Congratulations Gem!

My cousin Gem graduated from Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Graphic Design this weekend. On Friday night, there was a grad show exhibiting the works of this semester's graduates. It was such a great experience to see the pieces created by these students. We got to see various forms of art all under one room. The creativity of these individuals was phenomenal! All the ideas presented were so fresh and innovative. From photography to graphic design to environmental and product design, it was a treat to take a look at everything. Not to mention, the halls were extremely crowded with friends and families of the graduates. Nonetheless, it was nice to have somewhat of a "free museum night."

Gem and I in front of her exhibit.

Her display with her signage.

You're probably wondering why there are clothes at her exhibit. Gem also has a degree in Fashion Design and hopes to create her own boutique one day. Each of the dresses displayed were designed and sewed by her.

Fresh modern logo for the clothing line: Alter.

Pictured above is my cousin Shane (Gem's sister) modeling the clothes Gem made. This is one of Gem's projects: a fashion catalog.

Another page from the catalog. Photography was also done by Gem. Isn't she just talented?

Gem's attempt at re-branding United Airlines.

I would love houndstooth patterned stationery if I were to own an airline!

I am so proud of my cousin! I knew she would be an artist since we were young. Her creativity has always been an evolving spark and continues to flourish throughout the years. Congratulations Gem and good luck on the job hunt! :)

Website Design

I nearly forgot I had an assignment due this evening. The assignment was to create a webpage. For something put together in 15 minutes, I thought this turned out pretty good. Simple yet functional. I'm thinking of enhancing it and perhaps making it my future blog design. What do you think? I still have a lot to learn but I will admit that I am having fun!

The design of self discovery

Graphic design classes require a lot of time, inspiration, and creativity. After enrolling in these classes, I knew I would struggle somewhat. I suffer from chronic Type A personality disorder. As a result, I like to get things done and over with as quickly as possible. In both undergrad and grad-school, I made it a point to have my assignments ahead of time to avoid the stressful time crunch as the due date came close. As much as I want to finish my assignment right now, my creative juices do not seem to be flowing and I've learned that it's not something you can force out of yourself. I'm supposed to be designing a DVD cover for my Digital Imaging class yet here I am blogging.

Among other things, taking these classes have taught me how to be patient, take (lots of) breaks and relax. I've come to learn that taking your time isn't such a bad thing. Furthermore, waiting 'til the last minute creates an unbelievable rush that exercises one's response to pressure. My graphic design work may not be the best but I am glad that I am learning how to step outside of my box to explore possibilities....even if they may contradict my personality or be something I would never think to do. I find that I am learning more about myself in these classes than graphic design itself. Self discovery is essential to our personal growth. I encourage everyone to step outside of their comfort zones and try something new. You'll be amazed at what you learn about yourself.

I will now leave you with the progress of my current assignment.

A different view of academia

Life has surely been catching up with me. I'm currently into the 5th week of the semester studying Graphic Design. My good friend Ella, who I had gone to high-school, college and grad school with, and I sporadically decided one day that we would test the waters and enroll in a Graphic Design Certificate Program. I admit that it's a nice break from learning about management styles, labor law and issuing stock. Besides, I've always admired good design but never thought I'd make an attempt myself. Yet, here I am. Truthfully, it's taking up a lot of my time that I may have to drop a class and jump down to part-time status. I'm too ashamed to post my work here right now. Do you really want to see the digital stick-figure snowman I created? Haha! We'll see how far I get in this exciting attempt into the world of art and design. Come to think about it, my right side of the brain has been in hibernation for the majority of my life. No wonder it's so hard to thaw it out!