own product ideas. I am ready for the next challenge! I dream, however, about that one day when I sit at my future boat house in the Swedish archipilago, enjoying the view from my yacht, drinking a cup of coffee in the sun light.

Do you do anything special to make your everyday more exciting?

I love to try and capture the spontaneous moments of everyday life, the things that stands out and give perspective to my daily work. A bit like the cliché ”seize the day” I take each day as it comes. For example, I sat with my colleague Josefine and brainstormed about a product and when we got stuck, I decided to break the pattern of our discussion and out of the blue I made a phone-call to the Royal Court and pitched an idea to them. This unprepared action could have failed in many ways but completely changed our energy and resulted in an unexpected turn for a new project.

Our theme this year for the M2 fair is ”Creative Space”. What do you associate with that theme?

Creative space is what we have in our studio and it is closed related to innovation. I think the conception of what being creative means is improperly used too often. When people do not know how to solve a problem you hear them someone say to them ”Just be creative”. For me, creativity is about your spirit and how you approach difficulties. Not everyone dares to be creative and it is easier said than done.

What is your favourite material to work with, and why?

I have worked with the world’s highest grade of stainless steel, complex composites and genious plastic polymers but I cannot say I have any favourite material. It is the process of finding the proper material that I enjoy. The material that fits the aesthetic requirements, that has a proper strength and durability and especially should ease the manufacturing process of a product. A material that fulfills these factors is clearly my dream material.

What do you do to spark your creatitity?

The best way for me is to surround myself with people who are just as enthusiastic as me. I love to discuss ideas, meet new people and get to know them and their interests. I ask myself challenging questions, I make arguments for my case and try to have an open mind, and those are the things that keep my creativity alive.

Favourite quote/motto?

”It’s your spirit that that makes you successful, not your talent”