Ian the Cyclist

Previously caught up in the now, slighted and shortsighted. In a lane with two solid stripes, a space shared yet divided. There’s no right of way for those who are late and untimely. Engulfed by the countless possibilities without even trying. A print maker, industrial designer, and messenger on route, to incise upon a surface, etch upon a plateau. Whatever ink holds after an impression is made paves the way for decisions on track and astute. Know that self actualization being at the peak of our needs can be slowly accrued. The world doesn’t have to come tumbling down when things are just barely askew.

Some ride fixed gear and some need a selection, to maximize their output of mind-muscle connection. Push-pull and perspire to kickstart the convection, constant turnover with no breaks to preserve power retention. Losing momentum is a detriment if the goal is ascension, like a challenger running up flights of stairs towards title contention. We are the champions once we adjust to the tension, tame our frenetic cadence, stand out of the saddle, ride on the hoods, rock side-to-side, lean into our fears, and allow ourselves to climb. Newton’s Laws of Motion substantiated and eminent, John Henry vs. the locomotive supported by anecdotal evidence, likewise we’re right on the precipice and it’s up to us to decide.

Many of our greatest accomplishments arise when we drop our pride, and grab tight onto our intuitive side. In this case he conquered Twin Peaks after innumerable runs, focused entirely on elevation gain and reaching new heights. Rarely encountering a straight path or true linear progression, and never mistook others going in their own direction as passing him by. Diagnosed late with attention deficit disorder, he escaped the velodrome unwilling to succumb to the symptoms described. Willpower found through the relentless pursuit of what’s right for him became the source in which his fulfillment derives.

Ian was one of my high school classmates and a fellow artist that I would see at at art galleries during our senior year. His distinct style eventually lead him to pursue printmaking at Academy of Art University practicing with lithography, relief, monotype techniques, and more. Although his passion for printmaking has become secondary to his new pursuit in industrial design, he views it as a component to his overall tools as a designer. I caught up with him 9 years later at Four Barrel Coffee on Valencia St in SF and we conversed about the very divergent paths our lives took, how we’ve learned from our past mistakes, and gratefulness for where we are now despite previous expectation.

Revolved and Redirected is about the constant maintenance and recalibration that we undergo whenever we encounter obstacles in our lives. It stresses that there is no such thing as wasted time as long as we eventually take steps in moving forward. Throughout times in his journey he defined setbacks as essential turning points in his life. Examples stated include his unconventional career trajectory, his ritualistic hill climbs up Twin Peaks, and his late diagnosis of ADHD.