As a kid I spent many a dinner at a table surrounded by friends of my parents, an eclectic cast of characters — sculptors, writers, painters, creatives. That thread of creative community has remained in our offices, our teams, and our collaborations. But that thread feels thinner in this moment.So I asked, with the purpose of sharing, and of supporting and caring for this creative community in its current, uncertain reality. I asked what people are doing, how they are feeling, how they are sparking creativity. It feels important to share what we do, when we can’t do all our doing.Reaching out first to some of the talented people I’ve had the good fortune to profile though the Capitol Communicator portrait series.  It’s my version of a virtual dinner table. Grab a chair.

Lance Wain, President of Grafik, Alexandria, VA

Lance, what, if anything, are you doing differently?

Many of the things I do on a day-to-day basis haven’t really changed. I continue to collaborate with my team, consult with clients, and ensure that we deliver Grafik quality work. It’s just happening from a different location.  

Are you staying creatively active?

Absolutely! When you’re surrounded every week by some of the region’s most talented and creative people, you get spoiled. And that’s one of the biggest voids I’m feeling right now while working from home. So I’ve politely invited myself to a lot of internal Zooms with my creative teams just to see what they’ve been up to – while providing occasional feedback, but only when necessary!

How are you sparking yourself creatively?

There’s a few personal drivers:

1. I’m writing more. Especially during the first few weeks of working remote, I was deliberate in jotting down my thoughts on the current state we’re in and then writing daily notes to the entire agency. A different topic every day. 
2. My writing then transitioned into video diaries which I’m really enjoying. But oh do I have a deeper appreciation now for what goes into video work- lightening, editing, sound and so much more. 
3. Our marketing team has been pushing content through our agency podcast Studio G  so I’m working on this more and more. 
4. Lastly, I broke out my guitar for the first time in over 20 years. I’m not at the point where I’ll be streaming any jams soon. But this is something that allows me to step away from the daily “stuff” and just enjoy making music. 

View Lance’s original Capitol Communicator profile here.