Because of AIGA » New Orleans

Amazing group of inspiring humans.

mydarndest — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:22:20 +0000

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Joined AIGA in spring of 2007. That year I attended the AIGA/Harvard program, took a position on the board, and managed to sink myself pretty deep into the chapter activities.

Between the friends I made at Leadership Retreat in 2008 and the personal phone call of support I received from Ric Grefe during our Gustav evacuation, my commitment to AIGA has been galvanized.

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I look forward to working with and motivating the folks in my chapter to do great things and contribute significantly to the growth of AIGA as we move toward our centennial celebration in 2014.

Working stiffs become heroes.

mydarndest — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:12:13 +0000

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Because of what we do we are not eligible to form a union, we fall uncomfortably (or gloriously) between fine art and pure industry, many of us are independent contractors and small shops and we have few trade journals to herald our stories. Besides us, until recently, who cared about what we do?

Face it, we aren’t really newsworthy. The re-design of The New York Times for online subscription may seem big news to us but does the world real care? Or, are most people happy that they benefit by our products. We’re kind of invisible, which is a good thing.

Are you familiar with Beatrice Ward’s concept of the crystal goblet? I am extrapolating here but design (she wrote about typography) describes not itself but provides a form and context for the wine it contains. If you buy into this idea, designers are nothing, merely a vehicle. Until recently, the design profession was fairly invisible. With the exception of a few designers such as Paul Rand, Milton Glaser, the Eames, William Morris, ours’ has been an army of unsung heroes. Especially now when anyone with an iPhone and a Mac call themselves a designer, the individuals who make up this profession have not been known.

Until now.

AIGA New Orleans is taking oral and video histories of south Louisiana designers and all members of the graphic arts industry. We are building an actual and a virtual archives to house and make available the stories, and design work, of area practitioners, because everybody should be thought of as a hero.

The seeds of AIGA New Orleans History of Graphic Design in South Louisiana project can be viewed at: www.louisianadesignhistory.com.

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AIGA New Orleans encourages each chapter in this association to take their own history. In addition to the national archives that highlight award winners, as an organization we need to identify, document and make available the rich, dynamic history that we have become.

Want help starting your design history? Contact: Nancy Sharon Collins, projects@aiganeworleans.org

I found a job.

mydarndest — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:50:43 +0000

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I was moving to New Orleans post-Katrina and didn’t know a soul. I looked on the AIGA New Orleans job board and found the perfect job description for where I was at at the time in terms of my career. I applied and got the job and began a new chapter in my life. I trusted the AIGA job board and it payed off.

Networking, Presentations and Workshops

mydarndest — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:41:21 +0000

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I have been able to meet the network of designers that include students and professionals not only in my local area but across the state with the similar passions and ambitions.

Particularly in a city that is still rebuilding and recovering after Katrina. AIGA has played an integral role in helping reshape and build the creative class in New Orleans and surrounding areas.

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Workshops and presentations have provided valuable inspiration and education that helped broaden my skills and knowledge.