So are you right or left handed?
BRANDEGEE: Right handed, yes.
It is thought that our brain can be understood as having right-sided and left-sided functions. Left side of the brain thinking tends to be the more mathematical, reasoning, calculating, organized part of the brain. Right side of the brain thinking tends to be more intuitive and subjective. You’ve displayed both sets of skills throughout your business and creative career. Would you describe yourself more as a left–brain type of person or right?
BRANDEGEE: Well, I probably would have described myself as more left brained for most of my work career. But I’d say that I’m a good bit of both. I’m comfortable in both areas. That relates to what I was just saying. I think that this left–brain, right brain structuring is tremendously interesting because the concept of organized structure is really central to both areas. One mode of structuring is through the deductive step–by–step process, the logical, mathematical, very precise verbal process. The other depends upon the intuitive. The leap. The moment of recognition, et cetera. Both are valid, and in fact you don’t get very far unless you can apply both at the appropriate points. As an artist, John, you know well that you have to step back and say, okay, that’s good. But it’s not quite there. What’s wrong? You almost have to go to a talking to yourself process. Asking yourself questions and exploring.

Have you ever been or are you now a spiritual person?
BRANDEGEE: I think I’m spiritual to the extent that I have hope and optimism for humanity, for human beings. Spiritual in the sense of Supreme Being? No. I’m really, at best, an agnostic. A little further more atheist in terms of belief in a quote unquote, God. Now with that said, I do entertain openness to any kind of possibility that may emerge.

So the paths you have chosen in life — work–wise, personal–wise — the free will paths, if you will, driven by your own instinct, your judgment as opposed to influence by a God–like figure?
BRANDEGEE: Oh yes, if there’s a choice between those two. On the other hand, I would say that my free will, my will to choose direction is much less clear in the sense of my intentionality. Often I look back and I think, “Boy was I lucky. I fell into that.” But looked at another way, it might be said that I was taking what was and just working through in a logical, appropriate way.

Developing a situation or opportunity?
BRANDEGEE: Yes. I literally often feel a sense of humility for what life has offered up along the way. Humility in the sense of I almost don’t want to take credit for an “I”, for doing it. Because some of the things just seem so instinctive. They took no work. They took no thought. They were given. If it just unfolds without conscious thought or effort, where is the “I” in that? I find this an intriguing concept.

Okay, Robert and Ada Brandegee. Thank you for your time.
BRANDEGEE: I think that’s it.