Design, Fear, and Money

I recently returned from Iceland, and everybody asks "why Iceland?"

My answer is simply "Why not?". Sometimes the universe pulls us to places that we never expected to go. Sometimes we learn more than we expected from those places.

I went with my family, not expecting to think much about art and design (after all, it WAS a vacation). Without knowing it, we booked a flat in Reykjavik for the last night we were there. It's called Grettisborg (grettisborg.is), and is owned by Rósa and Snæbjörn, two local designers that have taken the time to design each flat individually, and house the walls with artwork from Icelandic designers. Their studio was right next store. I was given a tour of it by Harpa, an absolutely lovely woman, who helps them to run the place. She apologized to me, while showing it, letting me know that they were moving the studio to a new place "out in the country", and mentioning that it was a bit disheveled. Maybe slightly, but not enough to take away from the beautiful wonder I had in seeing the work there.

She handed me a box, which was a prototype for a "toy" or "kit" that had been designed by Róshildur Jónsdóttir. "Something Fishy", it was called, and it contained fish bones, glue, and paint. I was amazed, captivated, by the ingenuity of it - and the simplicity. I believe that with most creative creations, the ones that inspire us the most, are the ones that make things look easy. "Why didn't I think of that?", is immediately what I thought. Then again, I live in the desert, where there isn't a large commodity of fish bones, so that may be one reason.

Then my mind started spinning with "what ifs". WHAT IF we could bring this "toy" back to the States and "mass market" it. If it's so brilliant, then why has it not worked its way into the old U.S. of A's popular culture?  Then I mentally went through the steps of what it would take to get this into Target.

Is this trademarked? copyrighted? I couldn't likely copyright the name "Something Fishy", nor trademark fish bones. Not unless they were homogenized and made out of plastic. Then think of the litigious consequences if someone were to prick their finger, or swallow a small piece, or pick up some strange fish disease? I guess if they were made out of plastic, I could probably make sure they weren't sharp, or small, or diseased.

BUT WAIT! Isn't the point of this to take something that's not being used and to give it a purpose to fill our lives with fun and inspiration? Oh yeah. I guess the plastic thing wouldn't work.

I wondered if Róshildur had thought of all of this? Then I started wondering how many ideas I had put to the side for the very same reasons. How many did I throw out for fear of litigation, or the inability to mass market it. How many times had I not shared an idea that I thought was good for fear of it being stolen? Was I that black and white?

I have a pretty developed design philosophy, and I've felt that it's solid. It deals with communication, and the best way to do it. It deals with ease of use, and the best way to make that happen. All in all, I feel that it's very "utilitarian".

But now my big question is, "what is it being used for, exactly"?