What Would You Do With an Extra Week of Vacation and $1,500?

What would you do if you had an extra week of vacation and $1,500 spending money? It’s a question Brighton CEO, Tina VonderHaar, poses twice a year. The agency’s executive leadership team reviews the resulting essays and selects the winner of the bi-annual Brighton sabbatical.

“If I had a full week and $1,500, I’d have a fighting chance to energize my creative drive and tell my conscience to go f$%k itself, all to become a better Brightonian,” wrote designer Andrew Smith this fall. “More specifically, I’d invest a portion of the money in supplies to advance my watercolor painting hobby while spending the remainder traveling to New Hampshire for a much-needed recharge and to find inspiration for a new watercolor painting series, since practicing my hobby is part of my retirement plan.”

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As a member of the agency’s creative team, it’s not surprising that art has always been important to Andrew.

“At a young age, my parents introduced me to a family friend who is a very well-known watercolor artist,” he recalls. “This artist taught me about materials and processes that ultimately formed the foundation for my love of that medium – and investing in equipment and materials provides a level up. It offers a chance to experiment and learn in ways I haven’t already, like plein air painting. Some equipment can be considered a luxury, but every artist needs adequate desk space, storage, quality brushes and other supplies.”

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And what can we expect on the flip side of Andrew’s sabbatical?

“Once I’m back, my improved self will be a better Brightonian,” he promises. “I won’t be nearly as exhausted, and perhaps some of my guilt (from being a parent who spends long hours working) will have dissipated. I’ll have new experiences and perspectives that I can leverage for client work. Heck, maybe the adventure will inspire some of my colleagues – because the way I see it, by improving myself, everyone around me will also benefit.”