Greetings Modesto Friends,
Creative Cities Win. It’s really true. There are thousands and thousands of cities, but it is the creative cities that stand out. What does it really mean to be creative? Does it mean that there is a lot of art up or many galleries? Possibly, but it is really the culture and the embrace of the creative process. Does the city government encourage creativity and foster urban design? Are the arts a vital part of our community? Are people encouraged to be engaged and make change? These are some of the key questions that we need to tackle to truly be a creative city.
We are on a good path, we believe that music, culture, the performing arts are valuable but are they truly integral to what we do? One of the most creative persons in the world, George Lucas came from Modesto and what do we do with it? Do we share his innovative style? Are we networking so we can all be better? I think we are on that path. Creative design is just a different way to look at possible solutions to a problem. It opens our eyes and our ideas. With the efforts of Lee Davis, Bob Barzan and the local design community, we can put many of the processes in place that can lead to Modesto USA being a leader. Heck we even have our own Modesto font. Modesto has a very cool history and that means we can have a very interesting future, if we connect the dots and embrace it all.
But what does it mean to win? It means we can attract the brightest and the best, we can change the jobs that people do in Modesto. We can be a magnet to college grads and company CEOs as quality of life is an important part of wanting to live and somewhere. It is more than just the job. It can be new food start ups, coding and data systems groups, new innovative manufacturing, creative and professional services. Just to think, it can all start with an Art Alley, new bike rack, or a Modesto Porchfest, or a Music Awards show. It can happen and thanks to the readers of ModestoView, you see the work and the results of the creative side of our city. Then we connect all of the dots and it all works together. It is really special and we all need to support our actors, musicians, our artists, our chefs and the people that make our culture tick and make it fun to be here. Thank you all for that.
We need to take time and enjoy it. I had my own scare this month when I realized that my heart was playing games with me and it sent me to the emergency room. I am still battling an erratic heart rate. This is scary. We have just lost Jim Harrelson and Kevin Garcia and it and makes you stop and think and remember that what is important is our family and friends. We are nothing without them and everything around us is just decoration. Thank you all for your kinds words and I am truly grateful for every friend and loved one. I thank you ModestoView readers for making this project worthwhile and part of our creative community fabric and that is good.
Have a wonderful September and remember to celebrate your family and friends daily.
Thank you,
Chris Murphy
Publisher and Founder, ModestoView
chrism@modestoview.com<mailto:chrism@modestoview.com>
