So. I don’t think my mother could have summed up her personality better than this voicemail. Enjoy.
Thinking about the people in my life and how I got connected with them…
1. My Church /Lovin Life Ministries
2. Southwestern Company
3. University of Bridgeport (SASD)
4. University of Minnesota
5. White Bear Lake, MN
6. Bridgeport, CT
7. Service for Peace
8. Manic Productions (Shows in CT)
9. Type Directors Club
10. The Earth!
1. Conversations with new people
I have found that so much of what I know has come from all the many amazing people I have met, especially those from very different backgrounds, it excites me to keep meeting others.
2. Vintage fabric
I love finding prints and patterns of unusual color schemes and funky shapes. The styles of the past somehow got us to where we are today, so its always inspiring to see what was of 20, 50 or 100 years ago.
3. Poems/writings by friends
As much as I love to write poems, I love to read the poems of my friends even more. It’s so cool to see the thoughts of a good friend, written without any contexts.
4. Good movie soundtracks (Almost Famous, High Fidelity, Donnie Darko, Garden State, Up In the Air)
As I am a bit obsessive of music, I have little games I play when watching movies to stay better entertained, one being to guess the every song played within the movie. If it’s a really good film, it’s amazing what happens when you listen to the song outside the movie context, and you begin to feel the same emotions felt when actually watching it.
5. Making/smelling new perfumes and candles
After working in Soapology and making custom perfumes and lotions for our customers, I took on a smelling hobby. I get excited to find candles that I can’t place the scent of and experimenting with different scents for different body types.
6. Mountains
Given that I’nm wirting this on a big mountain here in Oregon, I can’t think of anything more breathtaking than this moment right now. Too bad art will never be able to imitate or exceed nature’s wild beauty.
7. Megan Dickson
My very good friend and a girl that will probably change the world…studying at UPenn and in Korea to reunite the North and South ends, this girl is amazing, incredibly talented and super funny.
8. Yay!Everyday
My favorite “when in doubt” blog, this site has all the best new, and mostly independent art and graphic design floating around the web.
9. Big bookstores
Hanging out in Powell’s (the largest independent bookstore in the country) for an afternoon and getting lost in bookshelves. I just have to think to myself, “how many different ideas and confessions are hidden within all these pages?” It’s a pretty overwhelming thought.
10. Thrift stores and flea markets
It’s not only fun to see what one can find, because you never really know. It’s also fun to think of all the history of these things. “Where did it come from?” and “What was the owner like who had it first?”
11. Long drives
I feel like some of my best revelations of who I am and what I want came from hours of mindless driving. Plus I love how huge this country is, I’ve been a lot of places and I still have so many places to go.
12. Light
Sunlight, Moroccan lamps, long exposure photography, Christmas lights, lighthouse lights, whatever it may be, sometimes at the right moment, light can dramatically affect my mood and my perception of how I see things, literally and emblematically!
By Lightmark
13. Taking/editing pictures
What a rewarding pastime. Especially when it comes to all the great events I have had with people and nature. Not only can pictures be beautiful, they are also very special and one-of-a-kind.
14. Success stories
Whether listening to testimonies in Graphic Design groups, my company’s previous sales reps, or reading articles or books like “Do It Anyway”. Its just cool to see what others have done and prove the point, that anything is possible.
15. Tumblr! (You are already here! :)
What a terribly good excuse to procrastinate working on a project. I love the art my friends always posting and finding. It makes me happy.
16. Anthropoligie
Talk about good merchandising displays! Whenever I walk into that store I feel like I’m in an imaginary world where everything is adorable. Which is true, except its REAL.
17. Design Sponge
A cute little blog/web-mag packed with creative DIY design projects for the home and tons of new art and home goods.
18. Small&Quiet studio by Marc Martin
I don’t even know how I stumbled on this site but not to much needs to be explained after you see this kiwi’s awesome graphic design work.
A magazine that I’ve been saving up for a subscription for awhile. Really good work.
20. Traveling/Exploring
I feel like in order to do new work we need to do new things. I love to travel because it increases my visual vocabulary of places, people and things in this world. This past year I travelled more than ever. Lived on Long Island, spent a handful of weeks in Israel and Jamaica, a roadtrip to California, and a month in the northwest. This year, I plan to out-do that!
21. People watching on public buses
I really enjoy inventing people’s lives before I meet them.
22. Free-writing
An extremely liberating exercise I feel far too few take advantage of.
23. Israel
This is the home to all of us. With so much history, beauty, and clashing of cultures, it has to be one of the most unique and special places on earth.
24. Handwriting
Handwriting is like thumbprints, unique to all of us and expressive like dance.
25. Dance
Something that I feel difficult to write about, but give me B52’s Rock Lobster, and I’d be happy to demonstrate this love of dance :P
26. Cooking without recipes
It’s a lot of fun and a big challenge to scrounge around the kitchen inventing a new dish based on the immediate ingredients at home. And I have a lot of success stories to attest to this!
27. Abi Zambon
Not only an incredible artist, but an amazing girl with an amazing heart. She is beautiful inside and out. And I hope I didn’t embarrass her by writing this.
28. Jonathan Adler
A retro interior designer’s dream, this store has really fun things.
29. Chelsea Market/High Line Park
My favorite place in Manhattan; brownies, milk, and walk on the highline to see the sunset. Perfect.
30. Pearl District and Japanese Gardens, Portland
My favorite places in Portland, OR, the artist district and hub of unique paper and import shops. And of course the zen gardens on top a mountain overlooking the city is Just Lovely.
31. Encouraging friends/teammates to grow greater
The power of positivity for others not only boosts others up but me too! I can’t wait to be a manager in the Southwestern Co this summer.
