Adobe Achievement Awards 07: semi finalist

I submitted 3 pieces to the annual Adobe Design Competition open to students in the field of design under several different categories of design.

My Wikipedia website was selected under the "interactive and web design" category and my Signs book was selected under the "print: multi-page" category. The contest is international and there are submissions from schools in every part of the world. So, to even be selected as top 50 in two categories is more than disbelief for me. I'm already overwhelmed. If I get to the final round (top 3 in each category), which is announced in June, I'd be granted a trip to San Francisco and given free Adobe software or better yet, $5000.

Cool stuff huh? Man, this experience has been so unforgettable. It's been more than anything I could have possibly imagined. I'm so grateful for all this.

New poster for SIGNS

I was notified today that I am receiving the GIC Expressive Typography award at the ceremony on Friday due to the results of this project.
Thanks Ringling!

inspiration to speak, to write, to recite, to create, to empower, to stand, to inspire, to provoke...to be a poet

I saw Saul Williams speak down here at Ringling about a month ago. Since then, the poet in me has thrived and been asked to dance.

Dave Mason at Ringling

The design firm SAMATAMASON based in Chicago and Vancouver was chosen out of a list of studios to re-brand the Ringling School of Art and Design identity. Now the college is officially titled Ringling "College" of Art and Design just so they fit in amongst the rest in the country. Today, Dave Mason, who was also the juror for choosing the Best of Ringling in the GIC (Graphic & Interactive Communication) department gave a speech about their design process, which is always enjoyable to see. The new logo is a golden mean rectangle defined as the "constant" on top of the student art and design work, which are the "variables". There is no ONE logo. There will be a series of different ones based on different chosen student work that ties in with their grid. The concept is brilliant I think. It's futuristic, it crosses boundaries and it creates new perspectives and promises for the institution. It was really interesting to be a part of this transformation process of the school while I've been down here, as well as experiencing the education and community at this school. I will most definitely be doing a complete reflection on this experience.

After his speech, he gave another speech later in the day about his life and how he became a designer and got to the point where he is today. He is definitely a great character, as all great designers are. His life story was centered around being obsessed with hockey and wanting to be a professional athlete. He was raised in Canada and was and still is part of that whole hockey "religion", unlike me. Furthermore, he connected the love for the sport, to the love for design, which is exactly what I have always told myself after I became seriously passionate about design. I wanted to be a professional athlete from grade 7 until end of high school. It was my dream, to be a superstar basketball player. But, I got to a point where I knew there were just so many other girls just much better than me, even though I was still damn good. I just wasn't going to be the "superstar" that I always dreamed to be. I always had the drive for getting better though, always. I felt alive when I played. I had strength, I had power, I was fearless. Mason and I transformed that love to the love for graphic design. Well, he didn't know anything about graphic design until he went to a community college that didn't even give out degrees. I have been fortunate enough to be brought up with my backup along with my passion for athletics, since I was 12. Before that, I was just a pure tomboy always up for adventures and battles. Soccer, volleyball, cross country, swimming track and ultimately basketball were on my lifetime agenda. I KNEW I loved being active and competing. It just felt good.

I had never heard a successful graphic designer talk about graphic design like that. Well, okay just once and I took note of it... Never like this though. Never had I heard such submission to the sport as the reason for being a designer. It was powerful. I had never related in that sense to the life of a designer. Designers as athletes? Who talks about that?
That was brilliant Dave, if you ever happen to read this. I really enjoyed his talk. I love good speakers because I want to be just like them one day. Speak like that about my life. Anyhow, that's in the future, let's talk about now.

Design, Mason agrees, in response to a lot of work from Ringling, is more than just making things look visually dynamic. If it was only about that, then everyone would be a good designer. It's not that hard to mess around and make things look eye catching, but what sets a good designer a part form a great designer is the intelligence. The thinking, the concept, the process and the love that's in the work to give it meaning. A designer has to be good at many things to be a great designer, not just at splashing things on a page. It's an art for goodness sakes! It's a new form of integrated methods of communication nurtured with care with solid ideas, powerful impact and reason for existence. Mason projected a long list of qualities and skills a graphic designer should have, or should collaborate to create.

It all makes sense. It always has to me. Where's the concept? Why isn't there a concept? Why do I like looking at it but I don't know why it was created like that? Why do I not get it? Why do they all look the same? Why is the type so terribly done? Why wasn't there more time spent on it if it's supposed to be great? How is it any different than another idea? What is the idea anyway and why is it not clever enough to make me like it?

These are all questions I ask myself when I view work. Most of the time I just tell myself that I'm around students. Being around students is what should help you define yourself amongst others. Never compare, but learn and always push yourself to YOUR own fullest extent regardless of the system you're in, or the level of work you are surrounded by. Use up your time, it's there to be used efficiently at your best resources.

I got tons of projects to do. I'll write a couple more entries before I get back to Toronto but I have to say, I'm really happy with the stuff I've done down here. I'm pumped up for my 4th year at OCAD. It is going to be a big year for me. I've already tasted it and it's pretty filling.

Best of Ringling 2007

Best of Ringling is an annual event where the top work produced each year by students is picked by external jurors within each department. The juror this year for Graphic Design was Dave Mason. Each student was allowed to submit 3 works. There were about 140 submissions and 21 pieces were chosen. Two of my submissions were chosen. Eight texts: SIGNS for GD2 and my re-design of Wikipedia for New Media.

Putting ME in all

I had my spring break a couple weeks ago which I spent the majority of the time designing my application to Bruce Mau Design. I put a lot into it. Every breath. I went ahead and sent along a response to an essay he had written in Walrus magazine. This was an assignment for my Advanced Typography course but I ended up strategically treating the project as an asset for my application, which was really only to answer three questions and send along a resume.
I just want to be there so bad. I have continually been reading about Bruce Mau and visiting the studio's website throughout my years in college. I was inspired by his Life Style book when I was formally introduced to his work last year in Graphic Design History class. I ended up writing about him in essay responses for my exam.

I wanted to be there last year but they weren't taking people then. A few months ago when I visited their website, I saw that they were actually looking for people so I was so excited that I knew I had to blow them away with my passion and integrity for being in their studio environment. I just have to be there. I want to see it, share ideas, talk about what they do, meet more designers who think like me. I'm ready for it.


School is crazy. I've learned to deal with the Ringling excessive demand for producing work and I'm okay with it because I'm producing A LOT of work that I think are great indicators of my strengths. So, I'm really happy about that. It's just been non-stop.

I'm enjoying Florida too though. I went down to Miami Beach last weekend by Greyhound bus, which was 5 hours that I spent thinking, sleeping and writing. Miami Beach was gorgeous. Definitely a place to invest in buying a home, even temporarily.

Overall, this experience so far has been truly amazing. I've learned so much about myself. I've fallen in love with writing and poetry. I love typography. I love design. I love where I'm going with design. I want to do more. I want to write books of poems. I want to design them, choose the paper, bind them, feel them, read them, share them and inspire people.

Saul Williams was a huge inspiration. He came and spoke at Ringling. I was moved and taken a back. I felt connected and I felt like I could do so much more with my interest in writing. I can totally combine everything into design and my future.

See it coming.
I wrote three poems on my way to and from Miami, on top of the random stuff I write and refine from time to time on my hard drive.

I have only begun, or better yet, I begin anew with every thought. Sometimes I choose to continue and sometimes I choose not. Same with you.

Illusive Senses

I am in love
with illusive senses

energy as language
mind as surreal
chemistry as emotion
sign as dream

to reach the intangible
gratifying desire
with what is there
and what isn't

for which I create
to smile and cry
from inside out
revealing the hidden