-By by Rand Elliott, FAIA

Reading the words of N. Scott Momaday and entering Antony Gormley's "Blind Light" installation were life-changing experiences for me. Traveling to Marfa, Texas, to experience the art of Donald Judd and Dan Flavin forever changed my perception of place and space. Seeing the candy spill art installations by Felix Gonzalez-Torres was profound. I have kept my cellophane-wrapped sweets for inspiration and as a reminder that I need to use every minute with purpose.

When Jennifer Busch called last August about being the Guest Editor for this July issue, I reminded her that I live in one of the square, fly-over states, and that I consider myself an outsider. She simply said: "I know." So I tried to scare her off until she said I could talk freely about things on my mind. It is my hope that the questions, inspirations, and challenges that I see each day might be a common ground to share.

I find inspiration in a sentence fragment, unfinished forms on a construction site, or early morning shadows. I seek out artists who take me to new places. My goal with this July issue is to introduce the design community to another way of seeing. I have chosen to showcase creative people whose work has impacted me personally. Some names will be familiar, and some will be new. These are creative people working outside the mainstream and following their own vision. They have one trait in common: They are unafraid of not "fitting in."

Bruce Goff was once asked why he chose to work in Norman, Okla., and he said, "Oklahoma is a young state not blessed or cursed with dusty, outworn traditions or invasions or European styles; it is fertile ground for the development of an indigenous creative architecture truly expressive of the pioneering and democratic spirit of our people."

I hope you are challenged and inspired by the words and images in this issue. And I hope you get comfortable with not fitting in.





Rand Elliott

I would like to say a special thanks to Jennifer Busch and John Rouse for this opportunity. I learned new things about myself.