The Smell of Success

Design Intelligence ranked SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) #1 for Interior Design for both Undergraduate and Graduate programs regionally. And now, as finals conclude tomorrow, I am feeling the weight of that title. My newest feat has been putting together a digital portfolio. As with most things, it will be a progressively changing process. As more projects find their way onto my work resume, the portfolio will morph itself to fit its new form.

I enjoyed the capabilities of having your business card in a stamp.Or some part of your branding package incorporating into something so flexible and reusable. Potentially a branding move in the near future....

The result of what I came up with came from a stringent process, of SCADs curriculum, and of my portfolio preparation class, was really figuring out who I am as a designer, as a person, as an employee offering a company my services. It was, for the first time in my collegiate process, that I saw myself as a product arranged on floor fixtures for buyers to peruse. Up until now, I had a misconception that all the hard work I've produced and the hours of sleepless nights endured would somehow sell itself to potential employers. I did not see my services as they should be seen as. It was a really interesting but gradual epiphany for myself.

 Still, I challenge myself as to why we market ourselves the way we do?

I think its good to ask yourself this as you design your brand. Asking what message you want to send, and how you come across initially. Some approach the topic in assertive colors with lines that suggest dominance, others Asian background affect the organic nature of their logo. Interestingly so, the brands (as they should be) become a graphic transformation of who we are, not only as designers, but as people. It might not have been the initial motive when creating a brand identity, but in seeing the finishing products of both a print and digital portfolio, there is a consistency with the design and the designer. I like this. I enjoy exploring how we can more accurately, better represent, ourselves visually.

Additionally to the history class, I finished as of a few short hours, my studio class is wrapping up beautifully. It is a exhausting sigh of relief to know that in a short 30 hours I will be exhaling the sweet breath of completion. This being one of the more meaningful quarters of my education, has given me the opportunity to choose a design problem and solution specific to my interests. Similar to the brand identity observations between the design and the designer, the problems we chose to address as designers seem specific to our interests and extendability. I am going on break soon and look forward to updating on the process of the Atlanta project for my Capstone!

Adieu SCAD, hello [short] break!!

Zaban Night Shelter

Jennifer Edds and Myself making artwork for the resident's rooms

Volunteer work is very important- to me. And while I think it should be innate to everyone, I understand that not everything is everyone's cup of tea.Social works I believe creates an understanding (sometimes) of a life outside your own. It allows perspective and selflessness that is crucial to the character and perspective of an individual. Wholly, it's important to my personal life as well as professional- avocation versus vocation I remind myself daily. There are things you do as a job, to pay bills and support a lifestyle, and there are things you do as hobbies and sometimes to fulfill the passion an indivudla possesses. Fortunately and unfortunately, I live with the ideal that the two can coincide. Everyday I search to live authetntically both in vocation and avocation. 

Volunteer Photo

Now, to get off my soap box and onto an organization that is just doing wonderful things-
The Zaban Project.

The Temple Zaban Night Shelter is a shelter for the homeless. Unlike other shelters I've been in contact with, this one sparked a note because of their users and the people behind the project driving it home.The Zaban house is located directly across from SCAD Atlanta on Peachtree St.  The mission of the project is to provide shelter for homeless male and females without children.

Did you catch that? Unlike other shelters that focus predominately on individuals of minority groups, or to families of a general area, or anyone who find themselves walking in the front door- this shelter focuses on couple. COUPLES.

When I found that the users were this, I was so inspired. A place that looks passed the obvious obstacle of couples using this as a brothel, and instead takes the leap to cultivate and nurse the partnership of two homeless people. I find this incredibly inspiring. The hopeless romantic in me finds solace that there are lovers out there who can find support in beautiful missions such as this.

Our group went into the shelter and taped off on the floor where
the furniture should sit. It was space planning- quickly. There were
currently a storage shelving unit in each of the bedrooms (22 in total rooms),
and we were going into account for the position and size of the bed
shortly entering the space. By us going in and providing this information,
we were able to provide our skills of circulation, views, and space
planning and allow the movers to efficiently move the furniture
in without having to deal with orientation.

Additionally, the bedrooms were provided with artwork that was
designed by the volunteers. I found this to be inspiring as well
(this project is INCREDIBLY inspiring in their mission and in their efforts).
The fact that the designers of this space provided these couples with
artwork not only uplifts the environment but
shows the importance of art as a value.

Phase 2 of the project is being proposed now. Phase 1 was the residential spaces. Phase 2 entails an office, kitchen, dining area, and computer room. These public spaces are ppossible because a contractor volunteer their time to the project.

More details on the update soon!

Materials

"Welcome to Makeup 101. Today we will be learning about the characteristics, durability, and clean ability of materials and their effects to cosmetics."