32. The people in the Southwestern Company
Speaking of which, this company changed my life. Because it was the hardest job in America I met the hardest working young people in the country. And now I have friends for a lifetime.
33. The Tao of Pooh
A beautiful little book explaining Taoism using conversations with Winnie the Pooh. It’s really insightful and delightful.
34. Atlas Shrugged
This book rocked my world.
35. The Griffin and Sabine Trilogy
Three books that reveal the power of one little innocent love letter. The dialogues between Griffin and Sabine are simply brilliant.
36. Singing Holy (or church) Songs
Having always been a bit of a spiritualist, singing about God, is one way that always lifts me up.
37. Into the Wild
The journey of Christopher McCandless into Alaska’s wilderness. The book and movie are both equally moving and heartbreaking.
38. Seattle
It’s like Minneapolis with rain instead of snow. Besides the weather, I feel so drawn to it, and every time I visit I meet at least one more person that I feel incredibly connected to.
39. Rita Asaoka
My cosmic twin.
40. Letters in the mail
I’m so lucky that I have friends that still “drop a line” in the mail every so often. And then I am always happy to return to sender something special.
41. Handmade gifts (giving and receiving)
It means more. And will be kept longer.
42. Almost Famous
Rock and roll through the eyes of a 16 year old. Excellent. (plus Zooey Deschanel is in it. J )
43. Andrew Bird
If there is one person living out there that is a true musician, Andrew Bird would be the man.
44. Beach House
Dreamy music. It makes my heart stop so I can’t listen to her too often.
45. MoMA
Have you been? No. Then get going! I love this museum especially on quiet hours of the day and I can just look at The Persistence of Memory for an hour.
46. Chocolate!
Brazilian, German, Belgium, American…I don’t care where its from, I love chocolate. And Max Brener is one of my favorite restaurants.
47. Sushi
Fresh and creative cooking. Not to mention totally delicious.
48. Denyse Schmidt
Denyse’s work is well received as she has worked hard for it. Her quilts are really beautiful that I love to crawl under every night.
49. Mother Teresa
When I am complaining or upset. I remember this woman and find gratitude. Someday, my biggest dream is to be recognized as a peacemaker.
50. Baha’i Gardens
And this is where I feel peace.
I wish I this picture gave it justice!
Traditionally in a critique or in just everyday evaluations of graphic design, “good design” is the design that executes balance, contrast, clear hierarchy, asymmetry, and so forth. In David Berman’s book, “Do Good Design”, his definition of what makes design “good” has nothing to do with its aesthetics, but all to do with its social and environmental implementations. As designers, our job extends much farther than “making pretty and pleasing stuff”, but it comes with a much greater, but often overlooked responsibility, to promote a higher quality of life for all, including the earth. Designers are given the power to communicate and therefore influence, should that power be used to deceive the public or to speak honestly? Because graphic design is such an enormous component of what brings the public information and influences our social, economic and physical world, designers must be held accountable to their work and its impacts. And when design promotes a healthy society of equality, sustainability and honesty, only then designers will be proudly recognized for their “good design”.
Personally, I found it refreshing that this book was written and put into publication. With my recent exploration of the Northwest, my personal dogmas of our purpose on this earth transformed. And alas, I came to realize, that I don’t want to spend my life contributing to the industry of stuff. I see that a high quality of life does not require self-branding or being convinced of superficial needs. And because the Graphic Design industry operates in a commercialized enterprise, I began to feel discouraged of how I can integrally apply my skill in a career. Reading “Do Good Design” gave me encouragement that I can create meaningful design and also be recognized for it. It’s hard for me to make ethical definitions absolute because I realize it’s opinionated. Not every designer out there will see their trade as one purposed to serve a community, however, for those that do realize the importance of “good design”, I feel the recognition and impact will be far greater than those that don’t.
Being a good designer doesn’t just mean taking on better clients or doing general welfare personal work. It also means to practice what you preach, and something I am proud to say I am getting better at. By making small changes in my life like reusable totes, having a fuel efficient car, shopping often second-hand/thrift, eating better, financially independent, donating blood at least twice a year, fair trade foods when possible, and also trying to be active in service projects. Like this past year, I taught/played with kids locally at Marina Village and the Field of Hope carnival also internationally working at disadvantaged schools in Israel and Jamaica. I carry spiritual beliefs to prohibit prejudice and to find ways to give back 10% what we’ve been given. And now it’s a matter of applying my strong principles of sustainability and universal education through my favorite skill of graphic design.
All though I agree with Berman that graphic design can negatively impact our society and something should change, I’m afraid I cannot agree with his proposal of how. My largest disagreement with this book is that it seems Berman is a strong supporter of increasing legislation to regulate what graphic design should say and where it should be placed. Although corporations may abuse their tools to generate profit, it seems elitist to standardize what is ethical and what is not. Just as Berman encourages designers to work integrally to promote their personal principles, I alternately believe that it should happen in a natural and organic way, through mediums like exhibitions, books, and word-of-mouth, not through government law. Overall, I greatly appreciate his in-depth research and comparisons of “good” and “bad” design. And looking deeper to what a graphic designer’s actual role is.
More info on the book here.
Empty your mind of all thoughts.
Let your heart be at peace.
Watch the turmoil of beings,
but contemplate their return.
Each separate being in the universe
returns to the common source.
Returning to the source is serenity.
If you don’t realize the source,
you stumble in confusion and sorrow.
When you realize where you came from,
you naturally become tolerant,
disinterested, amused,
kindhearted as a grandmother,
dignified as a king.
Immersed in the wonder of the Tao,
you can deal with whatever life brings you,
and when death comes, you are ready. - Tao Te Ching (16
Artist Card 1. 2x6
Artist Card 2. 4x6
Gift Certificate
Gift Tag 1. 3x2, Folded
Gift Tag 2. 3x2, Folded
