Coming from a more artistic, design background I look back to the bubble years and just after and think of who was “hot” then? I think of Joshua Davis, of dreamless.org, once-upon-a-forest.com, Kioken, and praystation fame (no wonder why he had celebrity, he was pretty damn prolific). Gosh there are so many others (Mike Cina, the JuxtInteractive Crew, the wddg, Thomas Brodahl, and the list goes on and on).
These folks changed the way we see the web. They have contributed so much to the landscape. If you can think of others please post a comment. They have left their mark, but now they don’t seem to be so influential. I could be all wet here. I certainly know that all of the above mentioned are still contributing and putting out substantial, wonderful work. It’s just they don’t seem to carry that celebrity any more.
It’s such a strange thing celebrity. I think that all of the above mentioned people suffered a major backlash from their popularity. A shame really. I suppose that’s probably why their celebrity has diminished. But of course there is always another crop of young, hungry, innovative, creative people who enter into the limelight and with that take on some level of celebrity. I would imagine for some it’s exactly what they’ve been working towards, and for others it’s just a side-effect of being talented and successful.
I think of the Carson Workshops Summit that’s going on today, and the people who are presenting there. Folks from flickr, del.icio.us, 37 Signals, Feedburner, Mint, and of course Ryan Carson himself. What do they have in store for themselves. Will it be a road of success then backlash? or is there something to be learned from their predecessors?