Great artists are rare. Great artists who become more than just a human being, but an icon, are rarer still. It’s not often that a single person or group can change the course of art and with it, culture.
David Bowie was one of these creators.
It’s a tragic coincidence that in the month we’re reflecting on our muses and what in this world inspires us to create, we’ve lost one of the greatest muses of all time. David Bowie created lasting art, and inspired so many other creatives to make art of their own.
Bowie was a true Space Oddity because his wave of art and music was truly like no other. While Bowie the man is gone, what he created, the impact he had on us as individuals and on the whole of humanity will never die.
The man behind Ziggy Stardust meant something different to all of us. But as artists, his creativity touched all of our lives.
Here is our tribute to you, David Bowie. We love you. We miss you. And more importantly, we thank you.
I was up when the news first hit the interwebs…I was really saddened and decided to paint a little tribute to Bowie. Long live Bowie.
– Conrad, Production Artist
Kinda named my creature (who’s passed) after him. Her name was Zoey, but we called her Zoey Bowie. Also, Bowie’s son’s middle name is Zowie.
– Sarah, Merchandise Analyst
A personal note I wrote to myself at 1 am last night:
“Dear David Bowie.
Confusion doesn’t sum it up. Confusion is a piece of my admiration. Something to guide my wordless feelings your work provided then and forever forward.
Part of me wants the world to stop now. To pause. Find an inward moment for creativity. Humanity. To breathe in loss and reflect on a tumultuous and misdirected world. Recognize that we have more to us than the garbage ongoing.
It’s so late right now and I can’t believe I asked myself what I’d do when you passed only a week ago. How could this come about so soon? It’s not fair to you. To us who love you so and admire your everything. Your struggles and fears. Your individuality. The music.
For a man to walk with such self, as only you could… I cannot gather everything I’m filled with at this moment, but I thought I’d write you. Say thank you. Know we love you.
Goodnight Spaceman.”
– Steve, Manager, Product & Analyst
Though I am a lifelong fan of Bowie (and Ziggy), my worship reached new levels when I went to the MCA exhibit here in Chicago. I had no idea what a consummate artist Bowie was. He sketched shooting boards, characters, costumes, album covers. His talent and vision spilled into every tentacle of his art, so each word, color, pulse, rhythm had a purpose and deepened your relationship with him and with yourself. And I could not have been a happier parent when my kids, fairly recently, watched and adored Labyrinth. They know Bowie by voice and request him often. What a life. What a loss.
Lisa – VP, Creative
What I find brilliant is that nobody will ever not have Bowie. He’s still everywhere around us. I loved him for doing what he loved, but also for exposing all of us to what he loved. Through Bowie I discovered many other musicians, artists, fashion designers, photographers, movies, etc. To me, he really represented how creativity has no bounds. Later, being a dad and hearing stories about David Bowie as a father impressed me even more. Here’s a genius artist who managed to be an amazing and inspiring father as well. It’s not the typical story.
-Lance, Artist Shops Account Direction, Comic Book Czar
David Bowie was a huge part of my childhood, adolescence and adulthood. He did so much and he did it his own way. That has stuck with me to this day and will remain. He was ahead of his time on so many things and inspired so many that came after him.
– Stacie, Community Experience
