“If a cluttered desk signs a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”- Albert Einstein
The P r o j e c t : A site dedicated solely to canvas of the Desk.
A Desk is where we work. Symbolic. Physical. Present. A second and third home. A Desk is a platform. A hearth. Roots are planted. It’s a place, a sanctuary, where hours upon hours pass. How do you work? How many hours? Locale? Lighting? Room with a view? At home? Coordinates, please. Clean and tidy? Sitting? Standing? Coffee cups? Is that tea? Minimalist? Scattered? What’s your equation? Type A plus A plus A? A-B? Creatively sprawled? In a rush? Feel like you need to tidy up–maybe you shouldn’t. Map it out.
The A s s i g n m e n t : Turn your camera on your workspace. Please, don’t stage it. Don’t clean it (a messy desk does not equal a messy mind). Don’t make something you or your work is not. This is a collaborative snapshot of what makes us uniquely us. To an extent, our work space, work schedule, surroundings and routine reflect the work we produce.
The G i r l : Kate Donnelly is a writer, cultural enthusiast and photographer. She worked in the New York film world for ten years (@ New Line Cinema and Revolution Studios). Earlier stints include the American Film Institute, Clinton-Gore White House, and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. She contributes to DailyCandy, Fathom and interviewed Alexander Payne for The Believer [PDF] . In 2000 (Y2K), she sailed down the Amazon River and recently traveled to Barcelona, Argentina and Uruguay. She doesn’t know how to properly dive into a swimming pool but still tries.
She enjoys travel to South America, The Kansas City Chiefs, The New York Yankees, Cooking, Land Rover D 110s, Pearl Jam, Grass Fed Beef, Surf Photography, The Brooklyn Bridge, William Gibson, The Strand Bookstore, The Smell of Garlic, Blue Ribbon Sushi, Oysters, The Sunday New York Times and her dog, Eddie.
One day, she will surf.
Where’s Kate?
Special T H A N K S:
☛ Peter Mendelsund whose “From The Desk Of…” pencil graphic serves as this site’s header.
☛ James Haizel, the savvy, super-heroic Web Developer who worked tirelessly to pull this site together (contact him now: haizelj@gmail.com).
I love this project, Kate! I especially love to see the artists’ desks (which even when messy look just so…artistic, to put it obviously.) Keep up the good work!
Thanks Bridget! K.
Just discovered this project. Very cool!
Thank you!
Sadly- this is the first time I have sat down and looked through the website. Love it…
Thank you, Emily. Keep reading…more to come!
I love your site. Please send me site updates. thanks, Odette
i like the concept and look forward to who you may have in the future.
thanks so much.
i love it. sometimes watching people’s desks sounds better than viewing their works. casual yet intimate, thanks for sharing your idea 😉
thanks for looking, Susie.
Amazing project.
I’m curious, though, if you accept submissions from the artists?
Or do you handpick artists to shoot their desks?
’cause I’d like to show my desk if I could!
Thanks, Kay. Feel free to submit me something although I’m pretty backed up from the success of the project. Thanks again for looking/reading.
Kate.
I love the concept, but I wonder. Who checks in on this. You or the artists involved. I have commented just because there weren’t many comments but also because, your project, like me, is a free spirit. I would love to learn more of your other efforts. I read on
-Smarmy
Just had to write & say – Great Site!
Hope all is well,
MCA
thanks! hope all is well with you too, kate.
What a great project! I share your love for inspiring desks full of all kinds of creative little objects. I decided to take some pictures of my own workspace too and posted something about it on my blog. –> http://wickedkir.blogspot.com/2011/03/from-my-desk.html
🙂
Thank you! Cannot wait to see your post…
I’m a long-time professional organizer with 2 published books. I am crazy about this site because it combines my love of individual personality and spaces. I especially like the back stories on why/how people do what they do! I used to live in Jersey and so I especially appreciate reminders of NYC. Now I’m out in Sedona, Arizona and loving the wide open spaces.
Thanks so much for what you do!
Hi!!
Maybe you´d like to see my desk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anaperez/5273800538/
😉
Congrats for this nice blog.
Best,
-Ana Himes-
Lovely Ana.
Thanks for looking.
Stay in touch.
kate.
I really appreciate the amount of work and effort you put into this site, and love the results. Thanks for doing it. – Michael
Thanks for the nice note, Michael. Nice to have some positive feedback; means a lot.
I really like the site.
I’m spending way too much time working alone, and it’s comforting to see and be inspired by the working process/inspring objects and/or junk neatly/or randomly collected and/or strewn/cataloged/framed/sat on by cats/etc., of others in the design process…
thank you, and please continue,
eileen
Thanks, Eileen.
I’m interested in contributing photos to your site. I presume that the contributed content will be curated by you?
Thanks
Eric
Hi Eric; Yes, I curate the content and works. The site is fairly backlogged at the moment but feel free to send your submission to fromyourdesks@gmail.com
Cheers, Kate.
Cheers. Gorgeous website! Beautiful work.
(your model friend from lunch at Pi with Paige)
thanks, Kelly!
(whoa that model story…)
Hey Kate,
I stumbled upon this website and it’s way cool. Are you from KC!?
I’m a native too and I was so excited to see you’ve worked for the Atkins!
Keep up the awesome work!
wow, wow, wow.
i dnt spk eng, i am italian 🙂
but: your site is meraviglioso 🙂
Thank you; Grazie!
Kate.
Love! And…love you madly! It rocks tits, Kate!
Coming back after quite some time. Lovely as ever. Mind if I use an image to link to an article here? Thanks.
sure just please link up and give proper credit ; thanks for your nice note.
couldnt agree more, love the site
Thanks, Mandy!
Beautiful Desks. I’m a graphic designer from Mumbai and hoping to be a part of your project. Great work!
Absolutely love this idea. As I look around at the mess that is my office…I realize how organized + tidy I am throughout my home with exception to this room and this room only. It’s an organized mess. I leave things out on my desk as a reminder to “use” them…