What’s your favorite social media network? Mine’s Twitter. My reasoning is because it’s the place where I’m the most me. On all the other networks of my digital self, I heavily curate. Facebook I’m super selective about what I post. Instagram I art direct and post sparingly. Dribbble I put up only my best designs, Medium only my best writing. Twitter is where I talk like me, make inside jokes, take jabs at Republicans, and share anything I come across on the Internet that I’m even the slightest bit interested in. Which is why I consider Twitter to be an incredibly valuable tool. If you want a primer for an in-person meeting, to see if we’d be a good fit working together, or just want to follow along, go there.
Many Thanks
You all are spectacular. Your enthusiasm, your great ideas, your laughter, and your good heart. You all make this life a wonderful experience. Many thanks to you, for all that you’ve taught me this year. For the high fives through the good times, for the hugs through the bad, and for my deep rooted excitement for what’s to come.
JKDC offices will be closed until Monday. Enjoy the time off!
Are you terrified yet?
Last week, for the first time in a long time, I found myself in a classroom setting giving out my opinions on student graphic design projects. Oh class critique, how I’ve missed you. I used to do critiques a lot in Lincoln. While now, I certainly enjoy pontificating about ideas and design, I remember a time when I was on the other side. Terrified of being torn apart. Scared of what smart people would think of my student work. Shaking while presenting, voice timid and trembling.
All of those situations, however uncomfortable, were so very important. To be a solid designer and a valuable member of any team, I believe you must start at the bottom. You must be called out for lazy thinking. You must be pushed to a place you hadn’t wanted to go. You must be exposed and you must be vulnerable.
Gliding through a career with exceptional work and being able to make any idea seem magical certainly happens for some people. But I’m not interested in those people. I’m more interested in those of us who have had to go through the shit. Of being terrible to be being okay to being solid and putting in the time at each phase to advance simply by the sheer will of your determination. Yes! Those are the people for me.
So fear not terrified student. If you’re up for the task, to be a solid designer who makes beautiful work and makes any team better, you must go through the bottom rungs. Get exposed, get torn apart, get vulnerable. If you want it bad enough, the early phases will only make you better. You just have to hold on for the ride.
Who are you and why are you here?
I really like this question. I was part of a design roundtable recently led by this guy and these folks where this question kicked things off. Both parts, taken together, for maximum impact. But I like this so much I think I’m going to start asking it to myself in everything that I show up to. Simply showing up being a good portion of any work you do, knowing who you are and why you’re there, that’s the rest of the equation.
See Show Cheers!
AIGA Nebraska put on SHOW last Saturday night. Nebraska’s most prestigious juried competition honoring and showcasing the years’ best design. Hosted by KANEKO, the competition was juried by Lauren Hom, Dan Cederholm, and David Sizemore. Each year, it’s a great night for the community to get together and celebrate design. For me, I won a few awards, high-fived other winners, had a few beers, and talked to a couple students. Big shoutout to the all-volunteer board of AIGA Nebraska. They worked tirelessly to make sure everyone enjoyed the evening and are just a damn cool crew. And to the Design in Motion exhibition, you were amazing. Until next year, carry on.
On Ideas
As someone who works with new ideas every day, both from clients and my own, I’ve solidified some opinions on the topic. First off, what I consider to be fact is that there is no shortage of ideas. I’d even say there is an abundance of great ideas out there. Second, what makes it possible for ideas to become reality is actually doing the work. You know, executing that idea to its fullest potential. Sweating, failing, tweaking, trying, changing, sweating more, and ultimately, hopefully, succeeding. That’s what makes ideas happen. What has become my least favorite place to be in the ideation process is a conference room full of people talking about ideas. I think you could even scratch this conference room of people talking out of the equation altogether. In my experience, ideas becoming reality always happens after that anyway, so let’s just get to it.
Graphic Design to Stop a Pipeline
In breaking news last Friday, President Obama rejected the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. In Nebraska, the fight to stop KXL was led by Bold Nebraska. I work with Bold on a regular basis doing design work for their online and offline efforts and since 2010 we’ve battled TransCanada’s dirty, tarsands project.
As the pipeline was elevated into national conversation, putting farmers, ranchers, tribes, and everyday people against Big Oil and the Republican party, we’ve had highs and lows. But in the fight to act on climate, to protect our land and water, and to stop this extreme pollution project, Friday was a day of great celebration. A huge victory of historic proportions that just goes to show you, if a small group of dedicated troublemakers come together to do the hard work needed to make change, that change is indeed possible.
The Keystone XL used to be seen as inevitable. Just another fight the people will lose. The big corporation, in lockstep with our politicians, will win the day and we’ll go back to our homes defeated and a little more cynical. But that didn’t happen this time. This time, the people won the day. And you can be damn sure we’ll continue to be here, putting it on the line for people and planet. For the things we need to do now so we can ensure the future is bright.
For now, that tarsands filth is staying in the ground and isn’t passing through Nebraska. Instead, we’ll be focusing on a clean energy future. A future by the people, for the people, for generations to come. And with all the pipeline fighters out there who will continue to play a part in the fight, we say to those on the side of Big Oil, bring on the next.
