Time Created: June 2008
Six years ago, before I turned fully agnostic and was still attending my parent’s church, the church hit its 50th anniversary. And they held a contest to create the logo for such a special year.
It was a fairly simple contest, just draw a concept and toss it in a box. The coordinators would pick the best once enough time passed. There weren’t too many artistic types in the church, but a small pile still accumulated.
I wasn’t planning on entering.
I never felt at home at that church. It wasn’t the one I had grown up at, and I just wasn’t comfortable enough there. So while I knew I had the artistic skill they were looking for, I didn’t want the extra burden winning would bring, having to make finalized images and deal with the people in charge and the like.
Then my Mom had me drive her to a choir practice. It didn’t make sense for me to head back home, so I stuck around reading. And then I finished my book. There was only about 15 minutes until the practice ended, so I just wandered around looking at things, including the display about the logo contest.
And then an idea popped into my head. A solid concept, one that fit all the requirements and looked nice to boot. So what the hey, might as well make a super-fast sketch and toss it in the box. Only took about five minutes and then I wandered around some more.
A week or two later, I got a call. I’d won the contest.
Darn my professional pride. I wasn’t going to just tell them to use the five minute sketch. I had to pretty it up, make it look like a good logo. Just a simple grayscale image of the front of the church, but it still took time I hadn’t wanted to spend. And yet I did.
I’m both proud and embarrassed by this piece. It seems so odd to me that a five-minute idea-to-sketch was chosen, though I’m not sure if that says more about me or my competition. And I do like the results. But still, it wasn’t something I wanted to do, and I can still feel the reluctance that went into it.
Ah well, mixed bags and all that.
Really do wonder what they would have gone with if Mom hadn’t needed me to drive her that one day…
