On Shaping the Future of Art

I have an original sketch by Palmer Cox. It's been in my family since 1897, the year he drew it. What strikes me whenever I look at it is that he took his "Brownies" -- a simple, whimsical idea -- and created art that not only supported himself and his family, but that shaped generations of illustrators and artists to come.

Given the popularity of his art in his day, he may have had some inkling that he was on to something big, but he could hardly have had any idea just how large an impact he would have. What you work on today has the power to literally change the way people approach their own art and work in the future. It's as simple -- and somewhat scary -- as that.


Originally published June 2011