Things I learned from Paul Rand: 3 – Everything is Design
One of Paul Rand’s most famous quote is, “Everything is design. Everything!” It even became a title of his MCNY Exhibit. Working with him daily during 1994-1995, I can say that he truly lived his life according to this mantra. But was it all his choice?
Bicycle Accident that Changed History?
According to Paul, he was very young (I think he said he was about seven) when he was playing around with his twin brother (coincidentally named Phil) and fell off the bike and severely injured himself. Since then, several of his upper vertebrae froze up, which prevented him from fully turning his neck for the rest of his life. Paul said he never played sports from then on, and spent most of his time doing things like reading, writing, and drawing.
Coming from an Orthodox Jewish household, drawing was even frowned upon. For example, Phil, on the other hand, grew up to be a musician. (He allegedly had a group called, “Phil Rand and the Band.”) Could Paul have had another career path if his health allowed?
Day and Night on Design
From what I’ve seen, he spent most of his waking hours on design. during the day, Paul was mostly working with me on design projects, meeting with clients or vendors, or flying around the country providing lectures at art and design schools. In the evenings, he was mostly sketching ideas, writing articles, or reading books — usually incredibly difficult books, like this one which may have been his favorite:
Didn't Sleep a Lot
Paul also confessed he usually couldn’t sleep much, because of the constant pain he felt in his neck (which may also explain his often notorious temperament). I pictured him staying up late, reading challenging books and jotting down new ideas. Whether by accident or design, nature or nurture, he dedicated his life to design and art. I suspect this at the very least had something to do with him becoming the master of his crafts. I will always remember him as a person who was constantly working.
