Linds Redding’s Poignant Message on Creative Life Before His Death

So was it worth it?

Can you make money from your art and still lead a fulfilling life? This is just the question that Dept. of Motion Graphics art director Linds Redding addressed in a blog post earlier this year. Redding died last month from an inoperable esophageal cancer, at age 52.

The blog post surfaced recently through several other blogs and news publications, its message chilling to fellow ad executives and artists who might consider the field a way to make a living without forsaking their passion. Redding offers a poignant reflection on the creative person, the creative process, and the value of life.

Here’s an excerpt:

Linds Redding (Photo courtesy of Business Insider)

It turns out I didn’t actually like my old life nearly as much as I thought I did. I know this now because I occasionally catch up with my old colleagues and work-mates. They fall over each other to  enthusiastically show me the latest project they’re working on. Ask my opinion. Proudly show off their technical prowess (which is not inconsiderable.) I find myself glazing over, but politely listen as they brag about who’s had the least sleep and the most takeaway food. “I haven’t seen my wife since January, I can’t feel my legs any more and I think I have scurvy but another three weeks and we’ll be done. It’s got to be done by then The client’s going on holiday. What do I think?”

What do I think?

I think you’re all fucking mad. Deranged. So disengaged from reality it’s not even funny. It’s a fucking TV commercial. Nobody gives a shit.

This has come as quite a shock I can tell you. I think, I’ve come to the conclusion that the whole thing was a bit of a con. A scam. An elaborate hoax.

Countless late nights and weekends, holidays, birthdays, school recitals and anniversary dinners were willingly sacrificed at the altar of some intangible but infinitely worthy higher cause. It would all be worth it in the long run…

This was the con. Convincing myself that there was nowhere I’d rather be was just a coping mechanism. I can see that now. It wasn’t really important. Or of any consequence at all really. How could it be. We were just shifting product. Our product, and the clients. Just meeting the quota. Feeding the beast as I called it on my more cynical days.

So was it worth it?

Well of course not. It turns out it was just advertising. There was no higher calling. Read the full post.

More on Linds Redding

• Business Insider shares the moment Redding was told he would die.
• Read more posts from Redding’s blog.