But that the world is colored
With light and shadow
And forms that intertwine-
--Ivan Albright
The sun hangs high over the Wasatch Range on this clear, crisp autumn day as I walk upon the idyllic campus of the University of Utah. The campus is a perfect compliment to its panoramic, postcard-like backdrop with its pristine buildings, lawns of flowing grass, and bountiful array of colors that give off the very real feeling that maybe everyday here could be a Fall day.
My focus shifts, from marveling at the scenic beauty, toward an unassuming building. Tucked away in the autumn harvest of this college campus stands what appears to be a revivalist home; complete with stone structure, requisite vintage windows, and neighborly porch, which upon first glance, would seem to be more befitting of an architectural journal than a college campus. The building’s revivalist feel is modest, yet refined; a stature that extols an inescapable feeling of a rich and storied history. It is a structure that emits a palpable sense of a greater story than at first meets the eye.
Walking up to the Pierre Lassonde Center, one can sense a significant evolution taking place, and yet, would be hard pressed to know that this building is not only home to the preserved chronicles of the past, but also to a burgeoning entrepreneurial community that is leading the nation. Upon entering the magnanimous Pierre Lassonde Entrepreneurial Center, it will be with your feet in the past and your eyes squarely set on a vision of the future.
Stepping inside the newly remodeled quarters of this nearly century and a half old building, the transformation from one time army post during the Civil War to top-flight entrepreneurial school is both remarkable and stunning. Boardrooms and conference rooms have now replaced what were once a parlor room and a dining hall. This house, previously the Captain’s barracks, now stands as the future home for Captains of Industry.
Much like its down-to-earth exterior, there is more than meets the eye than just business models and bottom lines inside these walls. There is an effervescent life, a creative force that adorns the walls of the Pierre Lassonde Center. Throughout these hallowed halls hang pieces of art that are emblematic of the culture and goals the Pierre Lassonde Center has created for its students. The art of Howard Clark is not only aesthetically gratifying and visionary; it also, as one time Presidential Chair of the Lassonde Center Dr. Jack Brittain observes, “projects a creative energy that is always interesting and ever present”.
To understand why this innovative business entrepreneurial school has chosen Howard Clark’s abstract paintings, which explore color, shape, and texture, to display to its student body is a study in creativity in its most simplistic form. What is the root of business? Is it is the perfunctory words many people associate business with, such as budgets, capital, market trends, and production? The answer is no. While these words are certainly necessary within the world of commerce, they do not capture the essence of what business is truly about. The root of business, much like art, is to explore a world beyond what we have seen or its perceived possibilities. The beginning of any business venture starts with an idea, a single vision of a product or industry. The beginning of any artist’s journey in creating a piece also begins with a single image, an inspiration that moves them to the canvas to craft and form an experience.
Howard Clark, a successful businessman himself, works to a rhythm when he paints. It is from that rhythm that he is able to begin to collaborate with the colors in order to create his ultimate goal for the audience- emotion. Mr. Clark understands that to be effective he must have a freedom to shape brilliant and bright colors to draw in his audience. Mr. Clark remarks, “ the vibrant red of Coca-Cola or the innovative Apple logo are not just designs, but beautiful pieces of art that draw people to the product.” His art is an example of art imitating life-imitating art. An idea that he and the faculty of Pierre Lassonde Center share; imploring their students and their ventures to be like the colors of a Howard Clark painting- Brilliant and Bold.
What the Entrepreneurial school has crafted, in exhibiting Mr. Clark’s artwork, is a way to stimulate the creative thought of its students. Each painting that the students see helps trigger various emotions or feelings that can possibly evolve into a solution or venture for the viewer. The very crux of what the Entrepreneurial School is trying to accomplish, in the words of Dr. Brittain, is to “challenge students to develop new solutions to address human need.” By showing students abstract pieces of art, the school is encouraging students to be the artists; to have the passion and courage to risk trying something new in order to share themselves with others.
The vivid colors and emotions that are drawn from the diverse collection of Howard Clark’s pieces illustrate his keen observation of his surroundings. It is the process of creating that Clark calls an “exercise of the cultural mind.” It is in this exercise that his creative vision opens the door to self-discovery, where he becomes free to teach an invaluable lesson that celebrates innovation. The Lassonde Center hopes that its students will draw on this influence to escape the traditional methods and standards long associated with business. Instead, the University hopes to influence a fresh approach that teaches the students that innovation does not spring exclusively from boardroom meetings, focus groups, surveys, and business reports; but rather, a new synthesis of thought, where the purpose and passion is in creating and inspiring a student’s work, in such a way, that it will connect with others in a fresh and exciting way. The results have been more than positive, as the Pierre Lassonde Center is the top ranked entrepreneurial school in the entire nation.
Art is always on the forefront of ingenuity, constantly breaking the mold and creating new experiences for the audience. Howard Clark’s artwork is teaching these budding students that their business ventures should always push the envelope or alter the established patterns of business thought, and in doing so the students will be able to make the audience take notice of their bold new ventures. Though an idea may be basic, influenced by a person’s surroundings or the times we live in, it is what comes of that idea that will be complex and, ultimately, the picture painted for the world to see.
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