This was the introduction to a studio class at SCAD the fall of 2011. The ten of us in the class went to the materials room on campus and sat around large flat surfaces to dive into what this entailed.
99% of the class were females, 1% men. This being noted, there was a plethora of options for makeup. Those who had access to the cosmetics were asked to bring them to class. The nine women brought in the daily cosmetics they use. This entailed foundation, mascara, lipstick, etc. We then as a group selected materials from the selection offered at SCAD to test these cosemetics on.

The selection of materials varied. Some where harder surfaces,
some fabrics, vinyl, glass, the list goes on and on. We wanted to test the
cosmetics on the most diverse selection of materials to provide
the most accurate response for our research.

A photograph of the classmates testing
their products on the materials

The relevancy of these tests came about with the assignment we were currently working on. The project was a cosmetic fixture for a chosen brand of cosmetics. Some of the brands chosen were Dior, Chanel, Illamasqua, Art of Shaving, Elizabeth Arden, and NARS. Individually we pursued these projects to ultimately create a fixture that was no bigger when expanded than  3' X 3' X 7'.

Here is a maquette of the final product alongside
dimensioned sketches of the fixture. The design needed to be realistic
for the specific brand, and by understanding the brand we
understand the proper proportions and dimensions required.

Front Perspective

Back Perspective

Below is a final rendering of what the fixture would look like when built

Atlanta's move towards Modernism?

I went to a lecture last night, at the High Museum, which really shed light on Atlanta's progressive, or lack thereof, actions towards adopting an additional aesthetic into the hearts and homes of Atlantans. Michael Shapiro, the director at the High Museum, noticed from the statistics noted from the Andy Warhol and Picasso exhibit that the 1/3 million of people that came through the exhibit, the average age was 41 (the average age usually resting around 46-47 years old). These statistics brought an interesting debate to the round table.
The five professionals at Atlanta Embraces Modernism addressed the rising issue of encouraging younger markets into the art industry. One woman, Catherine Fox, brought up an interesting point of view. She said that youth now, twenty-something men and women, have less to loose now because, well, there's less to gain. Therefore, a more lackadaisical point of view is easily obtained because, as she said, you "dance in the fountain without a stage". It's this idea that youth now are excited by art, no more are there large stages required to display great art and design. Younger generations are creating this art in basements hung with cobwebs, and markets that Atlanta hosts to showcase these ambitious individuals. Organizations are now coming about that honor these artists, and want to encourage and drive the leadership in these young individuals.

Even before we can look at the people making the shift for Atlanta’s city, I think it’s important to ask if Atlanta is even ready for Modernism. John Oetgen and Doug Henderson were also two of the professionals at the lecture, Atlanta Embraces Modernism.  Doug was saying that there was a show hosting something like seven pieces of modern furniture and that one of the group were purchased by a couple and that the rest were sent back. Is this the pattern of response for Atlanta natives? John Oetgen had an interesting response. His experience with the industry and many of Atlanta clients gives him the insight he has. I loved the words he chose to describe Atlanta aesthetic. He said it’s something of “nostalgia soup”. Following up with an explanation, he described homes that have midcentury interiors, high ceilings, crown molding, combining this history with punches of modern aesthetic. Many of Atlanta homes are graced with the city’s history and combining this with elements of 21^st century. They are an integration of each other, not separate entities. I found this to
be incredible interesting and brings me back to ask again, is Atlanta ready for modernism? Doug Henderson said it’s going to take a few homes that breach the aesthetic boundary of modernism before it’s accepted unanimously. Almost like a ring leader of design is needed in the residential sector for homes to adopt this transformation.

This motif of leadership kept surfacing, and for good reasons. If leadership is needed for residential designers to lead their clients from mixing contemporary with older antique furnishings to a more modern approach, what are we doing as designers to educate ourselves, our clients, our communities? And this again brings up another issue I found in speaking with a professor of mine, Christian Cottier. He brought up good food for thought with the lecture at the High Museum. He proposed that begging modernism into Atlanta almost suggests that there is a void without it. Is there? Is the Atlanta design ‘missing’ something? Is modernism the missing link? As to what the answer is, I do not know. I do know that diversity and progressive change is inevitable and beautifully wonderful. I think the lecture was not to condone traditional design, but moreso bring light to the adoption or lack of adoption for the Atlanta community. I think that Atlanta doesn’t have the competition (like more densely populated areas like, New York or Tokyo (as brought up in the talk)) to be more contemporary than our colleagues and community. In those areas there is this lingering approach to be better, be more inventive, and more modern than our fellow artists. This is crucial to notice for our beautiful city of Atlanta. With less competition, comes more room to radically change and make a difference. What a beautiful realization for designers of Atlanta. We DO have a say, we can make an effect, and we can change the world with good design.

Let’s change the world. Let’s start with Atlanta.